Historic post box ripped from wall

A VR (Victoria Regina) post box believed to have dated from the beginning of the last century or before has been ripped from the wall at the Grand Gate of the Baronstown Estate, Ballynacargy, once the seat of the illustrious Malone Family.

A resident of the area said local people were “very upset to see such destruction”.

“We all posted letters there, and if we had no stamps we put money in and the postman would sort it. Those were the days of the walking and cycling postman”, she reminisced. The post box, which was a solid, simple device, had survived the years and even The Troubles, despite its British monarchy symbol.

When Ireland became a Free State, such post boxes were an issue, but that was resolved by painting the red British boxes with their British monarchy insignia, green.

The VR post box at Baronstown’s Grand Gate was one of the few remaining. Now, all that’s left is a gaping hole as a sad reminder of the wanton destruction of an historic relic.