Ireland has a wide variety of manhole covers, few of them very decorative, although many small water stop-valves have Celtic style designs, often with the word "uisce" (water, from which the English word whisky derives). Pont a Mousson has made few inroads here and Ireland is loyal to its main foundry, Cavanagh in Birr. However there are a number of English and Welsh suppliers, and, particularly in Ulster, foundries in Scotland, especially Kilmarnock just across the water.
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Bailieborough
Bailieboro Foundry. Seen in Wexford
PKS Ballynahinch. Seen in Belfast
Meter, Belfast Water Works
Belfast Water Works, 4
Belfast City Council, Garden of Remembrance
Ulster Fondries, Belfast. Seen in Coleraine
Cavanagh Foundry, Birr
The Cavanagh Foundry in Birr with the splendid strapline on its factory is the main supplier of manhole covers in southern Ireland, its products seen across the country, including items commissioned by local authorities whose names also appear on the covers. Products include a series of covers named after ferocious beasts: Tiger, Panther, Scorpion etc and also a square cover with Celtic designs.
Cavanagh Foundry, Birr. Manhole covers awaiting delivery
Cavanagh Scorpion. Seen upended in Stradbally
Cavanagh. Decorative cover seen in Letterkenny and Cahir
Cavanagh Foundry, Birr. Seen in Wexford
J.Cavanagh & Sons Ltd, Birr, Beal tuile. Seen in Wexford
T.Thompson & Son, Carlow. Seen in Dunlavin
Page last updated 24 September 2009
