Survey Data
Reg No
30406109
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Technical
Original Use
Water tower
In Use As
Outbuilding
Date
1920 - 1940
Coordinates
178159, 238800
Date Recorded
28/10/2009
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Freestanding reinforced concrete water tower, erected c.1930, having round-plan shaft with cylindrical water tank supported on curved metal brackets. Domed concrete roof to tank. Square-headed openings, two blocked-up windows to shaft, timber sheeted entrance door to south. Set within wire fence enclosure in open field, with double-leaf metal gates and rendered piers.
Appraisal
This water tower is a distinctive landmark on the road to Ahascragh. Its clear geometrical silhouette and use of unadorned, unrendered reinforced concrete are typical of early twentieth-century functional civic structures in Ireland. The exposed seams where the precast panels join add visual interest to the structure while the substantial brackets supporting the tank provide shadow and interest. It originally was part of an unpressurised water distribution network for the local area and now serves as a physical reminder of the technical and engineering history of Ireland.