It’s a misnomer to call these hydrants. In Ireland – and the UK – fire hydrants are located below ground accessible via a manhole cover usually painted yellow and with the initials FH clearly visible. The fire engine carries a standard ‘stand pipe’ which the attaches to the below ground hydrant.
What Marcus is photographing are the remnants of public water pumps that were in use before a public piped water supply was available circa 19th century. There are some still functioning in parts of Ireland – although obviously no longer used for water supply. I admit that this one looks a bit puzzling but many were ‘capped’ when they were decommissioned.
Frank, welcome here, and thanks for the explanation! It’s all to easy to apply home-town knowledge also wherever I travel to, not knowing how much wrong I can be.
Thanks Markus. I have been lurking for a while now and really enjoy your photos. I feel a special empathy with your shots from the Dingle Peninsula. I live at the other end of the country – close to the Inishowen Peninsula – where the landscape and villages are similar.
I just had a look at the map, Frank. As I had enjoyed my stay in Ireland so much, I most probable will come back and see some of the spots I missed this time, with Giants Causeway and thus the north of the island very much on top of the list.
I wonder how they connect a hose to it…does the top come off? 🙂
The same question as Earl’s came to my mind …
It’s a misnomer to call these hydrants. In Ireland – and the UK – fire hydrants are located below ground accessible via a manhole cover usually painted yellow and with the initials FH clearly visible. The fire engine carries a standard ‘stand pipe’ which the attaches to the below ground hydrant.
What Marcus is photographing are the remnants of public water pumps that were in use before a public piped water supply was available circa 19th century. There are some still functioning in parts of Ireland – although obviously no longer used for water supply. I admit that this one looks a bit puzzling but many were ‘capped’ when they were decommissioned.
Beside all that a really nice photo!
Frank, welcome here, and thanks for the explanation! It’s all to easy to apply home-town knowledge also wherever I travel to, not knowing how much wrong I can be.
Thanks Markus. I have been lurking for a while now and really enjoy your photos. I feel a special empathy with your shots from the Dingle Peninsula. I live at the other end of the country – close to the Inishowen Peninsula – where the landscape and villages are similar.
I just had a look at the map, Frank. As I had enjoyed my stay in Ireland so much, I most probable will come back and see some of the spots I missed this time, with Giants Causeway and thus the north of the island very much on top of the list.