In May 1986 an exquisitely made and ornamented spade of the shovel type was donated to the Old Dublin Society. The presentation was made at the Social Evening, held in St. Anne's Hall. The silver blade, and shaft socket, are richly engraved with Celtic patterns, as are also the silver ferrules at the terminations of the shaft and handle. The blade is inscribed "Presented to the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, Alderman Alfred Byrne, Senator, On the occasion of cutting the first sod for the construction of additional slow sand filters at Dublin Corporation Waterworks, Roundwood, Co. Wicklow. 15th Sept. 1931. Grainger Bros., Contractors". The lettering, appropriately, is of the old Irish type. This beautiful example of Irish silver-work was executed by Thomas Weir, whose hallmark is inscribed on the rear of the blade. The shaft is 26 inches long, and the handle (curved) is 31/2 inches, and both are of mahogany. In 1931 the Corporation decided to have new filter beds constructed at Roundwood Reservoir, and between 1931 and 1932 four beds were laid out, bringing the total of such filters to fourteen. The contractors were Grainger Bros. of 533, North Circular Road, who went out of business in the 1950s. When Alfred Byrne, or "Alfie" as he was fondly called in Dublin, became Lord Mayor in 1930, the city had been without a Lord Mayor from 1924. He was to hold this honoured post up to 1938-39, and yet again came back to serve a term in 1954-55. In 1915-18 "Alfie" had been a Member of Parliament for the Harbour Division of Dublin, and 1922-23 he was T.D. for Mid-division of Dublin, and T.D. for North- Division from 1923-28, and also from 1932-37. From 1928-32 he was a member of the Saorstat Eireann Senate, hence his description inscribed on the silver spade. Amongst his many more posts he was a Trustee of the Royal Liver Friendly Society (Liverpool), and Chairman of the Liver National Health Society of Dublin. He had an honorary degree of L.L.D. from the University of Dublin, and was a Knight Grand Cross of St. Sylvester (Vatican City). His last child, born in the Mansion House, was fittingly named Sylvester. This silver spade, thoughtfully donated by his family, will serve to remind visitors to the Civic Museum, of Dublin's beloved "Alfie", who used greet all and sundry with a cordial hand-shake, or wave of his hard hat if he was riding his familiar bicycle. > Back to Famous Byrnes