The fire brigade was established in 1940 and firemen worked on a voluntary basis, but were given two pounds ten shillings at Christmaks as a token of appreciation by the County Council. The Council also supplied their equipment. If a fire broke out, a member of the Garda would go to the Town Clock (now the Credit Union) and press a red box on the wall to set off the siren. This would call the fire-fighters and they had to live within a mile of the town. The brigade’s equipment was updated in the 1950s and this was celebrated by the blessing of the new fire engine after Sunday morning mass. [Rosemary Canavan, ‘Storyspace Exhibition’, Kanturk Arts Festival 2012]
