Sligo’s Secret Turret

All eyes are on Sligo this weekend as the Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann fills the streets with music. Sligo is surprising, as the old tourist slogan used to say and is full of hidden histories and interesting architecture. One such building that has a fascinating history is the Western Wholesale Building on the corner of Wine Street and Adelaide Street right in the heart of the town and very close to Sligo port. This building is very interesting not only because it has Yeatsian connections but also as a key building in the town’s history.

It was built in 1858 and was once part of the extensive property of the Pollexfen family who were Yeats maternal family (his mother was Susan Pollexfen who married John Yeats) and was the reason why the poet came to Sligo for his childhood summers. The Pollexfens and the Middletons were the largest ship owners in Sligo.  Sligo Library even named them in a paper as ‘The Merchant Princes of Sligo’ and during the first half of the 19th century they owned a large fleet of sailing vessels as well as a flour-mill in Ballisodare and property across the county. This building was the offices of the family firm, Sligo Steam Navigation Co. later W & G.T. Pollexfen Co.

The building and the look-out tower have always intrigued me (and many who live in Sligo too). It is a simple warehouse building with handsome Victorian features from its red-brick window dressings, semi-circular-headed moulded  doorcases and projecting eaves. Its a building you may come across in other towns around Ireland but what is different about this is the stunning look-out tower popping above the roof. I remember seeing the look-out tower as a child filled with Christmas lights and my Dad telling me it was where a ship-owner watched his ships come in.

The look-out tower was built as part of the Pollexfen warehouse building specifically for William Pollexfen (W.B. Yeats grandfather) to view his ships coming and going out of port. I like to imagine him with his grey Victorian beard and telescope in hand looking out over Sligo bay. In about 1860 the family became involved in the Sligo Steam Navigation Company for the ever increasing numbers of emigrants leaving the country. The early 1860’s saw the highest emigration figures in Sligo since the great Famine. In 1864 as many as 400 per week sailed for America and Canada.

So this look-out tower has seen many things come and go from Sligo,  from its dramatic standpoint which was built to see riches arriving it also has seen emigrants leaving for America, battleships anchoring and countless cargo and fleets setting out over the Atlantic. The building is now owned by the McCanny family and I had the pleasure of talking to Suzy McCanny and getting a behind the scenes tour of the building she now uses it as her photography studio today.

Ruaruth: Tell me more about the Western Wholesale/Pollexfen building Suzy?

Suzy: My father took on the building 1980s and we as a family have a true connection to it. Its a building that takes a lot of blood, sweat and tears. We really respect the the building and my Dad especially loves opening it to a new generation. It was originally the Pollexfen headquarters. Later, in more recent history it was were the Western Wholesale Co. had offices and warehouses. I remember hearing that they had offices and typing pools on the top floor and it wholesaled everything from hardware to Waterford Crystal. There were a couple of fashion businesses working from here at different points  too. There was a man called Michael Flax who sold leather jackets and and went on to own the Awear chain. Its now my photography studio and workshop Suzy McCanny Photography its a fabulous space to work in and people always respond well to it.

Ruaruth: As a photography studio now, I’d say people are very interested to come in and visit you?

Suzy: Yes, I get lots of visitors and lots of people from around the town telling me stories about when they worked here. I love hearing that. A couple of years ago we had an exhibition in connection with The National Library of Ireland for Yeats Day and we exhibited some amazing artifacts and replicas of Yeats memorabilia from their collections. We reproduced much of the wall display which was on show at the National Library and exhibited some of their reproductions of family photo-albums so visitors could flick through them too.

Ruaruth: Tell me more about the famous look-out tower?

Suzy: There is a lot of fascination about the look-out tower and a certain romance to it. However, it is unfortunately not accessible for us or to the public as it is in great need of renovation and would be an insurance risk. It is very high and access to it is via a wooden ladder and multiple platforms but you can get the idea from the top floor of t building of how spectacular the view is. We hope some day to renovate for tourists and Sligonians to enjoy- but we have no plans to do so as yet.

Ruaruth: What can you see from the top?

Suzy: The view goes all the way out to Benbulben and beyond and still gives one of the best views over Sligo bay despite the development of the town since that era. With it’s 360 view it provides a unique view of the cathedral also, as a building we are so used to looking up at it’s amazing to see it from a higher perspective.

Ruaruth: While you have worked in the building and been renovating it did you uncover anything interesting?

Suzy: We have found some nice graffiti of peoples names from the years of the Western Wholesale Co and prior to that time in the basement and we uncovered a beautiful Victorian fire-place (pictured below).

With thanks to Suzy McCanny for taking time to talk to me and for giving me a lovely tour of this fascinating building.

Read more about Suzy’s work here.

The interior of the building and remaining architectural features. Wooden sash and shuttered windows. Curved wooden staircases. A Victorian fireplace found by Suzy.