FORTY SHILLINGS FINE 17/09/2025

Spotted on a gate in Glasnevin, just a stone's throw from Dublin's National Botanic Gardens, is a weathered cast iron sign. Its message is stark and formal: "ANY PERSON LEAVING THIS GATE OPEN IS LIABLE TO A PENALTY OF FORTY SHILLINGS." Stamped with the initials "E.B. & S.R.," the sign presents a fascinating historical puzzle. Where did it come from? And who were the mysterious E.B. & S.R.? At first glance, one might assume it's a piece of English salvage, perhaps an old military sign. But the real story is far more interesting.