Blast from the past: Cow tail water pumps

​​Cow tail pumps used to be a familiar sight across Northern Ireland, but these days they are few and far between and more an iconic image from a bygone era, when households used to draw water from a well.
By Helen McGurk
Published 30th Mar 2023, 16:11 BST
Updated 30th Mar 2023, 16:11 BST
An old-fashioned cow tail water pumpAn old-fashioned cow tail water pump
An old-fashioned cow tail water pump

We had a fully functioning one on our farm, which was linked to a well and produced the freshest spring water from its stout spout.

It was lovely to look at and was kept in pristine condition by my late father, who painted it every other year or so.

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I remember playing with the handle (shaped like a cow tail, hence the name), until one day it was gone…….

Overnight someone had come into the farmyard and removed it.

This was during the late 1980s, when people were using them as decorations in their gardens.

We had another one in a field near our house and it too was swiped. In fact, all across Northern Ireland people were reporting theirs had been nicked.

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Cow tail pumps commanded quite a price, and today authentic ones can sell for hundreds of pounds, so it’s not surprising that criminals saw them as an easy way to make money.

They can still be seen in parts of Donegal, beside whitewashed cottages with thatched roofs – standing as proud symbols of a simpler way of life. ​​​​​​​

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Related topics:Northern IrelandDonegal