Over 150 Years William Coffey & Sons of Westport is a name synonymous with high-quality monumental sculpture. Their work is, in itself, a lasting monument to their quality craftsmanship, a craft and art form handed down within the firm through five generations since its establishment in 1852. The existing firm was born back in the middle of the last century when William Monaghan set up his monumental sculpturing business and workshops in "The Shambles" area, now a car park, at the rear of St. Mary's Church, off James Street, Westport. The firm's policy of producing only first-class, high-quality work soon earned it a high reputation and increasing demands for its services. This demand necessitated the employment by William Monaghan of additional master sculptors and monumental masons. The firm's high standard of craftsmanship was enriched when he secured the services of one of Ireland's leading young master stone sculptors of the time, William Coffey of Tullamore, who had achieved an exceptionally high degree of skill in the craft in his own family's successful monumental sculpturing business in Co. Offaly. Later, another member of the talented Coffey family, John, also a gifted stone sculptor, joined his brother William in Westport, providing the firm with a truly first-class team of master craftsmen. With the expansion of the business, William Monaghan found the workshop area at "The Shambles" too restrictive and an alternative site was sought. The purchase of a spacious site at the North Mall was being negotiated when William Monaghan reconsidered and decided instead to purchase a property at Altamount Street. (The North Mall site is the one now occupied by Westport Post Office) The decision to opt for the Altamount Street location was influenced by its close proximity to Westport Railway Station and the fact that the Westport to Achill railway line was then under construction and the firm's services were in demand for the "dressing" of keystones and quoin stones for the arches of the numerous bridges being built for the new rail link. Inscribed stone tablets for the major bridges and viaducts were carved by the Coffey brothers, including the tablet bearing the date "1892" on the magnificent cut-stone, multi-arch viaduct spanning the Carrowbeg River near Altamount Street, Westport. By the end of the last century William Coffey and his brother, John, had become key members of William Monaghan's team of craftsmen and contributed much to the expansion of the flourishing business. Indeed, William became a family member ... he married his employer's daughter, Annie Monaghan William Coffey & his wife Annie Nee Monaghan At the turn of the century (in 1901) William Coffey became head of the firm which now bears his name. Subsequently, his two sons, P.J. ('Birdie') and Harry, joined him in the business and became master craftsmen in stone. Harry died in October 1961 and on the death of P.J., in May,1978, responsiblity for the business passed on to his nephew, John Coffey (a son of Harry and great-grandson of the firm's founder), who had entered the trade 12 years earlier in 1966. Harry Coffey P.J. (Birdie) Coffey John & Anne Coffey 150 years after the foundation of the firm John's son and daughter, Brian & Michelle Coffey became the fifth generation of the family involved in the business. Since their early youth, both Brian and Michelle have had hands-on, part-time work experience in the firms workshops. Following the retirement of both John & Brian today the firm of William Coffey & Sons is a team of truly first-class master craftsmen all of whom have been with the firm from an early age. The firms new workshops at Westport Industrial Estate combine the modern and ancient skills of monumental sculpturing. The most modern machinery has been installed to facilitate cutting, cleaning and polishing and to provide customers with a first-class service. The large stocks of stone and marble slabs ensure that customers' orders are completed expeditiously. BACK TO TOP William Coffey And Sons, Unit 8 Westport Industrial Est., Newport Rd, Westport, County Mayo. Tel/Fax: 00 353 98 25029 Email: info@wmcoffeyandsons.com