IT is 225-years-old and said to be worth up to €3m, but the Lord Mayor of Dublin's coach is kept in a sewage plant.
The golden coach has been described as "a virtual art gallery on wheels".
But the Herald can reveal that the beautiful carriage is stored at the Main Lift Pumping Station in Ringsend, Dublin – a plant in the city's sewage pumping network.
The station is manned 24 hours a day by security personnel, which made it a safe place for storing the vehicle.
A spokeswoman for Dublin City Council confirmed that the mayoral coach is stored there, and said the location is "a critical piece of Dublin's waste water infrastructure".
"The upkeep of the Lord Mayor's coach has been carried out by the Waste Water Services Division of Dublin City Council since 2005," the spokeswoman added.
UNIQUE
While the TV commentary on its last outing at the St Patrick's Day parade put its value at around €3m, the coach is effectively priceless.
The spokeswoman said: "The Lord Mayor's coach is a historical and unique item and it would not be possible to put a specific value on it."
The coach was commissioned in 1789 in Dublin and costs were initially set at £600.
However, it was considered "good value" at the time as the coach is decorated with intricate gold designs.
Also featured on the carriage is a "lady and sword" carving, as well as the city's coat of arms.
The carriage – which is eight feet wide and more than 11 feet tall – won such acclaim that the British monarchy ordered that a copy be made for use in London.
Former Lord Mayor of Dublin Royston Brady came under fire when he used the State Coach for his wedding in 2003.
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