Michael, 107, was involved in iconic North Mayo project
Michael Coyne is pictured receiving his copy of Powering the West from PJ and Bernie Lynn. Michael's nephew Neil McGarry is also pictured (at back).
Pictured holding a copy of the ESB/Bord na Móna history, , is 107-year-old Michael Coyne who worked on the construction of the Bellacorick power station during the 1950s.
A native of Cloonfinglas, Fairymount, Castlerea, Michael was employed by the John Waldron construction company. While working on the project he stayed in digs with a local family in Bellacorick. The Bellacorick power station was a joint partnership between Bord na Móna and the Electricity Supply Board (ESB) and a large number of workers were employed in the construction phase.
Indeed, the construction of the power station was one of the biggest infrastructural projects in the West of Ireland at that time and people travelled from all over Mayo to see the giant cooling tower once it was completed. The power station closed in 2005 and the cooling tower was demolished in a controlled explosion in 2007.
Michael was presented with a copy of by PJ Lynn, who was a member of the Crossmolina-based committee behind the publication of the history. He was delighted to see his name recorded in the book as one of those workers employed in the construction.
