Rural electrification: ‘Some were afraid of it.. and others worried that they couldn’t afford it’
Erecting the ESB poles, one at a time. Picture: ESB Archives
The rural electrification of Mayo was no easy task in the mid-20th century.
The county had electricity before the establishment of the Electricity Supply Board (ESB) in 1927 courtesy of ten local electricity suppliers in the county. These were individuals or companies who had permits to commercially supply electricity to three or more homes and businesses in their local area.
Ballinrobe Electric and Woollen Co Ltd on Bridge St was in operation prior to 1927 and supplied 136 homes and businesses by 1927. In 1948, a total of 278 householders in Ballinrobe were connected to the National Electricity Grid via the Shannon Scheme. The ESB acquired Ballinrobe Electric and Woollen Company Ltd to extend electricity to many homes in the area. The population of the town at the time was 1,351 people.
Before the foundation of the ESB, just over 40,000 Irish homes had electricity, supplied by local authorities and private companies. The country had the second lowest consumption of electricity in Europe.
The River Shannon had long been the focus of various plans to bring electricity to Ireland. Early iterations of the Shannon project were deemed unfeasible and were delayed by political unrest in Ireland and abroad.
In 1923, a young engineer from Drogheda, Thomas McLaughlin returned to Ireland after a period working with Siemens in Berlin and studying hydroelectric schemes in Europe. In 1925, together with Siemens and Patrick McGilligan TD, McLaughlin succeeded in getting a White Paper on the scheme accepted by the newly formed Free State government. A budget of £5.1 million was allocated to the ambitious project, this was 20 percent of Ireland's national revenue for that time.
The Electricity Supply Bill was passed in 1925, and work began on the Shannon Scheme in August of that year. The scheme involved work at two major locations in Co Clare, a generating station at Ardnacrusha and a weir at Parteen where 4,000 Irish and 1,000 German men worked. The station was officially opened in July 1929 and began to generate power on the national network in October 1929.
The Shannon Scheme led to the establishment of the ESB in 1927 and was the first national electricity system in the world to integrate all the components of the electricity supply chain, i.e. the generation, distribution, marketing, transmission, and sale of electricity.
The scheme was a huge success, bringing 'cheap and abundant' electricity to the Irish people for the first time, and paving the way for the similarly innovative Rural Electrification Scheme that followed 20 years later.
ESB Archives reports that rural electrification began in Creevagh, The Neale in December 1954, six years after its introduction in Ballinrobe. A total of 772 poles were erected with 76 kilometers of line used and 150 premises connected.
In Cong, rural electrification began in August 1950 with 925 poles set up and 79 kilometres of line used. A total of 269 premises were connected to electricity.
In an article in the on November 27, 1996, Ballinrobe's Miko Murphy celebrated 50 years of rural electrification and outlined the changes that occurred as a result of the introduction of electricity.
Miko initially worked as an apprentice in the Ballinrobe Powerhouse where he was paid five shillings a week. This was taken over by the ESB in 1947. He worked with company manager Pat Treach, office secretary Maura Mulrooney and Pat Solan.
The Ballinrobe Electric Company had been established in the 1920s and Ballinrobe was one of the first towns to have electricity, powering Moran's Sawmills on Kilmaine Road and other businesses.
During World War II, when fuel oil was rationed, turf and timber blocks were used to generate power.
“People cut up timber blocks and sold them to the plant and the big steam engine generated electricity," recalled Miko. "Areas such as Kilmaine and The Neale had no electricity, although Ashford Castle in Cong had its own generator.”
Shortly after the ESB took over the electric company, Miko was transferred to Galway and later to Ballinlough in Co Roscommon.
“I remember the switching on of the power in areas near Ballinlough. It was a very big occasion and the Parish Priest would turn it on. Up to 90 percent of the people would take the electricity. Some were afraid of it and others were worried that they couldn't afford it, but in the early '60s, we went around again and those who didn't take it the first time got a chance to be connected.”
Miko worked for a short time in Claremorris before returning to Ballinrobe in 1953.
Miko and Paddy Moran were involved in connecting many houses in South Mayo.
“It was great for the area and was the cause of a lot of businesses being set up out the country. Businesses like McGrath's Limestone in Cong were connected. Before that, the only light the people had was the tilly lamp on the kitchen table. A lot of people bought radios and irons. They were the most popular items at the start. Things like cookers and milking machines came later,” said Miko.
Electricity was switched on in Cong in 1951, the same year as was filmed in the village.
“The Americans were very surprised as they had electricity for a long time before that. The film producers were using their own generator at the time,” said Miko.
To connect houses, Miko travelled from house to house on his bicycle and used the same bike to travel from Kilmaine to Ballinrobe to work daily.
“There were no vans then. I often left the ESB at midnight and cycled home after the late shift. We didn't mind as we were young and fit in those days and there was little or no traffic on the road.”
He said the introduction of electricity led to the advent of television.
“This definitely changed Ireland, for the better and for the worse. It made people more aware and it influenced children in particular. It also destroyed the cinema industry. Every town had its own cinema, including Ballinrobe, before television was introduced.”
Miko remembered staff working in terrible weather conditions including Hurricane Debbie in the 1960s and another storm in the '70s that knocked out electricity in the area for two weeks due to falling trees.
In February 1988, Martin Kelly, ESB Area Supervisor in Claremorris, wrote in the , the ESB's monthly newsletter, of a storm that hit the area.
“The recent storm reminds me of the better-than-best that all the area staff here produced during some of the worst weather experienced in the West of Ireland in living memory.
'Everybody concerned worked to the limit, knowing that all their colleagues were doing likewise. The objective: to restore supply to as many customers as possible by the end of a long and tiring day.
“And what would we have done without the hot evening meals? Each evening, the staff of the Dalton Inn Hotel, Claremorris, waited as long as was necessary to have a choice of menus for ten or 15 of the lads who took a break before going out again into the night.”
The May 1978 edition of the featured ESB staff from South Mayo. They included the legendary Mayo GAA footballer Billy Fitzpatrick, from Garrymore, who joined the staff in 1964. It noted Billy worked as a Chargehand Linesman with a group gang in Castlebar working on Rural Post Development Work.
“He is a keen footballer and won county medals playing with Garrymore in 1974, 1975, and 1976 as well as playing for Mayo. He is married with three children.”
Jimmy Concannon from Claremorris joined the staff in 1965 in Claremorris where he was a linesman.
“He is interested in shooting and is a keen follower of Claremorris football club.”
Jarlath Griffith from Ballindine joined the staff in 1958 and worked on rural electrification in Irishtown, Ballinlough, Knock, Lettermore and Westport.
“He worked for a time in Galway and Tuam before going to Claremorris in 1968 as Town Linesman. He is married with four children while shooting and handball are his main interests.”
MJ Connolly from Hollymount and joined the staff in 1967.
“He is now Linesman with the Group Gang in Castlebar. He is married with one child and plays football for Garrymore GAA Club.”
Martin Finnerty from Creagh, Ballinrobe joined the staff in 1963 in Castlebar.
“He is an acting Chargehand Linesman with the Group Gang. He is married with four children. He lives beside Lough Mask and does a lot of fishing and shooting in his spare time.”
Peter Griffin from Claremorris joined the staff in 1968 in Castlebar where he is attached to the Group Gang.
“He is single and lives at home. He plays football with the Claremorris club.”
Willie Heneghan from Ballindine joined the staff in 1949 working in Ballindine Rural Area. He worked in most of the rural areas in the district as a Rural Area Supervisor. He subsequently worked on 110kv and 38kv line construction before going to Castlebar in 1965 as Chargehand Linesman.
“He is now the group supervisor in Castlebar. He is married with two children. His main outside interests are gardening and woodwork. He is also interested in clocks and watches which he repairs.”
Pat O'Connor from Kilmaine joined the staff in 1965 as an apprentice electrician in Galway. He moved to Castlebar in 1972.
“He is interested in electronics and photography and runs his own mobile disco with which he travels around the county.”
John Farragher from Ballinrobe joined the staff in 1954, working in Ballintubber Rural Area. He worked as area organiser Rural Development Assistant and Salesman Operator before being appointed Senior Engineering Assistant in Castlebar where he moved to in 1962.
“He is married with four children and gold and woodwork are his main outside interests.”
By the time he retired from the ESB in 1989, Miko Murphy had given 42 years of service. He lived in The Neale Road with his wife, Angela, and was President of the ESB Golfing Society and President and Captain of Ballinrobe Golf Club before he passed away in April 2016. It is lovely to be able to draw on his reminiscences for this article.
