The first pole in the first phase of rural electrification went up on November 5, 1946 in Kilsallaghan in north County Dublin.
One million poles were erected.
The scheme cost £36 million, equivalent to about €1.5bn today. Sounds cheap.
In 1965, 81 per cent of homes were connected.
Check it all out at www.esbarchives.ie
1 comment:
A great letter in today's 'Irish Times.
Sir, – Further to Rosita Boland’s piece on rural electrification (Weekend, October 29th), I recall, while working in the ESB, a tale whereby a member of the rural electrification installation crew descended from his ladder to attend to a call of nature. He had been under observation by an interested local who took the opportunity to climb the ladder and inspect the connection box on the pole. Unwisely he stuck his finger inside and the resultant shock threw him to the ground. As passersby gathered to see if he was okay he looked up at them and muttered, “Jaysis, the fecking ting bit me”.
– Yours, etc,
JIM CALLAN
Tallaght,
Dublin 24
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