| The ESB in Our Area In the early 1950's BNM and ESB joined together to establish turf generating stations. As a result Lanesboro Power Station began operating in 1958. It was originally designed to use 100,000 tons of turf to produce 20,000 kilowatts of electricity. This brought great employment to the area giving work to many skilled workers. Some houses were built in Ballyleague for their workers but not as many as were built by BNM. Because sod turf was expensive to produce BNM began to investigate an alternative method used in Russia using milled peat. This meant cutting less than half an inch off the top of the bank, leaving it to dry and gathering it into rows to await transport to the power stations. The ESB built a second power station in Lanesboro designed to use this fuel in 1966. The milled peat is heated before being blown into a furnace and set on fire. This station uses 280,000 tonnes of milled peat per year to produce 40,000 kilowatts of electricity. A third station was built in 1983 designed to add a further 45,000 kilowatts to the ESB's capacity Both BNM and the ESB have contributed hugely to the economic development of Lanesboro and the surrounding area on both sides of the Shannon. Due to the increase in population extra jobs were created in the area e.g. shops, pubs and hairdressers. Many skilled craftsmen trained by ESB and BNM set up their own businesses and the mixture of locals and "blow ins" made for an interesting time. Schools in the area were now bursting at the seams and as a result our own school at Cloontuskert (Scoil na Mainistreach) was opened the 30th September, 1955. By 1969 the enrolment had increased from 34 pupils to 108 pupils. Our new school building opened its doors on September 7th, 1998. |
|
|
 |
|
 |