Rural electrification in Ireland

The first pole of the rural-electrification scheme in the Republic of Ireland was erected in November 1946. Of the 400000 farms and rural dwellings in Ireland it was estimated that a supply could be offered at standard rates to 344000(86%) and that, of these, 280000 (or 69% of the total) would, in the first instance, accept supply. At the end of December 1959, more than 250000 rural consumers had been connected. The article reviews the place electricity now plays and can play in the future in helping the Irish farmer, and is based on part of the author´s paper `The place of electricity in Irish agriculture¿ which he read at a meeting of the Irish Branch on the 21st January 1960. Mr. Shiel is with the Electricity Supply Board, Ireland.