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NEWS
February/March 2012 www.esb.ie/em
Italian society celebrates another successful year
THE ESB ITALIAN Society celebrated Christmas and another successful year for the club on Friday December 9th in Head Office.
Founded two years ago, the Italian Society has been providing language lessons for complete beginners and for improvers, delivered by Italian teacher Bridget O’Brien and organised efficiently by Anne Slevin. Indeed, the occasion was used by Society Presidente Steve Johnson to thank Bridget and Anne for their classes which are proving very popular and of course are being renewed in 2012.
ESB, especially through HR and Sustainability Director John Campion, has assisted the society from the start in modest but valued ways such as making rooms available for lessons. This is much appreciated as it makes it easier for staff to indulge their interest in things Italian without major logistical effort.
Throughout 2011, as in 2010, the ESB Italian Society has maintained very cordial relations with the Italian Cultural Institute (Istituto Italiano di Cultura, IIC) which, very conveniently, is located at 11 Fitzwilliam Square East, just up the road from ESB Head Office.
At the Christmas event, IIC Director Angela Tangianu was on hand with her colleagues Claudia Iacoponelli and Caterina Muratore, and very kindly provided the pannetone and pandoro, as well as some delicious Italian white wine to mark the year end. Attendees and guests were able to compare Christmas traditions in Ireland and in Italy.
Director Tangianu recalled how last year Italy celebrated its 150th anniversary of unification, with many cultural events organised in Italy, worldwide, and indeed in Dublin by the IIC. Many ESB Italian Society members have also participated in activities at IIC, which has a well-stocked library and offers lessons and formal courses. In fact in 2011 IIC kindly hosted the ESB Italian Society on a number of occasions for films, lectures and some tasty lunches.
NIE repair ice-damaged line
DECEMBER BROUGHT SLEET, snow and gales to the Sperrin Mountain area of Northern Ireland. The resulting ice accretion formed ice collars that were more than 16cm in diameter on some lines and that brought down one of Northern Ireland’s main 275,000 volt transmission lines.
It took six days and around 80 people working in sub-zero conditions from early morning to late at night to make all necessary repairs. NIE and ESB linesmen and contractors were involved in the effort.
The line, which runs from Magherafelt to Coolkeeragh, the Derry power station, was back in service six days after the damage occurred.
ESB ecars to host Fully Charged 2012 international EV summit
The Green eMotion EU project, focused on the development of electric cars in Europe, was launched in Dublin last March. As a lead partner in the project, ESB ecars is delighted to be hosting Green eMotion’s inaugural international event, Fully Charged 2012, in the Convention Centre Dublin this summer.
Fully Charged 2012 is a satellite event of the prestigious Euro-Science Open Forum (ESOF 2012) and it and the forum are highlight events of the Dublin, City of Science 2012 celebrations. Delegates will be in a position to attend both conferences as Fully Charged 2012 takes place on Wednesday July 11th and ESOF 2012 is being launched that evening.
The one day Electric Vehicle (EV) conference will bring together major thinkers and developers from the electric vehicle industry and an impressive panel of speakers is being finalised. There will also be a display of electric cars, EV products and related services. In addition, members of the public will also have the opportunity to test drive EVs on the streets of Dublin.
Ireland was considered an ideal location because Dublin has been nominated European City of Science for 2012 and the city authorities are very active in rolling-out EV-charging infrastructure, while ESB ecars is active in international EV standards bodies and there are many Irish companies and third-level institutions participating in EV research and trials.
Check out the websites www.fullycharged2012.com and www.dublin-science2012.ie for more details.
ESB Benevolent Association AGM
The annual general meeting of the ESB Benevolent Association for 2009 and 2010 has been re-scheduled. It will now take place at 5pm on Thursday February 16th in meeting room DG43, ESB Head Office.
All are welcome to attend.
Retirement planning seminars
Participants at the events on 10th & 11th November, 2011 are: Liam Carter, Networks, Gertrude Carter, Tom Colgan, ESB Energy International, Aine Daly, Richard Finnegan, Networks, Ann Finnegan, Terry Gorman, Networks, Patrick Hanlon, ESB Energy International, Pauline Hanlon, Michael Johnston, Networks, Lily Johnston, Kieran Kennedy, ESB Energy International, Mary Kennedy, Maria Lacey, Electric Ireland, Jimmy Lacey, Michael Lynch, ESB Energy International, Mary Lynch, Tom Martin, Networks, Olive Martin, Peter Merriman, Networks, Anne Merriman, Martin McGettigan, Networks, Joan McGettigan, Paddy McNamara, Networks, Ann McNamara, Terence McNamara, Networks, Philomena McNamara, Michael Mullen, Networks, Anne Mullen, Fergus Murphy, Networks, Mary Murphy, Bernie O’Leary, Networks, Joseph O’Leary, Ger O’Meara, Networks, Joan O’Meara, Maeve O’Reilly, ESB Energy International, Ken O’Reilly, John O’Shea, ESB Energy International, Mary O’Shea, Paul O’Shea, ESB Energy International, Kathleen O’Shea, William Shanny, Networks, Deirdre Shanny, Joe Shinkins, Networks, Angela Keane.
Stellar performance for Stella Days film
AN ESB-SPONSORED film production, Stella Days received nine nominations for the 2012 Irish Film and Television Awards including a nomination for Best Film.
The film features the true story of a parish priest who because of his love of film helps set up a local cinema in Borrisokane, Co Tipperary, in 1957 despite strong opposition from doubtful local parishioners, who question Fr Daniel Barry’s faith, and from his bishop, who is more interested in raising funds for a new church.
Overall, the film’s theme centres on the strength of community and the drive for modernisation set against the backdrop of rural electrification, themes and historical events, which make the film relevant for ESB support. ESB Archives assisted the film producers in creating an authentic depiction of rural electricification by providing detail of the project as well as original electricity network construction props.
Produced by Jackie Larkin of Newgrange Pictures, the film stars Golden Globe winner Martin Sheen, Oscar Nominee Stephen Rea and Amy Huberman, who plays the role of an ESB cookery demonstrator.
ESB Chief Executive Pat O’Doherty said, “ESB is delighted to be associated with Stella Days and is particularly pleased that Stella Days has been nominated for nine awards. We warmly congratulate all the nominees with the number of nominations clearly reflecting the high quality of the production on all fronts. It is a truly Irish story and depicts real life in the Ireland of the 1950s with the prevailing excitement and nervousness of change in day to day life with the arrival of electricity, a time still remembered by many. We hope people will enjoy Stella Days in their local cinemas”.
The 9th Annual Irish Film & Television Awards will take place at Dublin’s landmark Convention Centre (CCD) on Saturday, 11th February 2012, broadcasting on RTÉ One at 9.30pm. The show will be hosted by Irish actor Simon Delaney.
