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NEWS

August/September 2012 www.esb.ie/em

An Taoiseach marks 85 years of ESB at Ardnacrusha Power Station, Co Clare

Taoiseach posing with two elderly local men, both dressed in suits and one wearing a tweed hat. The Taosieach has his arm around and is shaking the hand of the man with the tweed hat

An Taoiseach Enda Kenny with local man Brud Skehan, who was at the Ardnacrusha opening as a child - as was Liam Cosgrave, former Taoiseach, when his father WT Cosgrove formally launched the station.

Picture of Enda Kenny in a suit shovelling soil on top of a newly-planted tree in the middle of a garden area at the power station with six other onlookers gathered around him, five men dressed in suits and a woman in a skirt and blouse

An Taoiseach planted a tree on the station grounds to mark the anniversary. Also pictured are: Pat O’Doherty, ESB Chief Executive, Ton Hayes Civil Engineering Manager, Catherine Halpin, Plant Manager Ardnacrusha, Lochlann Quinn, ESB Chairman, Liam Cosgrave and Micheal Noonan TD, Minister for Finance.

An old black and white archive photograph from 1929 of the official and first opening of Ardnacrusha power station with President W.T. Cosgrave standing to the fore of a group of people with his wife Louisa and their two sons, Michael and Liam, beside them

President Cosgrave of the Executive Council with his wife Louisa and sons Liam and Michael at the official opening of Ardnacrusha Power Station, on July 22nd 1929.

An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, presenting a copy of a painting of President WT Cosgrave to an elderly man, his son Liam Cosgrave, and shaking his hand. Both men are wearing suits

An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, presenting a copy of a painting by Sean Keating of President WT Cosgrave to his son Liam Cosgrave.

AN TAOISEACH, Enda Kenny TD, Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Pat Rabbitte TD, and Minister for Finance, Michael Noonan TD, attended an event at Ardnacrusha Power Station to mark the 85th anniversary of the establishment of ESB in 1927 on Thursday last 26th July.

Special guest at the event was former Taoiseach, Mr Liam Cosgrave, who as a young boy, was present at the official opening of the station on 29th July 1929 by his father W.T Cosgrave, President of the Executive Council. Mr Cosgrave returned to Ardnacrusha as Taoiseach in 1977 for ESB’s 50th anniversary.

The event, hosted by ESB’s Chairman Lochlann Quinn, was also attended by the Minister of State, Jan O’Sullivan TD; local public representatives, the German Ambassador, His Excellency Dr Eckhard Lübkemeier and the Chief Executive of Siemens Ireland, Paul Lynam and ESB’s Chief Executive, Pat O’Doherty.

Mr. Cosgrave was given a standing ovation for his 15 minute unscripted address, in which he outlined the gigantic undertaking initiative by “the then government with immense courage, foresight, imagination and enterprise”. He went on to say “Along with the Army and Garda, no other institution bar the ESB has served in the same way and for the same length of time”.

Mr. Cosgrave met with local man Brud Skehan (97), whom he last met in 1929. He had travelled from Bridgetown on a bike and was playing with “a young Liam and his brother” while he father, President WT Cosgrave, performed the official opening after pressing the button to release the water.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny said there were similarities between Ireland of 1929 and 2012. “The project demanded courage, bravery and great vision and is replicated in many ways today by the challenges that Government now faces”, he said.

ESB Chairman, Lochlann Quinn said; “This station and the Shannon Scheme have a special place in the history of ESB and of Ireland. It is a particular pleasure to welcome to Ardnacrusha, An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny and to welcome back former Taoiseach Liam Cosgrave and to honour the role of his father in the establishment of ESB.”