Connecting Leitrim to the national grid

Electricity in the county before ESB

Leitrim had electricity before the establishment of ESB in 1927. ESB’s annual reports record 9 local electricity suppliers in the county — that means 9 individuals or companies who had permits to commercially supply electricity to 3 or more homes and businesses in their local area. The reports do not record when each local supplier was first established, merely the number of consumers they supplied, as well as the year the supplier was acquired by ESB.

Click here to view Leitrim on our interactive map.

Leitrim’s 9 local electricity providers were as follows:

Ballinamore Electric Power Station supplied electricity before 1927, and is recorded as serving 108 homes and businesses in 1929. The company changed ownership to FJ McAvinia in 1932, and served 129 by 1945. The supply was later acquired by ESB around 1947—1948.
Carrick-on-Shannon Electricity Works supplied electricity before 1927, and is recorded as serving 140 homes and businesses in 1929. The company changed ownership to TH Humphreys in 1932, and served 172 homes and businesses by 1933, when it was acquired by ESB.
John McLoughlin supplied electricity in Carrigallen before 1927. He supplied 1 homes and businesses in 1929, rising to 4 in 1942, when the supply was acquired by ESB.
Paul Jeiter began to supply electricity in Dromahair in 1933, initially serving 26 homes and businesses rising to 60 by 1960, when it was acquired by ESB.
Drumkeeran Electricity Supply Co. Ltd. began to supply electricity in 1933. It served 47 homes and businesses by 1957, when it was acquired by ESB.
CS Laird supplied electricity in Drumshambo before 1927. It supplied 86 homes and businesses in 1929, rising to 109 in 1954, when the supply was acquired by ESB.
Michael McFadden began to supply electricity in Gortahork in 1940, and is recorded as serving 45 homes and businesses in 1941. This supply fell to 8 homes and businesses by 1951, when it was acquired by ESB.
Manorhamilton and District Electric Light and Power Co. Ltd. was in operation before 1927. It supplied 94 homes and businesses in 1929, rising to 234 in 1946, when it was acquired by ESB.
The Electricity Supply Works at Mohill supplied electricity before 1927. It later changed ownership to Edward Cope in 1932, and served 88 homes and businesses by 1937, when it was acquired by ESB.

Shannon Scheme: connecting larger towns and villages to the national grid

The Shannon Scheme first began to generate electricity for the national grid in October 1929, and began to supply the larger cities, towns and villages of Ireland. From 1929, 7 towns and villages across Leitrim were directly supplied by the Shannon Scheme:

Ballinamore , 1947—1948
Carrick-on-Shannon, 1933—1934
Drumsna, 1944—1945
Jamestown, 1944—1945
Leitrim, 1943—1944
Manorhamilton, 1946—1947
Mohill, 1937—1938

For more information on the connection of these towns, for instance relating to the number of homes and businesses connected, see our connections map here.

Rural Electrification Scheme: connecting rural townlands and villages to the national grid

The Rural Electrification Scheme began in 1946, to bring electricity to Ireland’s rural areas, including smaller villages. During the roll-out of the scheme, Leitrim was divided into 21 rural areas. For more information on the Rural Electrification Scheme, click here.