Film celebrating the Rural Electrification Scheme and transformative benefits to rural Ireland.

Opening scenes depict Ireland as an agricultural country with scenes of harvesting in fields, cows grazing, planting potatoes and farmers harvesting together. Depicts many manual farming and domestic scenes by rural men and women, churning butter, washing by hand, carrying water by bucket, feeding hens and turkeys.

Moves to the planning of the Rural Electrification Scheme explaining the process of the scheme with footage of the Rural Electrification Office and pole climbing.

Features a rural woman signing up to the scheme while another scenes depicts more sceptical consumers with ESB personnel allaying their possible fears  and explaining the costings of the scheme and annual charge.

Shows scenes of the switch on ceremony by the parish priest, celebratory dance in the local hall and the switching on of electricity in homes.

Shows male ESB demonstrator in ESB’s mobile van with electrical goods and a lady demonstrator on stage.

Many scenes show the labour saving benefits of electricity in the home and on the farm including running hot water, child in bath, the electric water pump, electric milk churning, electric cooker, harvesting, electrically powered grain grinder and  portable electric motors. Scenes of farmers at agricultural school learning skills in maintenance and repairs for their electrical equipment on farm.

Concludes with further scenes of rural electrification, climbing poles, raising of poles and laying of  wiring cables.

Duration: 00:17:24
Format: 16mm, black and white

Credits:
Photography: George Fleischmann
Editor: Etta Simpson
Sound Recording: Peter Hunt & Leevers Rich
Written and directed by Gerard Healy
Commentary: Denis Brennan
Actor: John Crowley (featured in The Riordans, Telefís Éireann)
Produced by George Fleischmann