WITH the flick of a switch on July 22, 1929, Ireland was changed forever.
When President W T Cosgrave turned on power at Ardnacrusha Hydroelectric Station, it kickstarted an exciting era for the new state.
Inside the heart of Ireland’s industrial revolution lies a story of extraordinary human achievement.
Powerful People unveils the remarkable lives of those who built, operated, and sustained the Ardnacrusha hydroelectric power station.
Through intimate interviews and personal accounts, readers can discover the human dimension of Ireland’s most ambitious and groundbreaking engineering project.
Powerful People – Ardnacrusha Power Station By The People Who Worked There is written by Clare Champion and West Limerick journalist Dan Danaher and is published by Banner Books.
The book includes a special foreword by President Michael D Higgins, who described it as “a work that gathers together the stories of those who laboured with dedication, courage, and quiet dignity in the service of one of the most transformative projects in the history of our State: the Shannon Hydroelectric Scheme and its enduring centrepiece, the Ardnacrusha Generating Station”.
Limerick hurling legend Mick Mackey is one of the 12 Shannonsiders featured in the book.
The Mackey family collectively spent 121 years working at the power station. Mick Mackey worked as a van driver at the station for 47 years. His son Pat was promoted from electrician to maintenance supervisor during his 45-year career, and Mick’s son Michael worked for 29 years as a general operative.
Dan Hickey, who moved to Caherdavin in the 60s and become one of the driving forces in the development of Na Piarsaigh GAA club and also served in various administrative roles in Limerick GAA, is also featured in the book.
The book can be purchased from Celtic Bookshop, Rutland Street, and O’Mahony’s on O’Connell Street in Limerick.
It can also be bought online at bannerbooks.ie.