Power arrives on Inisturk island

The everyday world of electric cookers and showers and storage heating was today finally opened up for the 85 residents of an off-shore Mayo island.

Minister Eamon O Cuiv pulled the switch that provided full power for the first time on Inisturk, nine miles of the coast of Co Mayo.

Up to now, only limited electricity has been available to the tiny island’s 33 households because just a single-phase generator system was maintained there by the state-backed Electricity Supply Board.

Company chairman Tadhg O’Donoghue said at the upgrading ceremony: “This will make a huge difference to islanders and visitors alike.”

Before today, power supplies were restricted in Inisturk as only one generator could be in operation at a time.

Islander Bernard Heavey, who can remember when there was no power at all locally, said: “We have had before today to reset items like electric alarm clocks and video recorder timers every day. It’s only a small thing, but this sort of change will make a huge difference to us all.

“A lot of people have bought cookers, heaters and showers for the first time in expectation of this.”

The minister commented: “With electricity comes light, with light comes hope, and with hope comes new life. I hope this will breathe a whole new life into the island and the lives of the people who live on it.”

Five more islands are expected to be connected to Ireland’s national grid by the end of this year.