Engineers Ireland

About the event

History:
As part of the Shannon hydro-electric scheme, Ardnacrusha took just four years (1925 to 1929) and 5,000 workers to build.  Costing more than IR£5m to construct at the time, almost one fifth of the entire annual budget, Ardnacrusha became a symbol of forward thinking in relation to harnessing Ireland's natural resources.  With the national grid constructed at the same time, the 86 MW capacity was then enough to meet the electricity demands of the whole country.  Today, Ardnacrusha represents around 2% of our total installed capacity.

The visit:
Visitors are welcomed to the Ardnacrusha Experience at the newly refurbished visitor's centre before going out on site to view the impressive headrace canal, locks and tailrace.  Once inside the station, the living heritage of the Shannon Scheme is brought to life through a series of animations which celebrate the history and impact of this iconic project.  Visitors are given access to the very heart of the station with unique views of the turbine hall and a visit to the original control room.  This tour takes approximately 90 minutes.

Admission

Admission is free and all are welcome.  Places are however limited so advance booking is essential.  Once we have filled all available places, a wait list will be in operation.