Area: Bekan
Started: December 1953
Finished: October 1954
Poles used: 1198
Line used (km): 110
Premises connected: 360
The figures above were sourced from our REO News magazine, to learn more about what these figures mean, visit our interactive map. The map above shows the area boundary and is from a digitised version of the original map used during the scheme.
Bekan was a pig rearing area according to The REO News from January 1955.
This digital scan from the REO News displays the following text:
“Bekan Rural Area, Co. Mayo: The R.A.E., Mr. P. Hickey, and the A.O. Mr. J. Cunniffe, have provided us with the report on Bekan Area.
Originally starting with 351 acceptances in an area of 608 houses it finished with 505 acceptances in an extended area totalling 656 houses. Based on standard design figures the area should have finished at 5.53% as against the original figure of 5.54% but in actual fact the final return is 6.26%. This excellent improvement in the return combined with the improvement in percentage connections from 58% to 77% is a matter on which the crew is to be congratulated most heartily.
13 pole changes were necessary on the existing Ballyhaunis backbone line and Mr. Hickey pays tribute to his Supervisor, Mr. Heneghan, for the commendable fact that the necessary outage only lasted 3½ hours. For the main connection of the area there was a subsequent outage of 4 hours during which 8 transformers were installed on the backbone line, 15 crossarms and fuses were erected, and the 15 spurs made off.
Mr. Cunniffe states that sales at £650 although not high were as good as could be expected and from our reading of the report we think this is certainly a mild understatement. Principal items included 5 cookers; 3 Burco boilers; 2 food cookers; 3, welder; 1, pump; 1, motor; 1, washing machine; 5, kettles and 25, irons.
Being a pig‑rearing area it is anticipated that animal food cookers will be very popular but marketing conditions were not favourable at the time of construction and this restricted sales of this particular appliance. Local contractors sold innumerable radios and irons.
It is interesting to note that Mr. Cunniffe believes from conversations he had in the area that the Sponsored Programme is well worth while.”