Area: Dernakesh
Started: April 1955
Finished: August 1956
Poles used: 1572
Line used (km): 126
Premises connected: 256
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.
There was a grave list of construction difficulties in Dernakesh according to The REO News from November 1956.
This digital scan from the REO News displays the following text:
"Dernakesh Rural Area, Co. Cavan: Final costs were not available when Mr. O’Cathain wrote his report on Dernakesh Rural Area, but in spite of the fact that revenue increased by £333, we find on the other side of the ledger a grave list of construction difficulties. One of the inhabitants described the place as “nothin’ but rock an’ water an’ humps an’ hollows”. Mr. O’Cathain’s verdict is “a pegger’s nightmare” consisting of hundreds of hills varying in height from 50 ft. to 100 ft. In quite a number of L.T. groups not one single house could be seen when standing at the transformer pole.
The area is generally not very prosperous with small farms averaging between 13 and 15 acres of poor land. Most of the houses are small thatched cottages and required service poles and generally the gang feels very sorry for itself in having picked very difficult areas in the last four in which they had carried out construction.
Sales at a total of £335 were very low generally resulting from the fact that the majority of consumers found the cost of wiring as much as they wished to bear in one year. Prospects, however, for small appliances are regarded as being reasonably good.
As a footnote Mr. O’Cathain reports that the gang “luck” still continues and that the present area – Cornakill – could hardly be more difficult."