Area: Rathoe
Started: August 1950
Finished: June 1951
Poles used: 1259
Line used (km): 113
Premises connected: 328
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.
The Rathoe crew had all sorts of difficulties to contend with according to The REO News from July 1951.
This digital scan from the REO News displays the following text:
AREA NOTES
"Rathoe Rural Area: Mr. Coakley’s report on Rathoe Area expresses the great difficulties with which the construction crew had to contend – boggy ground, rock, and the exceptionally severe winter. They met continuous snow, sleet, and ice for a period of six weeks, and broken weather for the rest of the time, with the exception of the last fortnight (May). The final number of consumers is 419, against the original total of 471. There were 52 ‘backsliders’ and 16 extra consumers. The actual loss of revenue was £90. This seems rather small for a loss of 52 consumers, but the fact was that the new consumers obtained were all large users, whereas the ‘backsliders’ were all of the lower rate classes. Mr. Coakley gives an interesting analysis of ‘backsliders’ as follows:
‘Backsliders’ without any excuse: 22
Cases where the occupier was in a
bad financial state: 19
Houses that had fallen into a state
of bad repair: 8
Houses that had become vacant since
canvass: 6
Houses where the occupier had died
since canvass: 4
Board of Works refusal to wire Garda
Barracks: 2
Economic consumers becoming uneconomic
due to ‘backsliding’: 7
TOTAL: 68
The anticipated final capital cost will be approximately the same as that authorised. There will be some saving on materials and some overspending on labour, but the overall loss of revenue is less than would normally be caused by the increase in wages. The final return for the area will drop from 2.9% to about 2.80%. Mr. Coakley says that from our experience we agree with him that canvass acceptances of 90% is rather over‑optimistic.
Sales by the Area Organiser totalled approximately £1,000, the principal items being: 6 Washing Machines; 3 3‑Plate Cookers; 9 Deep Well Pumps; 4 Shallow Well Pumps; 15 Refrigerators; 5 Irons; 1 Vacuum Cleaner; 7 Burco Boilers; 1 ½ H.P. Motor; 2 Kettles, etc. Many consumers installed Cookers, particularly about pumps, and there may be more installed.
A pleasing feature of the area is the note that the local committee were very helpful throughout the construction period."