How was Ardnacrusha built?
The Shannon Scheme saw the river dammed at Parteen Weir, which was constructed to raise the river level by 7.5 metres. The river’s flow was then diverted into a 12km canal (the head-race) and conveyed to a point (Ardnacrusha) where the 30 metre fall was concentrated.
What is the biggest dam in Ireland?
Shannon hydroelectric scheme
It is Ireland’s largest river hydroelectric scheme and is operated on a purpose built headrace connected to the River Shannon….
| Shannon hydroelectric scheme | |
|---|---|
| Construction began | 1925 |
| Opening date | 1929 |
| Owner(s) | ESB Group |
| Dam and spillways |
When was Ardnacrusha dam built?
July 22, 1929
Shannon hydroelectric scheme/Opened
How many people work Ardnacrusha?
During construction, 4,000 Irish and 1,000 German men worked and lived on-site at Ardnacrusha, Co Clare. The station was officially opened in July 1929, and began to generate power on the national network in October 1929.
Who built Turlough Hill?
Once approval was granted by the Irish Government, construction on Turlough Hill began in1968 and ended six years later. Staff from many departments within ESB were involved in the construction phase, as well as external contractors who helped to bring the project to life.
Are there dams in Ireland?
SCHOOLS AND THE public have been invited to come see Ireland’s first national hydro-electric station at Ardnacrusha in Co Clare. The dam was open to tours from the general public in June 1928 and welcomed over 85,000 visitors within the first nine months.
Can you visit ardnacrusha?
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. The guided tours can accommodate groups of up to 30 people and run for approximately 90min. As this is a working power station, tours are available from Monday-Friday only.
How did Turlough Hill get its name?
Name. The hill originally didn’t have a name on the Ordnance Survey map. The engineer who identified the site, J O’Riordan, decided to name the hill after his son Turlough. The name is quite fitting in any case as the pumped storage station draws water from the mountain top lake, which thus becomes a ‘dry lake’.
Can you climb Turlough Hill?
From here you climb to the west to reach the 681 metres (2,234 ft) summit of Turlough Hill. The granite mountain is covered with blanket bog, a habitat for heather, purple moor grass, Sphagnum moss and a number of Alpine plants. There’s also great views over the surrounding lakes and mountains of Wicklow.
Which is the first dam in the world?
The Quatinah Barrage or Lake Homs Dam, located in Syria, is the oldest operational dam in the world. The dam was constructed during the reign of the Egyptian Pharaoh Sethi between 1319-1304 BC, and was expanded during the Roman period and between 1934 and 1938.