'We had heard the words "rural electrification", but it was the simple form, "getting the light", that made some sense. We watched as holes were dug in fields and along the roadside and lorries dropped off the poles. Before too long the local electrician came canvassing the area for the job of wiring the houses. The cost was ten shillings for a light and one pound and ten shillings for a plug. A light in every room of the house, with a plug or two in the kitchen, was the norm.' Lanesborough power station, one of the most costeffective and efficient peat-fired power stations in Ireland, generated electricity onto the national grid for over forty-six years. It employed nearly 500 people over its lifetime and used both sod and milled peat to generate electricity. Featuring detailed commentary on the early years and day-to-day running of the station, this book also includes appendices listing the names of all 500+ members of staff, station performance reports, statistics and technical data and over seventy images that bring to life this essential chronicle of Ireland's industrial heritage.