Building Ireland has returned to RTÉ One to explore and explain how Ireland’s great building and engineering achievements came to be, and their impact on the development of our towns and cities. An enthusiastic team of experts work through out the series to bring local heritage together with construction technology and engineering.
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If you have a passion for architecture, geography, engineering, or indeed history, then this is the series for you! Episode one delves into the history of Spike Island, a prime defensive location in the middle of the second largest natural harbour in the world. Geographer Susan Hegarty sets the scene. In episode two architect Orla Murphy recounts the story of Kilkenny Castle from its origins as a 12th century fortress. You can catch up with both of these episodes on RTÉ Player!
Tomorrow night, episode three will explore the scheme that brought Ireland into the electric age – The Shannon Scheme and Ardnacrusha power station. Engineer Tim Joyce fulfills a life-long ambition to get up close and personal with Ardnacrusha power station and to explore the innovative engineering that made it the biggest hydroelectric project in the world when it opened in 1929.
“The River Shannon has been the lifeblood of Ireland for millennia. 360 Kilometres long, it slowly cleaves the island east/west, from Cavan in the north to Limerick in the south. If you could harness the force of this mighty river, you could power an entire state, and open the door to the future.” - Tim Joyce
