Louth County Council has agreed to support plans to mark the centenary of the ESB in 2027, including recognition of Drogheda native Thomas McLoughlin.
The decision followed a motion brought before Drogheda Borough Council at its April meeting by Independent councillor Declan Power.
The motion highlights the important role played by McLoughlin, an engineer from Drogheda who was a key figure in the founding of the ESB. His work helped bring electricity to communities across Ireland and played a major part in the country’s social and economic development.
The council has now agreed to engage with the ESB on developing a programme of commemorative events to mark the anniversary.
McLoughlin was born and raised in Drogheda, with family connections on George’s Street, Mary Street and the Dublin Road, before going on to shape one of the most ambitious infrastructure projects in the history of the State.
Cllr. Declan Power said: “This is a significant step in honouring a Drogheda native who was instrumental in the formation of the ESB and in transforming Ireland into a modern nation. Thomas McLoughlin was a visionary engineer whose ideas quite literally powered the country forward, yet his connection to Drogheda is not overly known.”
McLoughlin’s vision for national electrification was heavily influenced by his time working with Siemens Engineering in Germany in 1922, where he witnessed electricity being deployed at scale as a public utility. He later returned to Ireland and played a central role in engaging with the Irish Government to advance what became the Shannon Scheme and the establishment of the ESB in 1927.
The Shannon Scheme, centred on the Ardnacrusha hydro- electric plant on the River Shannon, was at the time one of the largest infrastructure projects ever undertaken in Europe and remains one of the most visible symbols of Irish state‑building.
Cllr. Power added: “Ardnacrusha in Co. Clare on the border of Limerick still stands today as a powerful reminder of what can be achieved through vision and public purpose. It is remarkable to think that one of the most ambitious infrastructure projects ever built in this country traces back to a man who grew up on our streets here in Drogheda.”
“Thomas McLoughlin deserves to be spoken of in the same breath as another inspirational son of Drogheda, T.K. Whitaker. Just as Whitaker helped ignite Ireland’s economic transformation in the 1950s, McLoughlin laid the physical foundations that allowed modern Ireland to function.”
The Director of Corporate & Community Delivery confirmed to councillors that Louth County Council will now engage with the ESB to explore the feasibility of developing an appropriate programme of initiatives in Drogheda and across County Louth, in advance of the ESB centenary in 2027.
Cllr. Power said the centenary presents an important opportunity:
“This is not about looking back for the sake of it. It’s about recognising the values of innovation, public service, and ambition that are just as relevant today as Ireland faces new energy and infrastructure challenges. Drogheda should rightly take its place in this national story.”
The power station in Ardnacrusha, Co. Clare
