Modern Engineering

Ardnacrusha

<P> This great project was the vision of Irish engineer Tommy McLaughlin, and construction was by German company, Siemens. The project's success meant it was a model for other large-scale hydro schemes and persuaded other small developing countries to try something similar. </P> <P> The project made Siemens, and paved the way for the rural electrification scheme. In 2002, Ardnacrusha (pictured above) won two major international honours, ranking it alongside the Eiffel Tower, the space shuttle and the Japanese bullet train. </P>

Image: courtesy of Brendan Delany

Ardnacrusha
Image: courtesy of Brendan Delany

Ardnacrusha

<P> This great project was the vision of Irish engineer Tommy McLaughlin, and construction was by German company, Siemens. The project's success meant it was a model for other large-scale hydro schemes and persuaded other small developing countries to try something similar. </P> <P> The project made Siemens, and paved the way for the rural electrification scheme. In 2002, Ardnacrusha (pictured above) won two major international honours, ranking it alongside the Eiffel Tower, the space shuttle and the Japanese bullet train. </P>

Image: courtesy of Brendan Delany

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Peter Rice

<P> Rice (1935-92) helped architects to realise their designs, found elegant solutions to structural problems, and pioneered the use of many new materials including cast-steel, glass and fabric. </P> <P> One of his first major projects was the Sydney Opera House, where he worked as lead engineer on Jørn Utzon's design for the majority of its construction. </P>

Image: Courtesy of Sydney Opera House Trust

Peter Rice
Image: Courtesy of Sydney Opera House Trust

Peter Rice

<P> Rice (1935-92) helped architects to realise their designs, found elegant solutions to structural problems, and pioneered the use of many new materials including cast-steel, glass and fabric. </P> <P> One of his first major projects was the Sydney Opera House, where he worked as lead engineer on Jørn Utzon's design for the majority of its construction. </P>

Image: Courtesy of Sydney Opera House Trust

Enlarge image

The 20th century saw a number of major engineering projects in Ireland, notably the hydro-electricity station at Ardnacrusha on the Shannon in the 1920s. This was an ambitious undertaking for a new State, and one English commentator described it as "an 8th wonder of the world". It created the world's first national electricity grid system.

A more recent big engineering project was the Dublin Port Tunnel, opened in 2006.

One of the great design engineers of the last century was Peter Rice from Co Monaghan. He made possible some of the most famous buildings of the past 50 years, including the Sydney Opera House, and in Paris the Pompidou Centre and Louvre glass pyramid.

Irish engineer Rory McGowan is following in Rice's footsteps, helping to engineer unusual structures such as China's futuristic CCTV building.

Engineering has changed greatly since the early days of simple roads, canals and bridges. Today, engineers in Ireland can work at the atomic level in nanotechnology, and in areas such as medical and bio-engineering, where they are helping to solve a whole new range of problems for us all.