Reunion to mark 40th anniversary of closure of Carrick’s telephone exchange
Telephone operators pictured at work at the manual switchboards in Carrick-on-Shannon Exchange.
The telephone exchange at Carrick-on-Shannon Post Office closed on Thursday, February 6th, 1986 following the onset of automatic telephone exchanges all over the country. Now to mark that significant moment a 40th reunion dinner celebration of all former telephonists, P & T, Eir, Telecom Eireann, An Post and staff of the exchange will take place in the Landmark Hotel, Carrick-on-Shannon on Saturday, February 28th.
A total of 48 full time and 30 part time staff who had been fighting the closure for almost two years saw their jobs come to an end back in 1986. The ‘10’ service would now be dealt with by the Sligo exchange. All telephonists were given the option to re-locate. Some took voluntary redundancy.
The closure of the exchange and the change-over to full automatic operation severed manual telephone operating links going back 40 years previously when the first telephonists took up duty in Carrick-on-Shannon in the 1940’s.
Three years prior to the closure, in December of 1983, 640 subscribers in the Carrick-on-Shannon area were transferred to the new automatic exchange and a further 50 in the Leitrim Village area. Minister of State at the Dept of Post and Telegraphs, Ted Nealon TD performed the official opening ceremony.
The Carrick-on-Shannon Exchange was the biggest of its kind in the country at the time and covered an area bigger than the Sligo Exchange.
Chamber of Commerce President at the time, Mr Tommy Phillips described the closure as “disastrous”. He said “the closure will have a major effect on the social and economic life of the town. For the business community it’s the equivalent of the loss for a medium sized factory providing regular and lucrative employment. The social consequences will be much more difficult to quantify.
“Hotels, pubs, supermarkets, flat-owners, garages, petrol filling stations, boutiques and other business concerns in the town will be seriously affected by the departure of such a large number of people from a comparatively small community.” The organisers of the special reunion on Saturday, February 28th say all former and present staff are most welcome to join them on the night.
For further details on the reunion contact Attracta on 086 1704899, Geraldine 086 3218785, Damien 087 4676703. Pre-booking essential.
