A series of 11 power cuts near the Co. Clare town of Sixmilebridge over the past 14 months left locals understandably frustrated and in search of answers.
A total of eight power interruptions were recorded in 2025 including two multi-day losses of supply in January and November.
Three more power outages soon followed in the Co. Clare town in January 2026.
But when the Fine Gael TD Joe Cooney asked ESB Networks to explain why people living in Clogga, a townland located to the east of Sixmilebridge, had been left in the dark so often – the problem was one that surprised him.
According to Deputy Cooney it all came down to “birds of a feather”.
ESB Networks told the Fine Gael TD that its staff were “very conscious of the continuity issues” and confirmed that a major upgrade to the network in now underway in Co. Clare.
But the reason why there had been 11 power cuts was because of an unusual problem – woodpeckers boring into wood poles.
Co. Clare
The ESB said the actions of the woodpeckers had significantly weakened the poles in the Co. Clare town to the point that they had to be replaced.
ESB told Deputy Cooney that it was replacing “these wooden poles with a composite pole in order to prevent woodpecker damage going forward” in Co. Clare.
The ESB Networks said the work that is required would need further planned power outages, which will be done in a staggered system and with advanced notice to customers.
The company added: “We apologise to customers for the inconvenience here, and thank them for their forbearance.”
They also outlined that the upgrade would result in improved resilience in relation to the power supply.
ESB Networks
Meanwhile aside from its ongoing work in Co. Clare to combat the woodpeckers’ attacks on wooden poles, ESB Networks is currently also providing support to electricity network operators in Portugal.
Storms Kristin and Leonardo brought extensive and severe damage across Portugal and left over one million customers without electricity.
