Ardnacrusha Hydro-Electric Station Tour (Heritage Week)

Each August during Heritage Week, the ESB opens the gates of Ardnacrusha power station to the public - and it is one of the most genuinely impressive free days out in Clare. Built between 1925 and 1929 as the centrepiece of the Shannon Scheme, Ardnacrusha was the largest engineering project ever undertaken in the then-new Irish Free State, designed to put electricity into Irish homes for the first time. The 90-minute guided tour brings you into the working station itself, not just a museum replica, and the guides - praised repeatedly by previous visitors for their enthusiasm and knowledge - make the engineering come alive for anyone from history enthusiasts and engineers to families with young children.

What to expect

The tour begins at the Ardnacrusha Experience Visitor Centre at Castlebank before heading outdoors to walk the headrace canal, the locks and the tailrace - the infrastructure that diverts water from the Shannon to drive the turbines. You then enter the station itself, where a series of animated installations tell the story of the Shannon Scheme: the political ambition behind it, the 5,000 workers who built it (many of them German engineers from Siemens Schukertwerke), and its lasting impact on Irish life.

The highlight for most visitors is standing in the turbine hall and looking up at the original machinery, still generating electricity nearly a century on. The 1920s control room is preserved largely as it was and is one of the more unusual rooms you will find yourself standing in anywhere in Ireland. Hard hats, hi-vis jackets and safety glasses are mandatory and provided on site.

Tours are fully guided, run for approximately 90 minutes, and take groups of up to 30 people. Note that the canal and locks section involves 86 steps, so it is not accessible for wheelchair users - the Visitor Centre and main station are, however, wheelchair accessible. Book in advance through the Heritage Week listing on heritageweek.ie, or contact Carolyn@aikenpr.com with queries.

Getting there

Ardnacrusha is about 5km north of Limerick city, on the R463 Clare side of the Shannon. From Limerick, follow the R463 north through Thomondgate; the station at Castlebank is well signposted. From Ennis, it is roughly 20km south-east via the N18 to the M7 junction and then the R463 south. Car parking is available at the Visitor Centre. There is no direct bus service to the station itself, so driving or a taxi from Limerick city is the practical option.

While you’re in Ardnacrusha

The village is quiet, but the canal infrastructure around it - the weir, the lock gates, the long straight headrace - is worth a walk before or after the tour. Limerick city is close enough to make an afternoon of it. There is more to see in Ardnacrusha and across Co. Clare.

Good to know

• Dates: Heritage Week 2026 runs 15 - 23 August; public tours at 2:30pm. Check heritageweek.ie to confirm the specific dates in that window when tours run.
• Price: Free
• Booking: Book online at bookeo.com/ardnacrusha2026 or via the Heritage Week listing page. Places are limited to 30 per tour - book early.
• PPE: Hard hat, hi-vis jacket and safety glasses required throughout; all provided on site.
• Accessibility: Canal/locks area involves 86 steps - not suitable for wheelchair users. Main station and Visitor Centre are wheelchair accessible. Control room is not wheelchair accessible. Contact the booking office at least 3 weeks ahead for specific support needs.
• Queries: Carolyn@aikenpr.com (AIKEN PR, on behalf of ESB)