Spink
An Spinc

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An Spinc · Co. Laois

A tiny village with a very big row about power.

Spink is so small it barely qualifies as a village. You'll find it on the R430 between Kilkenny and Laois, and once you've found it, you've seen most of it.

What made Spink matter—to itself, anyway—wasn't tourism or history. It was a power station. In 2009, the Electricity Supply Board proposed a substation in nearby Coolnabacca, in Ratheniska. Spink, along with Timahoe, said no. The row has been going ever since. Ask a resident about the RTS Substation Action Group and you've found your evening. They stopped the ESB once. Whether it stays stopped is still an open question.

Come here if you want to understand how small villages don't stay quiet when something matters to them.

Coords

52.9000° N, 7.2333° W

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Stories & lore.

The reason to come back. The things every local will eventually tell you about, usually after the second pint.

RTS Substation Action Group

The row

In 2009, the ESB proposed a major substation in Coolnabacca, Ratheniska—just over the border. Spink residents, along with Timahoe, formed the RTS Substation Action Group and said no. They've been saying no ever since. The community group claims the station would disrupt the area and supply power for all the midlands. The ESB claims it's necessary. The paperwork got very long. The argument got very local. Sometimes that's how power actually changes.