Residents in Clogga, near Sixmilebridge, have experienced repeated electricity cuts over the past year, and it turns out the disruptions were not caused by storms or faulty equipment, but by birds pecking away at ESB poles.
Fine Gael TD Joe Cooney sought answers from ESB Networks after eight separate interruptions were recorded in 2025, including two lengthy outages in January and November. A further three power cuts followed in January of this year, leaving locals frustrated and looking for explanations.
In response, ESB Networks confirmed that woodpeckers have been boring into the wooden electricity poles, weakening them to the point where they need to be replaced. The company said staff are well aware of the disruption experienced by customers and have now begun a major network upgrade in the area.
To tackle the issue, damaged wooden poles are being replaced with composite poles, which are designed to prevent further woodpecker damage. ESB Networks acknowledged that the upgrade works will require additional planned outages, but these will be staggered to minimise disruption. Customers will receive advance notice of any interruptions.
The company apologised for the inconvenience and said the improvements will result in greater resilience and more reliable electricity supply for the area in the future.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Today with Claire Brock, Deputy Cooney described the situation as a serious concern. He said that in addition to pecking into the poles, the birds have also been flying into overhead cables and loosening transformers mounted at the top of the structures.
Woodpeckers are a protected species in Ireland and have traditionally been rare in rural areas. In fact, many believed they had disappeared altogether. Deputy Cooney admitted he was surprised when told they were behind the outages, saying some residents even thought it was a joke when they first heard the explanation.
He added that other countries have faced similar problems and in some cases have been forced to introduce metal poles. The ESB is also considering using a special filler inside poles to deter the birds from drilling into them in the future.
For now, locals in Clogga will be hoping the new poles, and some bird-proofing measures , will finally bring an end to their power problems.
