World communication as we know it began in Valentia
“THE Transatlantic cable was the start of networking as we know it. Prior to this, Europe and the US couldn’t talk to each other. It is extraordinary,” says Gordan Grave whose great-great grandfather worked at the Valentia Cable Station.
He is one of the people interviewed for a new programme which will examine the development of the Transatlantic Cable on Valentia island and how it changed the world of communication forever.
Gordan’s great-great grandfather James Graves was the superintendent of the cable station for 40 years.
Known as ‘ The boss’ to the hundreds of employees that worked at the epicentre of communication in that era, he played a pivotal role in facilitating world-wide communication and also the growth of the cable station itself He fought for the construction of the what the Valentia Cable Station in Knighstown.
Prior to this the communication centre was at the edge of the cliffs on the remote island. His legacy was followed down through three generations of the Grave family. Gordan’s great-grandfather and grandfather also worked at Valentia Cable Station and Gordan explains their story and that of the engineering miracle that the cable was in this years series of Building Ireland
The award-winning geographical, engineering and architectural series, returned to RTÉ One last week and this week the second programme in the series will focus on the Transatlantic Cable.
Engineer Tim Joyce tells the incredible story of the Transatlantic Telegraph Cable’s arrival in South- West Kerry and the launch of the so-called “Victorian internet” while Engineer Brian McManus examines the innovative Irish science that rescued the project from disaster, and architect Orla Murphy tours the bespoke Victorian campus that sprang up around the cable station.
Director Brian Gray who spent hours on Valentia island said there is plenty of new information on this extraordinary project.
“Shooting around Valentia was a really memorable experience, it’s an astonishingly beautiful place. Building Ireland has always been about giving the audience real pearls of information about our heritage, while also showing off the beauty of our landscape.”
“Valentia is a crucial location in terms of connecting up the entire world; what sounds like a very modern concept actually started here in Kerry way back in the 19th century. I think Kerry people are going to love this episode, and even locals in Valentia will find out things they never knew about their area’s heritage”.
Also interviewed is Michéal Lyne, a member of Valentia Island Development and the The
Valentia Transatlantic Cable Foundation Board who are currently seeking UNESCO status for Valentia and its role in transforming communication.
“We say globalisation started in Valentia,” he said.
However, so much more did as well.
For example, how electricity is measured came out of a meeting of scientists in London for an enquiry into the failure of the cable.
“They defined the unit of electricity. Scientists stared to speak the same language.”
A ‘mirror galvanometer’ was developed to read the messages quicker, explains Michéal.
It was patented by Lord Kelvin and was used at the Newfound Land side of the cable.
“They could receive the message 10 times faster using this.”
Building Ireland will be aired on RTE one at 8pm.