Waterville Cable Station

The remote village of Waterville, Co. Kerry on the Wild Atlantic Way, was once home to one of the largest cable stations in the world. In 2000 it was recognized by the Institue of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (I.E.E.E.) as an Electrical Engineering milestone location.

The “Story of Waterville Cable Station” exhibition uncovers the history of the Commercial Cable Company’s Trans-Atlantic European terminus from its early days in the 1880’s right through to the 1960’s. It presents how the company shook up the market bringing down prices that transformed the history of global telecommunications and took the transatlantic cables from being used for commercial necessity to a new era where they were used social convenience. The exhibtion comprises interpretative panels and a collection of original equipment and artefacts, including a fascinating photographic archive.

The cable station itself is a short walk away and a small self-guided heritage trail brings visitors to all the key local landmarks (e.g. cable landing points, office buildings, worker houses etc.)