The demolition last week of the 70 m chimney at the former power station in Arigna symbolically closed a chapter in the history of this small mining area in north Co Roscommon.
Those who wanted the chimney retained can take solace from plans to build the country's first mining museum near the site, at a cost of more than £1 million.
Mining at Arigna ended in 1990 and the coal-fired power station closed three years later after more than 30 years in operation. At one point they employed more than 230 people - and the area has a 300-year history of mining. Since 10 a.m. last Friday all that remains of the chimney is a pile of bricks and rubble. A specialist firm from Leeds demolished the structure for the ESB. The chimney had passed its 30-year life span and was deteriorating. A small quantity of explosives was used and roads in the vicinity were closed during the demolition.
The local community development association is spearheading efforts to build the museum, which is seen as a means of preserving the area's heritage and regenerating the local economy.
A feasibility study has been carried out by independent consultants, and attention is now focused on getting the necessary funding. The ESB has agreed to make a significant contribution, and the EU Leader programme has allocated £250,000. Other funding agencies are said to have responded favourably.
It is also hoped to build a marina on the former power station site. It is a mile from the mine, on the banks of Lough Allen, which 1,000 cruise boats passed through last year. Locals think an attraction such as the mining museum and a general "facelift" could draw the numbers necessary to make the project a success. Mr Bill Connolly, of the Arigna Community Company Ltd, said that tourist attractions such as the Ailwee Cave in Co Clare and the Marble Arch Caves in Co Fermanagh were among the most popular in the country.
"They attract tourists because they offer a unique underground experience and that is what we are planning here. It could stand out from the pack," he said. The feasibility study estimated that the museum would need to draw at least 25,000 visitors annually.
He said that while it was a major undertaking for a small community, the locals were determined to go ahead with the plan, and building would probably start before the end of the year.
It is planned that visitors will walk into the mouth of the mine through a looped tunnel into the mountain. The ESB has preserved some artifacts and these will be used to explain how the mine worked.
Many men who worked the mine still live in the area and their knowledge will be called upon, although not all the memories are likely to be pleasant.
Bill Connolly explained: "The conditions the men worked in were deplorable. Sometimes the coal seams were only 18 in high and they had to lie on their sides and shovel the coal out onto the main pathways, where it could be loaded onto carriages."