I must say I really enjoy John Bowman’s Sunday morning programme that links anniversaries of events with the RTÉ archives. You never know what he will turn up but it’s always interesting.

Last Sunday he was looking back at reactions to the arrival of electricity across the country. It took from 1948 to 1954 to get most of the country connected. It wasn’t easy, especially when there was opposition in some quarters. People were afraid electricity would set thatch roofs alight, that they wouldn’t be able to afford it and that it might increase the value of a place at a time when rates were a heavy burden.

But those fears died when the lights were turned on. The brightness was a marvel. However, all this brightness had a downside in that it showed up how shabby most homes were. Thankfully, it also opened the door to modern conveniences such as washing machines and fridges, not to mind television by the early 1960s.

Getting electricity was one thing, holding on to it was a different matter entirely. When I was a small girl it seemed to me that the least puff of wind and bang, the lights were gone. I can recall many a winter’s night doing my homework by the light of a Tilley lamp and a couple of candles. Sheets of newspaper were laid out on the kitchen table to keep our copybooks clean and collect the drips from candles that were stuffed into jam jars. Now, there was a recipe for a fire.

Listening to Bowman on Sunday and recordings from the time, it was clear that the brightness of the lights was what really amazed people. I wonder would they be so amazed today.

Before the incandescent light bulbs were taken off the market, my husband Sean stocked up on a couple of boxes of 100-, 150- and 200-watt bulbs. We put the new expensive long-life bulbs in the back kitchen and the downstairs loo – places where you don’t need much light. Our nice bright old-fashioned lights were reserved for the kitchen and living room.

Sadly, we are almost out of the old bulbs and we’ve had to resort to the expensive long-life ones. Frankly, I think we’ve been sold a pup. Instead of one big centre light and a single lamp in the living room, we now have a centre light and five lamps scattered around. If we want to read the paper in comfort, they all need to be on. How is that saving us money?

It’s the same in the kitchen where we have a big centre light and 10 downlighters. With the old bulbs, we only had to have a few of the downlighters on but now the room is lit up like a Christmas tree. I’d have the old bulbs over the new so-called-efficient ones any day.

Next Sunday, Bowman on Sunday is all about the ESB demonstrators who taught women how to use electric cookers and lots more besides. In the space of 60 years, we’ve gone from living like our ancient ancestors to the mod cons we take for granted today. What’s ahead of us for the next 60 years, God only knows.

Finally, if you intend on coming to the Woman & Agriculture Conference, book your ticket immediately before they are all gone, see page 9 for details.