A powerful project at Murph’s Derragarra

Murph’s Gastro Pub in Butlersbridge, set scenically beside the old stone bridge on Annalee River, has for many years offered a truly picturesque setting. It soon could attract more attention to a unique view: A world’s first row of floating turbines strung across the river, harnessing energy from the water flow.

Chef Fergus Murphy has been in business for more than for 20 years. Twelve years ago he took over the popular ‘Derragarra Inn’. Over time, he has watched costs rise steadily: “Across the board, chicken, vegetables, electricity - everything has just gone up,” he says.

But beyond cost, reliability has become a pressing concern. One massive storm and the power is gone. Lethal to a business like his. Traditional backup solutions, like investing in new wiring to a generator with drums of diesel stored behind the pub, seemed more of a quick fix than a long-term solution.

It was Pauric McGearty and Lee Cooney from Eirevolt who suggested contacting a start-up company from Limerick. Gkinetic was launching an innovative hydrokinetic technology. About six months ago they arranged a meeting and, according to Fergus, GKinetic were “blown away” by the opportunity the Annalee River beside the pub offered.

From council and stakeholder engagement to river flow statistics: “So far everything has been very positive,” says COO Róisin McCormack. “The actual technology is unlike anything that’s been done before in hydro,” she explains. “They’re like floating pods.”

Each unit is about two metres by two metres and produces between two to three kilowatts of power, reaching around three kilowatts at peak capacity. Potentially, it could feed 70,000 kilowatt hours of electricity annually to Murph’s - enough for 16 households.

The design is deliberately low-impact. Most of the machinery sits beneath the water, including a central rounded structure and two turbines positioned on either side. Above the surface, only a low-profile platform is visible. “Visually, they’re quite low lying,” Róisin notes. “We can paint it any colour, make it look like rocks, camouflage it, anything like that.”

Perhaps the most distinctive feature is how the turbines are deployed. Rather than being anchored into the riverbed, they are suspended from an overhead cable stretched between two points on either bank: One at Murph’s Gastro Pub and the other at the Church. “Very similar to a power line,” Róisin says. This approach avoids invasive construction like dams and, according to the company, represents a world-first method of deployment.

Equally important is flexibility: The river can run low during summer months. In those periods, the turbines can simply be removed for maintenance. “We would actually just take them out,” Róisin explains. “They wouldn’t be making a huge amount of power then anyway.”

Instead, the system is designed to excel when it matters most: winter. When heating, lighting, and overall electricity use are highest.

With the help of Eirvolt, Fergus’ plan is to add solar panels and store the harnessed energy in batteries to create a balanced, year-round renewable energy system with huge potential. Estimates suggest he could reduce his energy costs by as much as 75 per cent. Any excess energy he says could be going to the church, the GAA club or the parish overall.

Still, he is aware of the risks. “It’s a bit of a gamble,” he admits. The project is a pilot in a commercial setting and much depends on the outcome of the ongoing feasibility study that is running until late June.

The purpose of the study is to analyse and establish the technical, environmental, and commercial viability of the River Annalee as a source of hydrokinetic energy for Murph’s Gastro Pub and the surrounding community at a later stage. The study will also assess the hydrokinetic potential.

James Masterson from the Cavan County Local Development, who administered Fergus Murph’s application for LEADER funding under the Climate Change Mitigation theme, is supportive of the publican’s initiative, stating the broader importance: “Projects like this one reinforce Cavan Local Action Groups’ commitment to offer support for projects adopting green technologies and investment to promote and increase the usage of sustainable, renewable energy sources.”

The local planning authority has signalled its openness to the initiative, noting: “Cavan County Council is supportive of local businesses exploring innovative ways to generate renewable electricity, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and manage energy costs. Energy costs remain a significant challenge for many businesses, particularly in hospitality, and proposals that improve energy resilience, reduce emissions, and support long-term viability are welcome.”

Local residents, businesses, and stakeholders including fisheries groups, and environmental agencies have all been consulted. A recent community meeting drew a strong turnout and positive feedback. Fish safety has been a particular focus. Unlike other designs that channel water and fish through a central turbine, GKinetic’s system deflects them around the structure.

“If a fish is swimming towards the device, it’ll just swim out and around it,” Róisin McCormack says, likening it to how fish navigate around bridge pillars. The turbines themselves rotate slowly, roughly matching the speed of the water, making them appear almost stationary to passing fish.

Monitoring will be extensive, if the projects proceeds: It will include underwater cameras, acoustic sensors, and ongoing ecological assessments. “If there is anything negative being observed, we can just stop them. We can take them out,” Róisin emphasises.

From a business perspective, several models are being explored. Fergus could purchase the turbines outright, lease them, or enter into a shared ownership arrangement. “Because this is a pilot project and Fergus and the team are taking a risk, we’re happy to let them do whatever they want,” Róisin says.

Long term, the company expects to move toward power purchase agreements, offering customers fixed energy prices over 10 to 20 years.

For Fergus, the decision is not just about immediate savings. Pointing at his son Matthew, who is front of house manager of the pub, he highlights the longevity of the investment: “He will be the one benefiting from it.”

If successful, this project could do more than transform one business. It could position the region as a leader in small-scale renewable innovation.

As Róisin McCormack puts it: “It’s fantastic to see a business like that. He just gets up and does something about it.”

From what Fergus has seen so far, the turbines will be a “minimal obstruction, but of huge communal benefit” - potentially putting County Cavan on the map of a leading the way to localised energy supply for many communities.