Eir has selected Munterconnaught, Co. Cavan, as winner of the company's FTTH Broadband Competition. As a result, the community will be wired up to receive fibre broadband activity of up to 1GB per second.

FTTH, standing for 'Fibre To The Home', is a technology currently in trial as a potential solution for rural areas not currently serviced by high speed broadband. The government has promised high speed broadband access to all homes and businesses. Eir is testing FTTH in preparation for that initiative.

Eir's FTTH competition launched in June, inviting communities to outline how being 'FibrePowered' would positively impact their lives, businesses and homes. Eligible communities had no access to high speed broadband.

Eir received submissions from 36 communities. Along with Munterconnaught, eir was impressed with the standard of entries from Allihies Parish, Portmagee, Ogonelloe and Mountshannon, all of whom will be included in the open eir phase one development plan of the 300,000 extensions. The plan will unfold from 2017 to 2020.

Munterconnaught resident Brendan O'Brien said: "I work from home. Having high-speed broadband will expand my scope enormously and allow me to take on new clients. It's fantastic — I'm really looking forward to it." Another resident, Peadar Gill, commented: “It's the communications equivalent of the M3 motorway – a technological advance that will improve the lives of everyone in the parish.”

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