Analysis: The first transatlantic cable linking Valentia Island to Newfoundland was a transformative moment in the history of science and technology
'You see things; and you say 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say 'Why not?' - George Bernard Shaw
The successful laying of the transatlantic cable in the middle decades of the 19th century was a transformative moment in the history of science and technological advancement. It was the moonshot of its day and a watershed event in the history of global communications, remarks Chris Morash, one of the contributors to a new documentary, The Cable that Changed the World (narrated by Jessie Buckley).
In response to the completion of the first successful, albeit short-lived transatlantic cable in 1858, a contemporary hailed the significance of what had been achieved. In a prescient tone in the context of the widespread use of the internet today, he declared that 'the whole earth will be belted with electric current, palpitating with human thoughts and emotions'.
This is the moon shot of it's time 🌑🚀#TheCableThatChangedTheWorld comes to @RTEOne & @RTEplayer next Mon, Aug 12th at 9.35pm
— Tyrone Productions (@tyronetv_irl) August 6, 2024
Don't miss this epic tale of the Transatlantic Cable that connected Ireland to Canada in the 1800's@UCC @TCDEnglish @TheIET @EngineerDG @uniofgalway pic.twitter.com/oA10a7RCKw
These 19th-century oceanic cables were the precursors of the submarine fibre optic cables which crisscross the oceans today carrying around 99% of international internet traffic. This is a fact which often goes unnoticed, such is the prevalence of talk around satellites and clouds.
Telling the story of the transatlantic cable is important not only in the context of world history and telecommunications but also in terms of Irish history. Valentia Island off the coast of Kerry became the European terminus of the cable, thus occupying a significant place in the story of one of the most remarkable feats of science, engineering and human ingenuity.
Before the advent of the cable, transferring messages across the Atlantic was linked to the speed of ships so a news report could take up to 12 days to be delivered. Increasing the speed of the transfer of news was an ambition of the Massachusetts-born businessman Cyrus Field (1819-1892), whose great wealth had been derived from his success in the paper industry.
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From RTÉ Archives, RTÉ News footage of 1963 repairs carried out by the Canadian ship Lord Kelvin on the transatlantic cables at Valentia Island
Field had observed the breakthroughs and advances made in terrestrial telegraphy by such notable figures as the artist and inventor Samuel Morse. When Morse sent his first telegraph from Washington D.C. to Baltimore in 1844 with the message 'What hath God wrought?', it was clear that he was aware of its great import and indeed capacity to change the world beyond imagination. Instead of taking days to transmit news, it could now happen almost instantaneously over land.
The next great step for telegraphy meant overcoming the challenges posed by the seas and oceans. Although Morse had experimented with an underwater telegraph cable in New York harbour in the 1840s, it was not until 1851 that a submarine cable became operational between Dover and Calais. Connecting North America with Europe was a formidable challenge which would thrust a remote island in the southwest of Ireland onto the centre stage of global communications.
The new documentary presents a story of human ambition, determination and resilience, of pioneering spirits and scientific discoveries, advances and failures,disappointments and delays, but eventual triumph. The momentous challenge of the age saw a convergence of great scientific and engineering minds including Belfast-born William Thomson (Lord Kelvin) all bending to the will of the entrepreneur Field who had put everything on the line to achieve his great objective. It was not an overnight success and would take several attempts and several years for Field to attain his goal. Certainly a case, to paraphrase Samuel Beckett, of trying again, failing again, failing better.
The first transatlantic cable linking Valentia Harbour to Trinity Bay in Newfoundland was completed on August 5th 1858, and the first message sent just 11 days later on August 16th. This connection survived for only a short period. Further failed attempts followed, until ultimate success was achieved in 1866 when a cable was laid between Foilhommerum Bay on Valentia and Heart's Content in Newfoundland.
A cable station was subsequently built in Knightstown, Valentia, with additional stations later located in nearby Waterville and Ballinskelligs. Scores of trained telegraphers from England, Scotland and Wales would soon descend on these locations, creating their own unique cultural enclaves in what were then predominantly Irish-speaking communities. Locals were eventually trained into the new telegraphic profession and played their own part in changing the face of world telecommunications.
READ MORE: The cable connecting Ireland to the Americas
To this day, evidence of this momentous period in the history of modern communications is visible in the landscape, culture and family histories of the island and surrounding region. The Valentia people are the custodians of a unique heritage.
The largest global internet companies are now the big investors in undersea cables, constantly creating new routes and landing stations. However, the roots of our digital and information age can be traced back to the mid-19th century revolution in telecommunication and to places like Valentia Island and Heart’s Content. The story of the transatlantic cable - 'the Victorian internet’ - and its impact on global telecommunications is a story which still resonates today.
The Cable that Changed the World documentary can be watched on RTÉ Player. The author was a Special Advisor to the new documentary
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The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ
