Thanks for that -- Interesting history. I've never been able to track down much detailed information about the development of the Irish telephone network.
Small villages in the U.K. were often served by a GPO-designed UAX (Unit Automatic eXchange), a small SxS switching system housed in a "cottage" style building.
In places which finally outgrew the UAX you often see a larger early-1970s exchange housing TXE within a few hundred yards of the old building. The old UAX buildings are still there in some villages, serving as small homes, doctors offices, etc.
For those unfamiliar with small English villages, let me point out that most UAX systems had only 3-digit local numbers and even by the end of the 1970s some of these had assigned numbers only in the 2xx and 3xx ranges, i.e. less than 200 subscribers!
By the way, DJK, which part of Ireland are you in?
