Firmus Energy

Firmus Energy is an energy company based in Antrim, Northern Ireland.

Bord Gáis had an ambitious plan to develop the gas market in Northern Ireland. A pipeline from Carrickfergus to Derry was completed in October 2004 and now serves Coolkeeragh Power Station. A second pipeline, known as the South-North pipeline, was commissioned in October 2006. It runs from Gormanston in the Republic to join the Carrick/Derry pipeline near Antrim creating an all-Ireland network and providing redundancy in case of problems with either Scotland-Northern Ireland pipeline or the Scotland - Republic of Ireland interconnectors.

The Northern Ireland Authority for Energy Regulation awarded Bord Gáis a licence to supply homes and businesses in the towns and cities near the two pipelines - Antrim, Armagh, Ballymena, Ballymoney, Banbridge, Craigavon, Derry, Limavady and Newry - where the local subsidiaries of Bord Gáis use the trading name of Firmus Energy. On 1 December 2005, Firmus launched their first supply in Northern Ireland, to the large Michelin tyre factory in Ballymena. On 25 April 2006 firmus connected its first residential customers in Derry.

Firmus

Firmus (died 273) was a Roman usurper against Aurelian. His story is told by the often unreliable Historia Augusta twice, with the first account the most sketchy and reliable.

Life of the historical Firmus

Firmus was a businessman from Seleucia, with business interests ranging from India to Egypt. He was associated with Zenobia of the Palmyrene Empire. After the Emperor Aurelian defeated the Palmyrans, Firmus staged an uprising in Alexandria in Egypt, interrupting the grain supply on which Rome depended. Aurelian was obliged to defeat and kill Firmus.

Firmus never proclaimed himself emperor, but fought to support the second Palmyrene uprising against Aurelian. It is possible that Firmus was actually the name of the general sent by Aurelian to suppress the revolt, as Egyptian papyri of the time have the presence of one Claudius Firmus, corrector. Another possibility is that the author of the Historia Augusta — the only source to name Firmus — invented this figure in parallel with another Firmus, an African usurper under Valentinian I.

Firmus (4th-century usurper)

Firmus (died 375) was a Roman usurper under Valentinian I.

Firmus was the son of the Moorish (Berber) prince Nubel, a powerful Roman military officer, as well as a wealthy Christian. When Nubel died, Firmus killed his half-brother Zammac, who had illegitimately appropriated of Nubel's wealth, and became successor to his father.

Between 372 and 375, Firmus revolted against the comes Africae Romanus, who was a supporter of Zammac. The misbehaviour of Romanus, who had neglected protection from African tribes to Roman cities that had refused the payment of bribes, had worsened the situation in Africa Province in the 360s. The revolt of Firmus against Romanus forced Valentinian to take action against both his officer and the African rebel.

When Valentinian sent his magister militum Theodosius (father of Theodosius I) to depose Romanus, Firmus tried to find a compromise with him, but Theodosius refused peace to Firmus, who had proclaimed himself emperor.

With the support of the indigenous African tribes, Firmus obliged Theodosius to a bloody and hopeless campaign. In the end, however, Firmus was betrayed by one of his supporters, and chose suicide over capture.