Lighthouses of Eastern Ireland (Leinster)

Ireland is traditionally divided into four provinces: Leinster in the east, Munster in the southwest, Connacht in the west, and Ulster in the north. These regions have no administrative function, but they remain convenient divisions of the island. This page covers lighthouses of Leinster, including the counties of Wexford, Wicklow, Dun Laoghaire–Rathdown, Dublin City, Fingal, Meath, and Louth.

Shipping is heavy along this coast, which faces England and Wales across St. George's Channel and the Irish Sea. The coast is guarded by a series of historic and well-known lighthouses maintained by the Commissioners of Irish Lights. Much less well known are a number of harbor lighthouses, including several rare screwpile lighthouses.

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Light List numbers are from Volume A of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA numbers are from Publication 114.

General Sources
Commissioners of Irish Lights: Founded in 1786 by the Irish Parliament, the Commissioners maintain lighthouses in both Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic.
Online List of Lights - Ireland: Photos of Irish lights by Alexander Trabas.
Lighthouses in Ireland: Aerial photos posted by Marinas.com.
Pete's Irish Lighthouses: An informative blog on the lighthouses of Ireland.
Lights of Ireland: Photos by John Eagle posted by Bill Britten on his Lighthouse Getaway site.
Irish Lighthouse Selection: Photos from Pete Amass.
Majaky - Irsko: Photos by Anna Krákorova.
Twenty-second Lighthouse Expedition: The Carter family reports on its 1995 visit to Ireland, with photos.
Lightships in Ireland: Current information from Iris Klempau.
Irish Lightships: Historical data from the Commissioners of Irish Lights.

Hook Head Light, September 2006
anonymous Creative Commons photo

County Wexford Lighthouses

**** Hook Head: About 1172, though much altered over the centuries. Active; focal plane 46 m (152 ft); quick white flash every 3 s. 35 m (115 ft) round broadly cylindrical stone tower topped by a 19th century watch room lantern and a second gallery. Tower painted with black and white horizontal bands; watch room and lantern painted white; gallery rail painted red. Keeper's house and other buildings. Fog horn (two blasts every 45 s). A photo is at the top of this page, Trabas has a fine photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a good satellite view. One of the oldest active lighthouses in the world. The original tower, 18 m (60 ft) tall, was begun by Raymond LeGros, a Norman noble, and completed in the early 1200s by William Marshal, Earl of Pembrokeshire. At some later time (little is known about the early history of the light), the tower was enclosed by a larger tower, 24 m (80 ft) tall, with a spiral stairway between the older and newer outer walls. The lighthouse displayed a fire tended by Augustine monks until the outbreak of the English Civil War in 1641. The light was extinguished until 1667, when it was renewed by Sir Richard Reading. The open fires were finally replaced by a lantern in the 1790s; the present lantern and Fresnel lens were installed in 1864. After being automated in 1996, the station became a well-known historic attraction. Located at the end of a narrow peninsula at the eastern entrance to Waterford Harbour. Accessible by road; parking provided. Site open, tower and visitor facilities open daily March 1 through October 31 and on Sundays in the winter. Operator: Commissioners of Irish Lights. Site manager: Hook Head Lighthouse. ARLHS IRE-038; Admiralty A5798; NGA 6460.
**** Lightship Guillemot: 1923. Decommissioned 1968. 31 m (101 ft) single-masted steel lightship; the light was shown from a large lantern atop the mainmast. Entire ship painted red. Malcolm McGrath has a 2007 photo, and Peter Goulding has August 2008 photos. After its retirement the ship was sold to the Wexford Maritime Committee. Since 1974 it has been moored at Kilmore Quay as a maritime museum. The ship was sold with all its original furniture and fittings, so it appears in historically accurate condition. Site open, ship open daily June through September. Site manager: Kilmore Quay Maritime Heritage Centre. ARLHS IRE-114.

County Wicklow Lighthouses
* Roadstone Jetty (Arklow Head): Date unknown. Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); red light, 8 s on, 2 s off. Light mounted atop a 7 m (23 ft) 2-story corrugated iron building. Trabas has a photo of what might be Ireland's ugliest lighthouse. The Roadstone Jetty projects northeastward from Arklow Head, providing some shelter for the otherwise-exposed harbor of Arklow. Located at the end of the jetty. Site open, tower closed. Operator: unknown. Admiralty A5847; NGA 6560.
* Lightship Skua: 1960. Decommissioned 2004. 36.3 m (119 ft) steel lightship; hexagonal skeletal light tower with lantern and gallery amidships. Entire ship painted red. The ship was converted to an automated lightfloat in 1982. It served alternately on the South Rock and Coningbeg stations, but in recent years it was moored at Dún Laoghaire as CIL's reserve lightfloat. The Carters have a photo of the ship in harbor. In December 2004, Skua was declared redundant and listed for sale. It was purchased by Arklow Shipping, and in June 2005 the ship was towed to Arklow. John Luxton has photos of the ship in Arklow in October 2005. However, in January 2006 the ship was once again for sale for £50,000. The ship was apparently sold in the summer of 2007, but Peter Goulding has photos of the ship still moored at Arklow on 29 June 2008. Site and vessel closed. Owner: unknown. ARLHS IRE-122.
* Lightship Albatross (light tower and lantern): 1925 (H. Robb Ltd, Leith). Decommissioned 1970. 31 m (102 ft) steel lightship; light shown from a round lantern on a slender mast amidships. In 2000, according to CIL, the ship was sold to James Tyrrell and moved to Arklow. The light tower was removed and restored and is displayed on the North Quay. One of John Luxton's photos of lightship Skua shows the light tower of Albatross in the background. The rest of the ship was returned to Dublin (see listing below). Site open, tower closed.

* Wicklow Head Low (2): 1818 (station established 1781). Active; focal plane 37 m (121 ft); three white flashes, separated by 2.3 s, every 15 s. 14 m (46 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; gallery rail painted red. Two 2-story keeper's houses. Trabas has a closeup photo of the lighthouse, David Quinn has an excellent photo, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. This lighthouse was built much lower than its predecessors, which required placing it in a notch cut into the cliff. Site and tower closed, but the lighthouse can be viewed from above. Operator: Commissioners of Irish Lights. ARLHS IRE-079; Admiralty A5850; NGA 6572.
* Wicklow East Pier: 1884. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); flash every 5 s, white or red depending on direction. 7 m (23 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern, painted white with a red horizontal band at the base. Trabas has a great closeup photo, Aubrey Dale has an excellent photo, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. Davida De La Harpe's 2006 photo shows the lighthouse freshly painted. Located at the end of the east pier at Wicklow. Site status unknown; may be accessible by walking the pier. Operator: Wicklow Harbour Commissioners. ARLHS IRE-113; Admiralty A5854; NGA 6576.
County Dun Laoghaire–Rathdown and Dublin City Lighthouses
Kish Bank: 1965 (lightship station established 1811). Active; focal plane 29 m (94 ft); two white flashes every 20 s. 31 m (100 ft) round concrete and steel tower incorporating keeper's quarters, with lantern and four galleries, topped by a large helipad. Lighthouse painted white with one broad horizontal red band. Fog horn (2 blasts every 30 s). Marinas.com has excellent aerial photos, a nice closeup is available, and Trabas has a photo by John Eagle. The construction of this offshore lighthouse was an engineering triumph. Designed by Christiani & Nielsen Ltd., the entire lighthouse was prefabricated so that it fit into its own caisson. After the caisson was sunk into place, the telescoped sections of the tower were raised, and the lighthouse was completed in a little over three months. Located on a notorious rocky shoal southeast of Dublin. Accessible only by helicopter. Site and tower closed. Operator: Commissioners of Irish Lights. ARLHS IRE-048; Admiralty A5865; NGA 6592.
Muglins: 1880 (lighted since 1906). Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); white flash every 5 s. 9 m (30 ft) round conical solid stone tower, painted white with one red horizontal band. Access to the light atop the tower is by an external ladder. Trabas has an excellent photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a rock off Dalkey, southeast of Dublin. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Operator: Commissioners of Irish Lights. ARLHS IRE-088; Admiralty A5868; NGA 6596.
North Bull: 1880. Active; focal plane 15 m (50 ft); three green flashes every 10 s. 15 m (49 ft) round stone tower, painted green with white trim. Lantern removed; the light is displayed from a short mast atop the capped tower. Trabas has a closeup photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. The entrance to the River Liffey is constrained between the South Wall and the North Bull Wall, but the northern wall is designed so that the section leading to the lighthouse is only exposed at low water; the effect of this is that scouring by the ebb tide tends to keep the channel open. Located at the end of the North Bull Wall, opposite Poolbeg Light. Accessible only by boat, but there is an excellent view from Poolbeg Light on the South Wall. Site and tower closed. Operator: Dublin Port Company. ARLHS IRE-054; Admiralty A5884; NGA 6628.
North Bank: 1882. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); green light, 7 s on, 1 s off. 11 m (36 ft) square cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery, mounted on concrete piles. Tower painted green, lantern white. Trabas has a good photo, C.W. Bash also has a photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the north side of the River Liffey entrance channel about 1.5 km (1 mi) west of North Bull Light. Accessible only by boat, but there are views from the South Wall. Site and tower closed. Operator: Dublin Port Company. ARLHS IRE-108; Admiralty A5886; NGA 6632.
#Alexandra Basin East Breakwater: 1886. Deactivated and demolished in 2004. Formerly a 16 m (52 ft) square cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery, located at the end of the breakwater quay on the north side of the entrance to the River Liffey in Dublin. ARLHS IRE-099.
* North Wall Quay (Dublin Port) (2): 1904 (station established 1820). Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); quick white flash every 2 s. 12 m (39 ft) round cylindrical cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, painted black with two white horizontal bands. A fog bell, hanging from the gallery, is not in use. Trabas has an excellent photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the North Wall Quay on the north side of the River Liffey in Dublin. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Dublin Port Company. ARLHS IRE-109; Admiralty A5894; NGA 6648.
[Lightship Kittiwake (South Rock)]: 1959. Decommissioned 2007. 40.8 (134 ft) steel lightship; hexagonal skeletal light tower with lantern and gallery amidships. Entire ship painted red. Fog horn (3 blasts every 45 s). Marinas.com has aerial photos of the ship on station. Formerly located about 1.2 km (3/4 mi) east of the South Rock lighthouse in Northern Ireland. Iris Klempau reports that Kittywake was decommissioned in 2007 and sold to a private owner in Dublin. Peter Goulding has photos of the ship moored on the north side of the Liffey in October 2008. William Murphey has a February 2009 photo and reports that the ship is once again for sale. ARLHS NTI-027; Admiralty A5966; NGA 6772.

Lightship Albatross: 1925 (H. Robb Ltd, Leith). Decommissioned 1970. 31 m (102 ft) steel lightship; the light was shown from a round lantern on a slender mast amidships. In 1970 the ship was sold to the Scout Association of Ireland and moored in Dun Laoghaire Harbour as a sea cadet training ship. High maintenance costs put an end to that career in the 1990s. In 1999 the ship was painted with luminous paint as part of an art installation. In 2000, according to CIL, it was sold to James Tyrrell and moved to Arklow. The light tower was removed and restored and is displayed on the Arklow waterfront. The rest of the ship was painted black and returned to Dublin, where it was a set for the 2002 movie Reign of Fire. According to Iris Klempau, the ship has been moved to Pigeon House Harbour, where it is to be converted to a houseboat. Site status unknown.
County Fingal Lighthouses
* Baily: 1814. Active; focal plane 41 m (134 ft); white flash every 15 s. 13 m (42 ft) round granite tower with lantern and gallery. Tower unpainted; lantern painted white, gallery rail red. 375 mm lens; 1° Fresnel lens (1902-1972) on display at the National Maritime Museum of Ireland in Dún Laoghaire. Trabas has a closeup, Tom Cosgrave has a photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. This historic and famous light station, often called simply "The Baily," replaced a 1667 cottage-style lighthouse high atop Howth Head. The lighthouse is surrounded by buildings, including a 2-story principal keeper's house built in 1953 (occupied by a resident attendent), two 1892 assistant keeper's houses (sold as private residences in 1995) and a 3-story building used as a school for supernumerary assistant lightkeepers from 1973 to 1995. The lighthouse was the last in Ireland to be automated, in 1997. The station is the helicopter base for Kish Bank and Rockabill Lights and has radar and communications equipment operated by the Dublin Port Company for port control. Located at the southeastern tip of the Howth Peninsula, which juts into the north side of Dublin Bay. Accessible by road. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Commissioners of Irish Lights. ARLHS IRE-040; Admiralty A5898; NGA 6652.

Rockabill: 1860. Active; focal plane 45 m (148 ft); flash every 12 s, white toward the sea and red toward the land. 32 m (105 ft) round granite and limestone tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with one broad black horizontal band. Fog horn (4 blasts every 60 s); light is shown when the horn is operating during the day. 2-story keeper's house and other buildings. A 2007 photo is available, Marinas.com has good aerial photos, Trabas also has an aerial photo by John Eagle, and Google has a good satellite view. Located on the larger of two small rocky islands about 5 km (3 mi) east of Skerries, northeast of Dublin. Accessible only by boat or helicopter; there are distant views from Skerries. Site and tower closed. Operator: Commissioners of Irish Lights. ARLHS IRE-062; Admiralty A5904; NGA 6664.
* Skerries Bay Pierhead: Date unknown (station established 1878). Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); red light occulting once every 6 s. 7 m (26 ft) square equipment room, painted white, mounted atop the concrete pier; the light is displayed through a window. Trabas has a photo. Located at the end of the breakwater pier in Skerries; Google has a satellite view. Site open, tower closed. Operator: unknown. Admiralty A5906; NGA 6668.
* Balbriggan: 1769. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); directional light: three flashes every 20 s, white, red, or green depending on direction. 11 m (36 ft) round stone tower with gallery, attached to 1-story keeper's house. Lantern removed around 1960; the light is displayed from a short mast atop the capped tower. Lighthouse painted white. Trabas has a closeup photo by John Eagle, Darren Greene has another good photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. This is Ireland's second oldest active lighthouse, after Hook Head; it was built by a local nobleman, Baron George Hamilton, to promote commercial development of the port. Fingal County Council is working to restore the lighthouse and replace the lantern. Located at the end of Lighthouse Quay in Balbriggan; accessible by walking the short quay. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Dublin Port Company. ARLHS IRE-004; Admiralty A5908; NGA 6672.
County Meath Lighthouses
* Drogheda North (2): About 1880 (station established 1842). Recently inactive. 7 m (23 ft) octagonal pyramidal cast iron tower with lantern and gallery. Lantern painted white, skeletal tower black. 1-story keeper's house and other light station buildings. The three Drogheda lighthouses were built to guide ships entering the River Boyne and the port of Drogheda. The surrounding area is being developed, but the lighthouse sites have been set aside as special protected areas. Located on the south side of the river entrance near Mornington, about 6 km (4 mi) east of Drogheda. Site status unknown, but the lighthouse can be viewed from nearby. Operator: Drogheda Port Company. ARLHS IRE-103; Admiralty A5911.
County Louth Lighthouses
* Aleria (Drogheda): 1936. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); quick-flashing green light. 10 m (33 ft) concrete pedestal atop a round solid stone beacon. The stone is unpainted; the pedestal is white. Marinas.com has aerial photos, a closeup is available, Trabas has a photo showing restoration of the stonework in progress, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of a rubblestone jetty on the north side of the entrance to the River Boyne about 7 km (4.5 mi) east of Drogheda. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Drogheda Port Company. Admiralty A5912; NGA 6692.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

"Dunmore Harbour", a tower at Dunmore East included as a lighthouse by Marinas.com, is in fact a former Coast Watch tower.
Tower of Lloyd (1791) near Kells, County Meath, is not near navigable water. It is an example of an eighteenth century architectural "folly." Anna Krákorova also has a good photo.

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