Lighthouses of Ireland's South and East Coast

This page covers lighthouses of the south and east coast of the Republic of Ireland, in counties of Cork, Waterford, 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

Western County Cork Lighthouses
Bull Rock

1889. Active; focal plane 83 m (271 ft); white flash every 15 s. 15 m (49 ft) round tower with lantern and double gallery, painted white. Keeper's house and other buildings enclosed by a stone wall. Marinas.com has a series of aerial photos. This lighthouse replaced a cast iron lighthouse built in 1866 on nearby Calf Rock but destroyed by a storm in 1881. The island is famous for a natural tunnel that bores all the way through the rock. Located about 5 km (3 mi) off the end of Dursey Island, which itself is off Dursey Head at the northern entrance to Bantry Bay. Dursey is accessible from the mainland by cable car, and a hiking trail leads to the west end of the island, from which there is a distant view of the lighthouse. Lighthouse accessible only by helicopter. Site and tower closed. Operator: Commissioners of Irish Lights. ARLHS IRE-098; Admiralty A6430; NGA 7636.

Calf Rock

1866. Inactive since 1881. The lighthouse was destroyed by a violent storm on 27 November 1881; the upper portion of the tower was toppled by a wave and fell into the sea. Ruins of keeper's houses and the lower half of the lighthouse survive. A photo is available. Located about 1.5 km (1 mi) off Dursey Island. Inaccessible. Owner/site manager: unknown. ARLHS IRE-100.

Ardnakinna (Bere, Bearhaven)

1850. Reactivated (inactive 1863-1965); focal plane 62 m (202 ft); two flashes every 10 s, white or red depending on direction. 20 m (66 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Marinas.com has aerial photos of the site, and a nice view from the sea is available. The lighthouse was capped in 1863 and remained in use as a daybeacon until reactivated as a light more than a century later. The lantern added in 1965 was relocated from a decommissioned lightship. Located on a bare rocky cliff at the west end of Bere (Ardnakinna) Island, marking the western entrance to Castletownbere from Bantry Bay. No road access; the station is accessible by a hiking trail described as "rugged." Bere Island is accessible by ferry from Castletownbere. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Commissioners of Irish Lights. ARLHS IRE-003; Admiralty A6434; NGA 7640.

* Castletown

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 4 m (13 ft); white, red, or green light, depending on direction, occulting once every 5 s. 4 m (13 ft) octagonal concrete equipment room, with the light displayed through the center of a 6 m (20 ft) rectangular concrete panel at the front. Building painted white; the rectangular panel is painted with a large red daymark. Trabas has a closeup photo. Located on the waterfront in Castletownbere. Site open, tower closed. Operator: unknown. ARLHS IRE-089; Admiralty A6436; NGA 7644.

Roancarrigmore

1817. Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); flash every 3 s, white or red depending on direction. Approx. 12 m (40 ft) round tower with lantern and gallery, attached to 2-story keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white with a single black band under the gallery. Trabas has a particularly nice photo by John Eagle, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. Located on a small islet off the eastern end of Bere Island, marking the eastern entrance to Castletownbere from Bantry Bay. Accessible only by boat; should be visible from the eastern end of Bere Island, which is accessible by road. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Commissioners of Irish Lights. ARLHS IRE-060; Admiralty A6442; NGA 7660.

Sheep's Head 1968. Active; focal plane 83 m (272 ft); three white flashes every 15 s; red flashes are shown over a narrow sector to the south covering rocks off Three Castle Head. 7 m (23 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern attached to a small square concrete equipment building. Trabas has a good photo by John Eagle, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Sibling of Achillbeg Light, County Mayo. The lighthouse was built to guide tankers bound for the oil terminal at Whiddy Island near the eastern end of Bantry Bay. Located high on a steep headland at the western tip of the Sheep's Head Peninsula, marking the southern entrance to Bantry Bay. No road access, although the top of the slope above the lighthouse can be reached by a substantial hike (32 km (20 mi) roundtrip from Kilcohane) on the Sheep's Head Way, a trail that circles the peninsula. Site and tower closed. Operator: Commissioners of Irish Lights. ARLHS IRE-067; Admiralty A6432; NGA 7680. **** Mizen Head 1959 (fog signal station established 1909). Active; focal plane 55 m (180 ft); white light, 2 s off, 2 s on. 4 m (13 ft) octagonal cylindrical stone tower attached to 1-story rectangular fog signal building, all painted white. No lantern; the light is displayed from a short mast atop the building. Original keeper's house and other buildings. Trabas has a closeup photo by Oliver Schwarze, the Carters have a photo of the back side of the light, Marinas.com has distant aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. This isn't much of a lighthouse, but it is a famous and well-visited station indeed, marking the extreme southwest corner of Ireland. Cloghnane Island, on which the station is built, is linked to the mainland by a spectacular arched reinforced concrete bridge built along with the fog signal in 1909. After the station was automated in 1993, it was leased to the Mizen Tourism Co-operative Society, which has developed a popular visitor center on the mainland and restored the keeper's house on the island. There are displays of lighthouse equipment, buoys, and a display on the construction of Fastnet Light. Located at the end of the road about 15 km (9 mi) southwest of Goleen. Site open, keeper's house open daily March through September and on weekends in the winter, tower closed. Operator: Commissioners of Irish Lights. Site manager: Mizen Head Signal Station Visitor Centre. ARLHS IRE-053; Admiralty A6448; NGA 7684.

Sheep's Head Light, May 2006 anonymous Creative Commons photo

** Crookhaven

1843. Active; focal plane 20 m (67 ft); one long (2 s) flash every 8 s, red or white depending on direction. 14 m (46 ft) round cylindrical masonry tower, painted white. Pete Amass has a good photo, Trabas has a fine closeup, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. This was also the shore station for Fastnet Light, so it has an unusually large number of buildings, all well preserved. Four keeper's houses are available for vacation rental; a fifth is occupied by a resident attendent. The town of Crookhaven is on a long hooked peninsula enclosing a harbor that opens eastward. Located on Rock Island Point on the north (mainland) side of the harbor entrance. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Commissioners of Irish Lights. Site manager: Crookhaven Lighthouse. ARLHS IRE-023; Admiralty A6450; NGA 7688.

Fastnet (Carraig Aonair) (1) 1854. Inactive since 1904. Originally a tall round cast iron tower. When the present lighthouse was built, the 1854 tower was dismantled except for the first story, which became the oil house. This stump of the old tower can be seen clearly in Marinas.com aerial photos. Klaus Huelse has a postcard view of the lighthouse as it appeared before replacement. ARLHS IRE-127. Fastnet (Carraig Aonair) (2) 1904 (designed by William Douglass and built by James Kavanagh). Station established 1854. Active; focal plane 49 m (160 ft); white flash every 5 s. 54 m (176 ft) tapered round granite tower with lantern and double gallery, painted white. The original (and unique) 2-tiered 1° Chance Brothers Fresnel lens focuses 2.5 megacandelas of light with a range of 45 km (28 mi). Fog horn (4 blasts every 60 s). A photo is at right, and Marinas.com has excellent aerial photos. Ireland's tallest, southernmost, and best-known lighthouse and surely one of the world's great lighthouses, Fastnet is a landfall light for ships arriving from America. The tower took five years to build using over 2000 huge granite blocks intricately and carefully interlocked to withstand the force of the waves. The shore station was at Crookhaven. There are displays on the lighthouse and its construction at the Mizen Head Signal Station Visitor Centre. Located on a rocky islet 13 km (8 mi) southeast of Crookhaven and 5 km (3 mi) southwest of Cape Clear. Accessible only by helicopter; distantly visible from Mizen Head and Crookhaven Lights. Site and tower closed. Operator: Commissioners of Irish Lights. ARLHS IRE-034; Admiralty A5702; NGA 6308. * Cape Clear 1818. Inactive since 1854. Approx. 12 m (40 ft) round stone tower; lantern removed. Ali San has a closeup photo, Brian Lynch has a good photo, and there is a small photo on the home page of the Cape Clear Museum. The tower was used as a lookout tower during World War II. In 2004, the 150th anniversary of the first Fastnet Light, the museum placed a commemorative plaque at the older Cape Clear light. Located high on a cliff on the southeast side of Cape Clear Island. The island is accessible by passenger ferry from Baltimore. Site open, tower status unknown. Owner/site manager: unknown. ARLHS IRE-117. Copper Point (Long Island) 1864 (not lighted until 1977). Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); three quick white flashes every 10 s. 14 m (46 ft) round solid stone tower topped by a light on a short mast. Tower painted white. Access to the light is by an external ladder. Trabas has a good photo by John Eagle, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. This is a historic daybeacon to which a light has now been added. Located at the eastern tip of Long Island marking the entrance to Schull from Roaringwater Bay. Accessible only by boat (Long Island has a few residents but there is no ferry service). Site open, tower closed. Operator: Commissioners of Irish Lights. ARLHS IRE-019; Admiralty A5703; NGA 6312.

Fastnet Light, June 2006 Creative Commons photo by Richard Webb

* Barrack Point (Sherkin Island)

1885. Active; focal plane 40 m (130 ft); two flashes every 6 s, white or red depending on direction. 8 m (27 ft) round cylindrical cast iron tower with lantern, painted white. 1-1/2 story keeper's house. Trabas has a fine photo by John Eagle that shows this lighthouse and the view across the narrow entrance of Baltimore Harbour to the Baltimore Beacon (next entry). Another good photo shows a similar view, and Steve Brett's view from the other side of the strait shows the keeper's house. The light was automated in the 1970s. Located on a headland at the eastern entrance to Baltimore Harbour and the western entrance to Horseshoe Harbour, Sherkin Island. The island is accessible by passenger ferry from Baltimore. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Cork County Council (Baltimore/Skibbereen Harbour Commissioners). ARLHS IRE-036; Admiralty A5705; NGA 6324.

* [Baltimore Beacon (Barrack Point)]

1884 (probably not lighted until recently). Round stone tower topped by a short mast. Tower painted white. Another small photo is available. Like Copper Point, this appears to be a historic daybeacon to which a light has now been added. Located on a headland about 3 km (2 mi) southwest of Baltimore, marking the entrance to the harbor. Accessible by road; the spectacular view makes this a popular site for tourists. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: unknown.

** Galley Head

1878. Active; focal plane 53 m (174 ft); five quick white flashes, separated by 2.5 s, every 20 s. 21 m (69 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery. The two 2-story keeper's houses are leased to the Irish Landmark Trust and are available for vacation rental. Gerard Lemos has a closeup, Pete Amass has a good photo, Trabas has a panoramic view by John Eagle, and Marinas.com has fine aerial photos. Located atop a headland about 12 km (7 mi) south of Castlefreke. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Commissioners of Irish Lights. ARLHS IRE-035; Admiralty A5708; NGA 6332.

Eastern County Cork Lighthouses

Old Head of Kinsale (3)

1853 (station established 1665). Active; focal plane 72 m (236 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 31 m (100 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted with black and white horizontal bands. 2-story keeper's houses and other buildings enclosed by a stone wall. Fog horn (3 blasts every 45 s). Trabas has a good photo by John Eagle, Joshua Dragotta has a 2000 photo, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. This lighthouse replaced the 1665 and 1814 lighthouses (next entry), which were found to be too high for good visibility in foggy or low cloudy weather. In the 1990s a golf club, the Old Head Golf Links, was built on the Old Head; the light station now stands behind the green of the fourth hole, which is called the Razor's Edge. Public access to the lighthouse was closed. This is a matter of great controversy, and on several occasions (including August 22, 2004) anarchists of the Workers Solidarity Movement have staged mass trespasses (called "peoples' picnics"), climbing the fences and walking through the course to the lighthouse. Another people's picnic was held on August 26, 2007. However, the Irish Supreme Court has confirmed the golf club's right to close access through its property. Located at the end of a narrow, rocky peninsula about 7 km (4 mi) south of Old Head and about 20 km (12 mi) south of Kinsale. Site and tower closed. Operator: Commissioners of Irish Lights. ARLHS IRE-055; Admiralty A5710; NGA 6340.

Old Head of Kinsale (1 and 2)

1665. Inactive since 1853. The original lighthouse was a 1-story stone cottage with a brazier for a coal fire on the roof; the coal fire was replaced by a lantern in 1804. In 1814, the old lighthouse was supplanted by a 13 m (42 ft) round stone tower with a semicircular stone keeper's house surrounding the base. Ruins of both the 1665 and 1814 lighthouses remain on the seventh hole of the Old Head Golf Links, called the Legal Eagle. Site closed to the public. Owner/site manager: Old Head Golf Links. ARLHS IRE-130.

* Charles Fort

Date unknown (station established 1804). Active; focal plane 18 m (60 ft); directional light, flash every 5 s, white, red, or green depending on direction. 5 m (17 ft), lantern atop a 1-story equipment building, painted white. Trabas has an excellent closeup by John Eagle, a nice panoramic view is available, and Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse is built on one of the ramparts of Charles Fort (Dún Chathail), a star-shaped late 17th century fort. Located on the east side of the entrance to Kinsale Harbour. Guided tours of the fort are available daily from mid April to late October; tower closed. Operator: Commissioners of Irish Lights. ARLHS IRE-016; Admiralty A5712; NGA 6344.

Spit Bank

1853 (Alexander Mitchell). Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); white or red light, depending on direction, 2 s on, 2 s off. 10.5 m (35 ft), lantern and watch room atop a platform supported by nine cast iron piles. Light tower painted white, piles and platform painted red. Trabas has an excellent photo by John Eagle, C.W. Bash also has a fine photo, and Google has a satellite view. Missing from many listings of Irish lighthouses, this is an exceptionally rare and historic light tower. Alexander Mitchell designed the first successful screwpile lighthouse for installation at Wyre, Lancashire, in 1840. This lighthouse, the Dundalk Light in County Louth, and the Moville Light in Lough Foyle are the only survivors of the original Mitchell design. Located at the end of a long mud bar in Cork Harbour south of Cobh, marking a sharp turn in the main ship channel. Safely accessible only by boat, although the bar is sometimes exposed at unusually low tides. Site and tower closed. Operator: Port of Cork. ARLHS IRE-078; Admiralty A5736; NGA 6380.

* Roche's Point (2)

1835 (station established 1817). Active; focal plane 30 m (98 ft); flash every 3 s, white or red depending on direction. 15 m (49 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Tower attached to 2-story and 1-story keeper's houses enclosed by a stone wall. Fog horn (blast every 30 s). Trabas has a closeup photo, John Finn has an excellent photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. The original lighthouse was relocated as the Duncannon North Light (see below). In 1998 one of the keeper's houses was leased to the Sirius Arts Centre as a residence and studio for visiting artists. Located on a sharp promontory on the east side of the entrance to Cork Harbour. Accessible by road. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Commissioners of Irish Lights. ARLHS IRE-061; Admiralty A5718; NGA 6356.

Ballycotton 1851. Active; focal plane 59 m (195 ft); flash every 10 s, white toward the sea and red toward the land. 15 m (50 ft) round sandstone tower with lantern and gallery; entire lighthouse painted black. Several keeper's houses and other buildings enclosed by a stone wall; the white wall contrasts sharply with the black tower and dark island. Trabas has a photo by John Eagle, John Finn also has a good photo, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. Fog horn (4 blasts every 90 s). Located on a small, steep-sided island just off Ballycotton Head at the southern entrance to Ballycotton Bay. Accessible only by boat, but there are good views from the mainland. Site and tower closed. Operator: Commissioners of Irish Lights. ARLHS IRE-007; Admiralty A5774; NGA 6428. [Capel Island] 1840s. Never completed. Partial stone tower. No photo available. Construction was halted on this lighthouse in favor of the lighthouses at Ballycotton to the southwest and Mine Head to the northeast. Capel Island, privately owned, is managed as a bird sanctuary. Located on the highest point of the island about 1 km (0.6 mi) off Knockadoon Head, at the southern entrance to Youghal Bay. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed; landing on the island require written permission from Birdwatch Ireland. Owner: private. Site manager: Birdwatch Ireland. * Youghal 1852. Active; focal plane 24 m (79 ft); flash every 5 s, white or red depending on direction. 15 m (49 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; gallery rail painted red. Keeper's house and tower enclosed by a high wall, also painted white. A photo is at right, Trabas also has a good closeup, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. Located on the easternmost point of County Cork, on the west side of the entrance to the harbor of Youghal from Youghal Bay. Accessible by the N25 highway. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Commissioners of Irish Lights. ARLHS IRE-080; Admiralty A5776; NGA 6432.

Youghal Light, August 2005 anonymous Creative Commons photo

County Waterford Lighthouses
* Mine Head

1851 (George Halpin, Sr.). Active; focal plane 87 m (285 ft); four quick white flashes, separated by 2.4 s, every 20 s. 22 m (72 ft) round sandstone tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with a single black horizontal band. Two 1-1/2 story keeper's houses enclosed by a stone wall. Trabas has a closeup photo by John Eagle, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. This is Ireland's highest lighthouse; it had a range of 45 km (28 mi) until 2003, when solarization lowered the range to 32 km (20 mi). Located on a headland about 25 km (16 mi) south of Dungarvan. Accessible by road. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Commissioners of Irish Lights. ARLHS IRE-052; Admiralty A5778; NGA 6436.

* Ballinacourty

1858. Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); directional light: two flashes every 10 s, white, red, or green depending on direction. 13 m (44 ft) round limestone tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; gallery rail painted red. 1-story unpainted stone keeper's house and other buildings enclosed by a stone wall. Trabas has a good closeup, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. Located on Ballinacourty Point at the northern entrance to Dungarvan Harbour. Accessible by road. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Commissioners of Irish Lights. ARLHS IRE-006; Admiralty A5782; NGA 6440.

* Dunmore East

1825 (Alexander Nimmo). Active; focal plane 13 m (44 ft); flash every 8 s, white or red depending on direction. 15 m (50 ft) 16-sided sandstone tower with lantern and gallery. The unpainted tower is fluted in the style of a Doric column. Lantern painted white; gallery rail painted red. Steve Caulfield has a great photo, Wikipedia has a photo of the harbor and lighthouse, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. The design of this handsome lighthouse is unique in Ireland. It stands on a pier built in 1823-25 to serve mail packets sailing between Waterford and Milford Haven, Wales. The pier now serves the local fishing fleet. In 2004 the lighthouse was restored; Trabas has a photo that shows that work in progress. Located on the pierhead in Dunmore East, at the western entrance to Waterford Harbour, directly opposite Hook Head. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Commissioners of Irish Lights. ARLHS IRE-029; Admiralty A5800; NGA 6464.

[Passage Point]

1867. Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); flash every 5 s, white or red depending on direction. 7 m (23 ft) post light mounted on a short brick column on the screwpile platform of the original lighthouse. Trabas has a good closeup, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of a sandbar projecting into Waterford Harbour near Passage East, on the west side of the estuary about 10 km (6 mi) north of Dunmore East. Site status unknown. Operator: Port of Waterford. Admiralty A5808; NGA 6484.

County Wexford Lighthouses

* Duncannon Fort (Range Front) Date unknown (before 1838; station established 1774). Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); directional light: white, red, or green depending on direction, 3 s on, 1 s off. 7.5 m (25 ft) round white tower mounted on the walls of Duncannon Fort. Trabas has a closeup photo, Marinas.com has good aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Until fairly recently this lighthouse was the front light of a range, the Duncannon North Light being the rear light. Parts of the fort date to the 15th century, and it remained in military use until 1986. Ownership of the fort was transferred to the Wexford County Council in 1993. Located at Duncannon on the east side of Waterford Harbour about 20 km (12.5 mi) north of Hook Head. Fort open for tours daily June through August; tower closed. Operator: Port of Waterford. Site manager: Wexford County Council. ARLHS IRE-081; Admiralty A5806; NGA 6476. * Duncannon North (Range Rear) 1838. Recently inactive. 10.5 m (35 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. 1-story keeper's house and other buildings enclosed by a stone wall. Entire lighthouse painted white. Frank Peters's photo is at right, Joe Cashin also has a good photo, and Google has a satellite view. This is the original (1817) Roche's Point Light (see above), dismantled and rebuilt at Duncannon in 1838 in order to create a range with the existing Duncannon Fort Light. The range was still active when the Carters visited this site in 1995. The property has been sold as a vacation home. Located about 1 km (0.6 mi) north of Duncannon Fort. Site and tower closed, although there are views of the lighthouse from nearby. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS IRE-028.

Duncannon North Light, October 2005 Creative Commons photo by Frank Peters

**** 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.

Lightship Gannet (Coningbeg) 1954. Retired but not yet decommissioned. 36.3 m (119 ft) steel lightship; hexagonal skeletal light tower with lantern and gallery amidships. Entire ship painted red. Fog horn (3 blasts every 60 s). As a manned lightship, Gannet served 26 years on the Kish Bank station. Iris Klempau reports that Gannet served on the Coningbeg station beginning in 2001, when it replaced Skua. In February 2007 the lightship was replaced by a modern lightfloat. The ship's current location is not known. Located about 21 km (13 mi) east southeast of Hook Head. Site and vessel closed. Operator: Commissioners of Irish Lights. ARLHS IRE-129; Admiralty A5832; NGA 6528. Tuskar Rock 1815. Active; focal plane 33 m (108 ft); two quick white flashes every 7.5 s. 34 m (111 ft) round granite tower with lantern and gallery attached to 2-story keeper's house. Buildings painted white; gallery rail painted red. Fog horn (4 blasts every 45 s). Trabas has a nice photo by John Eagle, and Marinas.com has excellent aerial photos of the station. There was a shore station at Rosslare, but the keeper's houses there were sold in 1973. Located on an isolated rocky islet 11 km (7 mi) off the southeastern corner of Ireland, marking the entrance to St. George's Channel. Accessible only by helicopter, but there are distant views from ferries arriving at or departing from Rosslare. Site and tower closed. Operator: Commissioners of Irish Lights. ARLHS IRE-076; Admiralty A5838; NGA 6540. * Rosslare Pierhead (2) 1906 (station established 1881). Active; focal plane 15 m (50 ft); directional light: white, red, or green depending on direction, occulting once every 5 s. Approx. 7.5 m (25 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, painted red with white trim. Linda Bailey's photo is at right, Trabas has a good photo by John Eagle, another photo is available, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. The first pier light was replaced when a new pier was built in 1906. Rosslare was then, and still is, a major port of entry to Ireland for ferries from Wales, England, and France; a 2007 photo shows a Stena Line ferry moored behind the lighthouse. Located at the end of the main pier in Rosslare Harbour. Site status unknown; may be accessible by walking the pier. Operator: Irish Rail (Rosslare Europort). ARLHS IRE-064; Admiralty A5842; NGA 6544.

Rosslare Pierhead Light, August 2007 Creative Commons photo by Linda Bailey

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 High (1) 1781. Inactive since 1818. 31 m (100 ft) octagonal granite tower; lantern replaced with a brick dome. Davida De La Harpe's photo is at right, and David Quinn has a good 2008 photo. This lighthouse and its accompanying low light were discontinued because they were too high to be seen in poor weather. The low light was demolished. Lightning struck this tower in 1863, causing a fire that gutted the interior. Because the tower was useful as a daybeacon, it was preserved in 1866 by being capped with a brick dome. In 1996 the Irish Landmark Trust leased the lighthouse, restored the interior of the 6-floor building and made it available for vacation housing. Located about 4 km (2.5 mi) southeast of Wicklow. Accessible by road. Site open, tower open only to paying guests. Site manager: Irish Landmark Trust. ARLHS IRE-084. * Wicklow Head High (2) 1818 (station established 1781). Inactive since 1865. Approx. 20 m (66 ft) round stone tower with gallery; lantern removed. Lighthouse originally painted white, but only traces of the paint remain. Davida De La Harpe's photo is at right, and and David Quinn has a fine photo. This tower occupies nearly the same location as the original (1781) low light. A photo is at right. Located about 4 km (2.5 mi) southeast of Wicklow. Accessible by road. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Commissioners of Irish Lights. ARLHS IRE-083.

1781 (left) and 1818 Wicklow High Lights, August 2006 Creative Commons photo by Davida De La Harpe

* 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.

* Dún Laoghaire East 1847. Active; focal plane 16 m (53 ft); two red flashes every 10 s. 12.5 m (41 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery. Tower unpainted; lantern and gallery rail painted red. Two keeper's houses built on the pier. Fog horn (blast every 30 s). Trabas has a fine photo, William Murphy has a good closeup, and Google has a satellite view. The red trim color was added to the lighthouse in 1996, the year after the Carters took their photo. Dún Laoghaire, formerly called Kingstown, is a port at the south entrance to Dublin Bay; it is also the headquarters of the Commissioners of Irish Lights. Lighthouse located at the end of the east pier, a large stone structure. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Commissioners of Irish Lights. ARLHS IRE-026; Admiralty A5872; NGA 6600. * Carlisle Pier (Mailboat Pier) Date unknown (station established 1908). Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); red flash every 3 s. Light mounted atop the second story of a 3-story building, which appears abandoned in Trabas's photo. The Carlisle Pier is on the Dún Laoghaire waterfront near the foot of the East Breakwater. Site open, tower closed. Operator: unknown. Admiralty A5876; NGA 6608. * Dún Laoghaire West 1852. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); three green flashes every 7.5 s. 9 m (29 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery. Tower unpainted; lantern and gallery painted green with a white horizontal band. Karl O'Brien's photo is at right, Trabas has a closeup photo, and Google has a satellite view. Nick Huggins's 2007 photo confirms the current paint pattern. The lantern was painted green in 1996, the year after the Carters took their photo. Lighthouse located at the end of the west pier, a large stone structure. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Commissioners of Irish Lights. ARLHS IRE-027; Admiralty A5874; NGA 6604. * Poolbeg (2) 1820 (station established 1768). Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); red light, 8 s on, 4 s off, 4 s on, 4 s off. 20 m (66 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery. Entire structure painted red. Trabas has a great closeup photo, a 2007 closeup is available, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the South Wall, a long breakwater that protects the entrance to the River Liffey and Dublin's inner harbor from shoaling. Accessible in good weather by walking the breakwater, a round trip of about 4 km (2.4 mi). Site open, tower closed. Operator: Dublin Port Company. ARLHS IRE-057; Admiralty A5882; NGA 6620.

Dún Laoghaire West Light, October 2005 Creative Commons photo by Karl O'Brien

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 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.

* Howth Harbour (1) 1818. Inactive since 1982. 10 m (33 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 2-story stone keeper's house. Tower unpainted; lantern painted white, gallery rail red. The station is partly surrounded by a semicircular stone sea wall, which formerly protected an artillery position. A photo is at right, the Carters also have a good photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse seems to be well maintained; we need information on its current use. Located at the eastern entrance to Howth Harbour, which is accessible by a bridge from the foot of Watermill Road, Dublin. Site appears open, tower closed. Site manager: unknown. ARLHS IRE-126. * Howth Harbour (2) 1982 (station established 1818). Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); two flashes every 7.5 s, white shown southeastward over the harbor entrance and red in other directions. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with gallery; light displayed from a short mast. The tower is white; gallery rail painted red. Trabas has a photo, a photo showing both lighthouses is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located near the old lighthouse. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Dublin Port Company. ARLHS IRE-039; Admiralty A5900; NGA 6656.

1818 Howth Harbour Light, April 2005 anonymous Creative Commons photo

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 East (Range Front) (2) About 1880 (station established 1842). Recently inactive. 7 m (23 ft) octagonal pyramidal cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, painted black. A brick wall surrounds the lighthouse. Kieran Campbell's photo is at right, and Google has a satellite view. The three Drogheda lighthouses were built to guide ships entering the River Boyne and the port of Drogheda, and the two range lights were built on rails so that their position could be adjusted to fit changes in the entrance channel. The surrounding area is being developed, but the lighthouse sites have been set aside as special protected areas. Located at the end of Coney Hall Road, 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. Owner/site manager: unknown. ARLHS IRE-024; Admiralty A5910. * Drogheda West (Range Rear) (2) About 1880 (station established 1842). Recently inactive. 8 m (26 ft) octagonal cylindrical cast iron tower with lantern and gallery. Lantern painted white, skeletal tower black. 1-story keeper's house. The three Drogheda lighthouses were built to guide ships entering the River Boyne and the port of Drogheda, and the two range lights were built on rails so that their position could be adjusted to fit changes in the entrance channel. The surrounding area is being developed, but the lighthouse sites have been set aside as special protected areas. Located 85 m (280 ft) west of the front light. Site status unknown, but the lighthouse can be viewed from nearby. Owner/site manager: unknown. ARLHS IRE-025; Admiralty A5910.1.

Drogheda East Light, September 2007 Creative Commons photo by Kieran Campbell

* 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.

* Clogherhead Date unknown. Active (?). Light mounted on a 2-story concrete and metal pier building. No photo available. Located on the waterfront Port Oriel, the fishing port of Clogherhead, about 13 km (8 mi) northeast of Drogheda. Site open, tower closed. Operator: unknown. Admiralty A5919. Dundalk 1855 (Alexander Mitchell). Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); flash every 15 s, white or red depending on direction; a green light occulting once every 5 s is shown over a narrow sector to the southeast from a focal plane of 8 m (26 ft). 10 m (33 ft) lantern and watch room mounted on an octagonal platform supported by piles. Lantern painted white, pilings painted red. Fog horn (3 blasts every 60 s). Trabas has a distant photo. One of only three pile lighthouses still in service in the British Isles, Spit Bank Light at Cork being one of the others (see above). Located at the entrance to Dundalk Harbour from Dundalk Bay. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Operator: Commissioners of Irish Lights. ARLHS IRE-094; Admiralty A5920; NGA 6696. * Greenore 1830. Inactive since 1986. Approx. 11 m (36 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, gallery rail red. Aubrey Dale's photo is at right, and Google has a satellite view. This abandoned lighthouse is deteriorating and endangered by lack of maintenance. Located off Euston Street near the former ferry terminal on the Greenore waterfront, on the south side of Carlingford Lough. Site open, tower closed. Owner/ site manager: unknown. ARLHS IRE-037.

Greenore Light, May 2006 Creative Commons photo by Aubrey Dale

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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Posted December 28, 2004. Revised and updated December 11, 2008. Lighthouses: 55. Lightships: 4. Site copyright 2008 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.