Lighthouses of Northern Ireland

After many years as part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, most of Ireland became independent in 1922. Six northern counties remained behind, however, in what then became the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. This page lists lighthouses of Northern Ireland's coast, most of which faces Scotland across the North Channel.

Actually, the division of Ireland did not change the administration of most of these lighthouses. The Commissioners of Irish Lights, based in Dublin, continue to operate lighthouses in Northern Ireland as well as in the Irish Republic.

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty 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 posted by Alexander Trabas.
Lighthouses in Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
Excellent aerial photos posted by Marinas.com.
Along the Coast of Ireland
Photos posted by Pete Amass.
Irish Lightships
Historical data from the Commissioners of Irish Lights.
Irish Lighthouse Resource
Commercial photography by John Eagle.
Lightships in Ireland
Photos and historical accounts by Iris Klempau.
Britische Leuchttürme auf historischen Postkarten
Historic postcard images posted by Klaus Huelse.

Blackhead Lighthouse
Blackhead Light, County Antrim, June 2007
Creative Commons photo by Brian Kelley

County Down Lighthouses

Carlingford Lough and River Newry Lighthouses
Haulbowline
1824. Active; focal plane 32 m (105 ft); three white flashes every 10 s; since 1873 a continuous red "turning light" marking the start of the Carlingford Lough entrance channel has been displayed from a tower window at a height of 21 m (68 ft). 34 m (111 ft) tapered granite tower, with lantern and gallery, incorporating keeper's quarters and resting on a square base. Fog horn (1 blast every 30 s). Tower is unpainted; lantern painted white. Terry Stewart's photo, at right, shows a secondary lantern halfway up the tower. Until 1922, this lantern displayed a "half tide" light to inform mariners that the tide was high enough for vessels to enter the lough. Terry Stewart's photo is at right, Trabas also has a photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse is built on a dangerous rock, exposed only at low tide. The shore station was at Cranfield Point until 1922, and then at Greencastle. This was the first Irish offshore light to be automated, in 1965. Located in the middle of the entrance to Carlingford Lough, just on the northern side of the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Operator: Commissioners of Irish Lights. ARLHS IRE-128; Admiralty A5928; NGA 6704.
Haulbowline Range Front (Vidal Bank)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); white light occulting once every 3 s. 8 m (26 ft) octagonal skeletal tower with square metal watch (equipment) room topped by a gallery; red triangular daymark on the range line. Upper portion of tower painted white, lower portion green. Trabas has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located about 500 m (0.4 mi) northwest of the Haulbowline lighthouse. Accessible only by boat; good views from the Northern Ireland shore near Cranfield Point. Site and tower closed. Operator: unknown. ARLHS NTI-016; Admiralty A5932; NGA 6708.
Haulbowline Range Rear (Green Island)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (40 ft); white light occulting once every 3 s. 14 m (46 ft) octagonal skeletal tower with square metal watch (equipment) room topped by a gallery; red triangular daymark on the range line. Upper 1/3 of tower painted white, lower 2/3 green. Trabas has a good photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located in Carlingford Lough about 460 m (0.4 mi) west northwest of the front light. Accessible only by boat; good views from the Northern Ireland shore near Cranfield Point. Site and tower closed. Operator: unknown. ARLHS NTI-015; Admiralty A5934; NGA 6712.
Haulbowline Light
Haulbowline Light, August 2006
Geograph Creative Commons photo by Terry Stewart
Newry River Range Front
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 5 m (16 ft); white light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 5 m (16 ft) rubblestone tower with a conical top; the light is shown through a window near the top of the tower. Most of the tower is unpainted, but a rectangular area surrounding the window is painted white as a daymark. Trabas has a photo. Located in the river about 1.2 km (3/4 mi) west of Warren Point. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS NTI-036; Admiralty A5946; NGA 6724.
* Newry River Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); white light, 2 s on, 2 s off. Approx. 10 m (33 ft) rubblestone tower with a conical top; the light is shown through a window near the top of the tower. Most of the tower is unpainted, but a rectangular area surrounding the window is painted white as a daymark. Trabas has a photo, and Aubrey Dale has a second photo. Located on the south bank of the river about 275 m (300 yd) west of the front light. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS NTI-037; Admiralty A5946.1; NGA 6728.

Ardglass Area Lighthouses
* St. John's Point
1844 (height nearly tripled in 1893). Active; focal plane 37 m (120 ft); two quick white flashes every 7.5 s; there is also an auxiliary light at a focal plane of 14 m (45 ft), showing a white or red flash, depending on direction, every 3 s. The light is also shown by day in foggy weather. 39.5 m (130 ft) tower with lantern and gallery; bivalve Fresnel lens. Tower painted with black and yellow horizontal bands; lantern painted white. Four keeper's houses, one of them occupied by a resident attendant. Fog horn (2 blasts every 60 s). Henry Clark's 2009 photo is at right, Trabas has a great photo, a nice 2008 photo is available, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. The original lighthouse, designed by George Halpin, had a height of 14 m (45 ft). One of the most complete light stations surviving in Ireland; the Irish Landmark Trust has agreed to assume management of at least some of the buildings. Located about 5 km (3 mi) south of Killough, marking the entrance to Dundrum Bay. Accessible by a short walk from the end of the road, where parking is available. Site and tower closed, but the lighthouse can be viewed from outside the wall of the compound. Operator: Commissioners of Irish Lights. ARLHS NTI-022; Admiralty A5958; NGA 6756.
* Ardglass Pier (2)
1838 (?) (station established 1813). Active; focal plane 10 m (34 ft); directional light 2 s on, 2 s off, white, red or green depending on direction. 9.5 m (29 ft) cylindrical cast iron tower with domed lantern and gallery, painted white, mounted on a concrete base. Ardglass.net has posted a photo, Trabas has a good photo, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. This lighthouse was built after the original blew down in a storm in 1838. Located at the end of the North (Inner) Pier at Ardglass. Accessible by walking the pier, which serves as a dock for the local fishing fleet. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Northern Ireland Fishery Harbour Authority. ARLHS NTI-029; Admiralty A5962; NGA 6760.

Strangford Lough and South Rock Lighthouses
Angus Rock
1983. Active; focal plane 15 m (48 ft); red flash every 5 s. 13 m (42 ft) masonry tower with gallery but no lantern, painted white with a red band at the top. Solar-powered VLB 38 lens. Trabas has a closeup photo, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. This tower was built as a daymark, probably in the nineteenth century; there are mentions of it as early as 1885. A 1917 coast pilot asserts that the tower was originally intended to be for a lighthouse. More information is needed. Located on a low rocky islet off The Narrows, the entrance to Strangford Lough, southeast of Strangford. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Operator: Commissioners of Irish Lights. ARLHS NTI-001; Admiralty A5963.3; NGA 6768.
St. John's Point Light
St. John's Point Light, July 2009
Geograph Creative Commons photo by Henry Clark
* Lightship Petrel (Ballydorn)
About 1915 (surviving records conflict). Decommissioned 1968. 34 m (111 ft) single-masted steel lightship; the light was shown from a large lantern atop the mainmast. Entire ship painted red. Aubrey Dale has a 2008 photo, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. Built at the Dublin Dockyard, the ship served on numerous stations in Irish waters. After decommissioning, the ship was first sold to Hammond Lane Foundries, which then resold her to the Down Cruising Club at a nominal profit. The ship has been the club's headquarters since 1969. Berthed near Ballydorn, northeast of Killinchy, on the west side of Strangford Lough. Site open, vessel closed to the public. Owner/site manager: Down Cruising Club. ARLHS NTI-010.
* [Newcastle Shore Station]
1820. Closed 1905. Four keeper's houses, three built in 1820 and the fourth in 1863. These cottages housed families of keepers of the offshore South Rock Light. After the lighthouse was deactivated in 1877, they housed off-duty crew members of the South Rock Lightship. The houses survive in private ownership. Located in Newcastle, north of Kearney on the Ards Peninsula. Owner/site manager: private.
South Rock (Kilwarlin)
1797 (Thomas Rogers). Inactive since 1877. 18 m (60 ft) round granite tower with gallery; no lantern. Jimmy Kelly has posted a photo, Jonathan Mann also has a photo, and Michael Parry has a distant view. This is the oldest surviving waveswept lighthouse in Ireland and surely one of the oldest in the world. It was originally called the Kilwarlin light after its chief patron, Lord Kilwarlin. The light was replaced by the South Rock Lightship in 1877. The lantern was stolen by well-equipped thieves in 1972. Located about 5 km (3 mi) northeast of Kearney. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Operator: Commissioners of Irish Lights. ARLHS NTI-026.

Donaghadee Area Lighthouses
* Donaghadee
1836. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); white light, 2 s on, 2 s off; red light is shown over shallow water along the shore to the southeast. 16 m (53 ft) limestone tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Fog siren (blast every 12 s) sounds only when ships are expected. Matthew Johnston's photo is at right, Trabas has an excellent photo, a good 2008 photo is available, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Huelse has a historic postcard view. The lighthouse was repaired after being heavily damaged by fire May 12, 1900. In October 1934 the light was the first in Ireland to be converted to electric power. Located at the end of the South Pier at Donaghadee, 15 km (9 mi) east of Bangor. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Commissioners of Irish Lights. ARLHS NTI-005; Admiralty A5974; NGA 6788.
* [Copeland Island (Lighthouse Island) (2)]
1815 (station established early 1700s). Inactive since 1884. Ruined stump of a 16 m (52 ft) stone tower, with the ruins of the keeper's house and a modern house built as a bird observatory. No photo available. The lighthouse was abandoned in favor of the Mew Island Light to the north. The island is now owned by the National Trust and operated by the Royal Society for the Preservation of Birds. Overnight accommodations are available. Located on Lesser Copeland Island, also called Lighthouse Island, a small island off Copeland Island about 7 km (4 mi) north of Donaghadee. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Owner: National Trust Northern Ireland. Site manager: Copeland Bird Observatory. ARLHS NTI-031.

Donaghadee Light, April 2006
Creative Commons photo by Matthew Johnston
Mew Island
1884. Active; focal plane 37 m (121 ft); four white flashes, separated by 5 s, every 30 s. 37.5 m (123 ft) stucco-covered rubblestone tower with lantern and gallery, painted with black and white horizontal bands. Rubblestone keeper's houses and other buildings. A 2007 photo is available, John Grant has a November 2008 photo, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. This lighthouse, which replaced a lower tower on nearby Lesser Copeland Island, marks the beginning of the approach to Belfast for ships coming from the south and east. There were onshore keeper's houses at Donaghadee. W.R. Hamilton, a former keeper, has written an article on the light station and its history. Located on Mew Island, a small island about 10 km (6 mi) north of Donaghadee. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Operator: Commissioners of Irish Lights. ARLHS NTI-009; Admiralty A5976; NGA 6792.

County Antrim Lighthouses

Mainland Lighthouses
** Blackhead
1902. Active; focal plane 45 m (148 ft); white flash every 3 s. 15.5 m (51 ft) octagonal cylindrical granite tower with lantern and gallery attached by a covered walkway to 2-story keeper's house. Additional keeper's houses and other buildings preserved. Three keeper's houses are available for vacation rental. Brian Kelley's photo appears at the top of this page, Trabas has a beautiful photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Huelse has a historic postcard view. In January 2010, the Environment Agency announced plans to list the station as a historic site. Located atop a spectacular vertical cliff on a sharp headland at the northern entrance to Belfast Lough. Accessible by road off the B150 highway about 4 km (2.5 mi) north of White Head. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Commissioners of Irish Lights. Site manager: Irish Landmark Trust. ARLHS NTI-003; Admiralty A6028; NGA 6972.
* [Barr Point Fog Signal]
Date unknown. Inactive since 2005. 5 m rectangular 1-story fog signal building, painted white. Trabas has a closeup photo. Located about 800 m (1/2 mi) north of Ferris Point on the east side of the entrance to Larne Lough. Site probably open, building closed. Operator: Commissioners of Irish Lights. Admiralty A6030; NGA 6976.
* Ferris Point (Larne Lough) (2?3?)
Date unknown (station established 1839). Inactive. Approx. 15 m (50 ft) square cylindrical tower supporting a large square, glass-enclosed control room. Tower painted white; control room appears black from a distance. Marinas.com has aerial photos, and the tower appears at the far right in the photo of Chaine Tower below. This is the harbor control tower for Larne, a major port. The tower replaced a traditional light station and formerly carried a navigational light; the light became redundant when a directional light was installed in the Chaine Tower (next entry) on the other side of the harbor entrance. The CIL web page for Chaine Tower implies that Ferris Point Light was in operation at least as late as 1994. Located at the east side of the narrow entrance to Larne Lough. There are good views from ferries connecting Larne to several ports in Scotland. Site open, tower closed. Owner/operator: Larne Harbour, Ltd. ARLHS NTI-006.
* Chaine Tower (Sandy Point)
1899 (tower built in 1888). Active; focal plane 23 m (75 ft); light 2.5 s on, 2.5 s off, white or red depending on direction. 23 m (75 ft) stone tower with a conical roof; light shown through a window. Anne Burgess's photo is at right, Trabas has a closeup photo, and Bernie McAllister has a nighttime photo. Known locally as The Pencil, this unusual tower was built as a daymark by the Larne Harbour Board in 1888. It served as a memorial to James Chaine, a member of Parliament who had worked for harbor improvements at Larne. The Commissioners of Irish Lights assumed ownership in 1899 when a light was installed. From 1905 to 1935 the lighthouse was fueled automatically with coal gas. Located just off Sandy Point on the west side of the entrance to Larne Lough, connected to the mainland by a short causeway. Good views from ferries connecting Larne to several ports in Scotland. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Commissioners of Irish Lights. ARLHS NTI-004; Admiralty A6031; NGA 6984.
East Maidens
1829. Active; focal plane 29 m (95 ft); three white flashes, separated by 2.7 s, every 20 s. 23 m (76 ft) stone tower with lantern and gallery attached to 2-story stone keeper's houses. Lighthouse painted white with a single black horizontal band. A 2008 photo is available, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. The Maidens are a group of small rocky islands and reefs about 20 km (13 mi) northeast of Larne. The lighthouse is located on a tiny island near the east end of the group, guarding the approach to Larne. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Operator: Commissioners of Irish Lights. ARLHS NTI-023; Admiralty A6042; NGA 7016.
Chaine Tower
Chaine Tower, May 2007
Creative Commons photo by Anne Burgess
West Maidens
1829. Inactive since 1903. 18 m (60 ft) stone tower attached to 2-story stone keeper's house. Lantern and gallery removed. Still serving as a daymark, the tower was previously painted red with a white band at the top; only traces of this paint remain. A 2008 distant view is available, and Ronald Surgenor has a sunset photo. Located on a tiny island roughly 1 km (0.6 mi) west of the active East Maidens Light. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: unknown. ARLHS NTI-024.
* Portstewart Point
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); red light, 7 s on, 3 s off. Light mounted on a 3 m (10 ft) square concrete equipment hut, painted bright red. A mast, also mounted atop the hut, carried pilot signals. Trabas has a photo. Located on the point, near the end of Harbour Road in Portstewart. Site open, tower closed. Operator: unknown. ARLHS NTI-038; Admiralty A6073; NGA 7056.

Rathlin Island Lighthouses
Note: Rathlin Island is in the North Channel 8 km (5 mi) off the northern coast of Antrim. The island is shaped like an inverted L, with the shorter leg pointed south and the longer one pointed west. The island is accessible by passenger ferry from Ballycastle (several times daily in the summer, three times a week in the winter). No cars are allowed on the island, but all three lighthouses can be reached on foot. One further note: the Rathlin O'Birne Light is on a different island in County Donegal, Republic of Ireland
* Rue Point
1931. Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); two white flashes every 5 s. 11 m (35 ft) octagonal cylindrical concrete (?) tower without lantern; light displayed from a short mast. Zoe Bowyer has a closeup, Pete Amass has a good photo, Trabas has a distant view, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. Located on the south point of the island; accessible by hiking trail. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Commissioners of Irish Lights. ARLHS NTI-013; Admiralty A6060; NGA 7028.
* Rathlin East (Altacarry Head) Low
1856. Inactive since 1894. 8 m (27 ft) cylindrical cast iron lantern, painted white, with a narrow horizontal window through which a continuous white light was displayed. The lantern is placed beside the high light (next entry); it can be seen in the aerial photos of Marinas.com. Owner/site manager: Commissioners of Irish Lights. ARLHS NTI-030.
* Rathlin East (Altacarry Head) High
1856. Active; focal plane 74 m (243 ft); four white flashes, separated by 2.3 s, every 20 s. 27 m (88 ft) stone tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with a broad black band just below the gallery. 2-story and 1-story keeper's houses and other buildings enclosed by a stone wall. Paul McIlroy's photo is at right, Zoe Bowyer also has a good photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Huelse has a historic postcard view. Ships entering the North Channel from the Atlantic must steer between this light and the Mull of Kintyre Light in Scotland. The site is historic for several reasons. In the cliffs below the lighthouse is a cave complex where Robert the Bruce of Scotland took refuge after being defeated by the English in 1306. Also, Marconi made experimental radio transmissions from this site in 1898. Located at the northeastern right-angle point of the island; accessible by hiking trail. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Commissioners of Irish Lights. ARLHS NTI-011; Admiralty A6062; NGA 7032.
* Rathlin West
1917. Active; focal plane 62 m (204 ft); red flash every 5 s. Lantern on a concrete pad built into a notch in a spectacular almost-vertical cliff. Rising behind the lantern is a square cylindrical tower 18 m (60 ft) high, attached at its upper end to a 2-story keeper's house set into another, higher notch. (At this light station, the keepers climbed down to the light.) All buildings are painted white for best contrast against the dark cliff face. Pete Amass has a good closeup photo, Paul McIlroy has a photo of the keeper's house, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. This is one of the world's most spectacular settings for a lighthouse. Building the station took three years and £400,000, a huge sum for the time. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds has a seabird observation platform atop the cliff close to the lighthouse. Located at the western end of the island. The lighthouse itself is inaccessible, but visitors can get close enough to take photos over the edge of the cliff. The site is accessible by a hiking trail 6 km (4 mi) long. Operator: Commissioners of Irish Lights. ARLHS NTI-012; Admiralty A6064; NGA 7036.
Rathlin East High Light
Rathlin East High Light, May 2007
Creative Commons photo by Paul McIlroy

County Derry Lighthouses

Londonderry Area Lighthouses
* Culmore (2)
1920s (station established 1848). Active; focal plane 6 m (20 ft); quick-flashing white light. 7 m (23 ft) concrete tower with a small window near the top through which the light was formerly displayed; the current solar-powered light is mounted on top of the tower. Lighthouse painted white with a green base. Trabas has a closeup photo, and Huelse has a historic postcard view. The lighthouse stands at the end of a promontory projecting into the River Foyle just south of its mouth, near Culmore Fort. Site probably open, tower closed. Operator: Londonderry Port and Harbour Commissioners. ARLHS NTI-028; Admiralty A6132; NGA 7176.
* Ballynagard
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 6 m (20 ft); white flash every 3 s. 7 m (23 ft) concrete tower with a small window near the top through which the light was formerly displayed; the current solar-powered light is mounted on top of the tower. Lighthouse painted white with a green base. Trabas has a closeup photo. Located on the west bank of the River Foyle at Ballynagard, about 1.5 km (1 mi) southwest of the Culmore Light. Operator: Londonderry Port and Harbour Commissioners. Admiralty A6136; NGA 7196.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

  •  

Notable faux lighthouses:

  •  

Return to the Lighthouse Directory index | Ratings key

Posted November 29, 2004. Checked and revised October 29, 2009. Lighthouses: 24, lightships: 1. Site copyright 2009 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.