Rathlin Easy Lighthouse, Rathlin Island, County Antrim

Rathlin East lighthouse is the location from which the world’s first commercial wireless telegraphy link was established by employees of Guglielmo Marconi, transmitting to Kenmara House in Ballycastle on 6 July 1898.

Rathlin is the only inhabited offshore island of Northern Ireland, with a population of approximately 150 people, down from over a thousand in the late 19th century and is the most northerly inhabited island off the coast of Ireland. There are three lighthouses on the island; East, West and Rue on the south coast.  The eastern light was established in 1856. Originally the tower was unpainted. Then it was coloured overall white with a red band below the balcony. In 1934 for reasons I know not why, this was changed to black. In 1981 it was converted to electric and in 1995 it was automated and the keepers withdrawn from the station.

Straw Island Lighthouse, Inis Mór, Aran Islands, County Galway

Straw Island is a small sandy island that lies at the approaches to the harbour of Cill Rónáin on Inishmore, the largest of the Aran Islands. The lighthouse on Straw Island is a small but highly important Aid to Navigation. The Aran Islands see a quarter of a million visitors annually travelling to their shores.
The light was the result of a long correspondence battle of over twenty years to have a local light built to replace the discontinued light near Oghil on Inishmore.
Inishmore was established in 1818 but unfortunately it was positioned too high, over 400 feet (122m) above sea level, and more often than not was shrouded in cloud or mist. Also it did not cover the North and South entrances to Galway Bay. Inishmore was replaced in 1857 by lights on Eeragh and Inisheer.