Dunmore East Lighthouse, County Waterford

In 1814 when Dunmore was a very small fishing village nestling in a sheltered cove it was chosen by the Post Office to be the Irish terminal of a new Mail Packet route from Milford Haven. The Post Office engaged a Scottish Engineer, Alexander Nimmo, to design and build the new harbour for which he used the local old red sandstone conglomerate. His design included a magnificent lighthouse which took the form of a fluted Doric column with the lantern on top of the capital. There is no exact date as to when the light was established, but it was some time in 1825. The light as established was fixed, catoptric, 3rd order, showing red to sea and white or clear to land, it was 13.4m (44 feet) above high water and the tower painted white. In 1903 white gave way to the natural stone colour. Acetylene gave way to electricity on 24th January 1964 and since August 1981 the optic lamp is powered from ESB mains electricity.

Blackhead Lighthouse, County Clare, Ireland

Like a homesick dalek gazing off to sea, county Clare's Blackhead lighthouse perches atop the otherworldly surface of the Burren's coastline. It however has no desire for world domination, instead contenting itself by guiding wayward ships to shore.

The Burren or "the stoney district" from the Gaelic, forms the northern part of County Clare, bounded by the south shore of Galway Bay to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west. "Not a tree whereon to hang a man; no water in which to drown him; no soil in which to bury him." was the description of the district by one of Cromwell’s generals.

The establishment of the light was protracted only coming into full operation in 1936.

By 1939 as transatlantic shipping ceased coming into Galway bay, the maintenance of the light became a burden on the Galway harbour commissioners and they approached Irish Lights in April 1952 and enquired if they would consider contributing 50% of any increase granted and assist towards the maintenance of Blackhead out of the General Lighthouse Fund. Reluctantly, they said they were seriously considering discontinuing its function. In April 1955 Irish Lights did so and continue to operate Blackhead. On 18 February 2002 the gas light was change to a solar powered light.

Tuskar Rock Lighthouse, County Wexford

The Tuskar Rock lighthouse, built from granite and standing 120 feet (37 metres) tall, was built over a period of years beginning in 1812. In October of that year, a storm struck, washing away temporary barracks which had been erected on the island, and killing fourteen workmen—the worst such disaster in Ireland's history of lighthouse construction. The surviving workers clung to the island's slippery rocks for two full days before being discovered and rescued. Work resumed, and the lighthouse was completed, entering into operation on 4 June 1815.

During wartime small rocks like Tuskar were very vulnerable to drifting mines which had parted from their moorings. One of these mines exploded when it struck the rock on 2nd December 1941 injuring two assistant keepers, W. J. Cahill and P. Scanlan. Both were brought ashore by the Rosslare lifeboat but unfortunately Patrick Scalan died in hospital the next day

On 31st March 1993 the lighthouse was converted to automatic operation and the keepers were withdrawn from the station.

Little Samphire Island Lighthouse, County Kerry

Little Samphire Island is home to a very compact light station, enclosed in a high wall around it's perimeter. The lighthouse is a 12 metre high, unpainted stone-built tower located just off of Fenit, outside of Tralee.Weather dependant, Little Samphire Island is open to the public during summer months and tours can be had of the lighthouse.

Blacksod Lighthouse, Mullet Peninsula, Co May

 Blacksod Lighthouse (Gaelic: Fód Dubh) is situated at the southern end of the Mullet Peninsula, Erris, County Mayo. The lighthouse was built in 1864 by one of the leading merchants in  Belmullet at that time, Bryan Carey.

The lighthouse is made of local granite blocks which are believed to have come from close by Termon Hill which is an isolated granite outcrop of high quality granite on the peninsula. The keeper's house is a two storey square building, which has always been unpainted. It is occupied by a resident lighthousekeeper who is also responsible for Blackrock lighthouse - see below. The house at Blacksod was badly damaged by a rogue wave in 1989 but has since been repaired and is still occupied.

Blacksod is of unusual design for a lighthouse, being a square block of a building with only a small conical lantern section on top of it which is painted white. Although it is easily accessible as it is beside Blacksod Pier, it is not open to the general public.

The Maidens Lighthouse, County Antrim

The Maidens lighthouses, on the Maidens in North Channel off County Antrim in Northern Ireland, date from 1829 and were built at the request of merchants and a royal navy officer. Lighthouses were built on both rocks; the West Maiden was abandoned in 1903 and the East Maiden was automated in 1977.

By October 1977, an electric light was added to the lighthouse and by 31 October of that year, the Keepers were withdrawn as the Maidens became an automatic operation and control passed to Ferris Point. Currently, the station is monitored by an Attendant as well as from the headquarters of the Commissioners of Irish Lights at Dun Laoghaire 

This is one of just over sixty coastal lighthouses and many more harbour and estuary lights I've illustrated. I'll be posting them up each day.
The A2 poster of 16 of the most iconic lighthouses is up and ready to ship. If you're interested in a particular lighthouse they're available in A4 or A3 size. 

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Haulbowline Lighthouse, Carlingford Lough, Co Down

The Haulbowline Lighthouse is an active 19th century lighthouse, described as an "elegant, tapering stone tower". It is located at the entrance to Carlingford Lough, near Cranfield Point in County Down, Northern Ireland. The lighthouse was built on the eastern part of the Haulbowline rocks, one of a number of navigation hazards at the seaward end of Carlingford Lough. Construction of the 34-metre-high  stone tower has been described as "a remarkable achievement at the time", given the location "on a semi-submerged rock with fast currents running around it". Originally white in colour, the paint was removed in 1946 to reveal the stone beneath. The principal light is displayed 32m above sea level as a constant white light. A secondary light was also displayed on a balcony facing the sea, known as a half-tide light, this was lit when the state of the tide was such that there would be enough depth for ships to pass into the lough, and until 1922 a black ball was also raised on a mast above the tower during daylight hours, to indicate the same tidal conditions.

This is one of just over sixty coastal lighthouses and many more harbour and estuary lights I've illustrated. I'll be posting them up each day.
The A2 poster of 16 of the most iconic lighthouses is up and ready to ship. If you're interested in a particular lighthouse they're available in A4 or A3 size.

Clare Island Lighthouse, County Mayo

Clare Island stands guard at the entrance to Clew Bay, off Ireland’s western Atlantic coast. For almost two centuries, the island’s Lighthouse has been a nautical landmark perched high on the craggy cliffs, watching over Achill, Westport and beyond. Once a safe haven for sailors, this heritage property now offers sanctuary of a different kind. This architecturally majestic, listed building has been lovingly transformed into fully catered, luxury accommodation, complemented by magnificent sea views and an inspiring, natural environment.

The original lighthouse was built in 1806 by the Marquis of Sligo, on the isolated northern tip of Clare Island. Seven years later it was destroyed by fire due to the lighthouse keeper throwing ‘the snuffings’ of the wicks of candles into a tub which caught fire. The new lighthouse tower was built toward the end of 1818.

Clare Island Lighthouse was decommissioned in 1965 after an astonishing 159 years of service.

This is one of just over sixty coastal lighthouses and many more harbour and estuary lights I've illustrated. I'll be posting them up each day.
The A2 poster of 16 of the most iconic lighthouses is up and ready to ship. If you're interested in a particular lighthouse they're available in A4 or A3 size.
www.irelandposters.ie

Old Head of Kinsale Lighthouse, Kinsale, County Cork

There are references to a lighted beacon at the Old Head in pre-Christian times. The first lighthouse, proper, with a design unique to Ireland, was a cottage-type, with an open coal fire in a brazier on its roof – you will pass its runs on the way out to the Lighthouse.A new lighthouse (across the road from the bazier ruins) was built in 1814. The tower was 12.8 meters (42Feet) high with a concentric building around the base to house the Keepers. The light was frequently obscured by fog or low cloud so it was decided to build a new lighthouse on the point of the headland. This was built by the Corporation’s tradesmen under George Halpin, the Corporation’s Inspector of Lighthouses’s supervision and completed in 1853. The 1814 tower was then partially demolished.In 1985 the fog siren was replaced by an electric horn controlled by a videograph fog detector. The fog signal was disestablished in 2011. Ub 1987 the lighthouse was automated and the Keepers withdrawn. Since then the Lighthouse has been in the care of a part time Attendant.This is one of just over sixty coastal lighthouses and many more harbour and estuary lights I've illustrated. I'll be posting them up each day. The A2 poster of 16 of the most iconic lighthouses is up and ready to ship. If you're interested in a particular lighthouse they're available in A4 or A3 size.www.irelandposters.ie

Loop Head Lighthouse, County Clare

There has been a lighthouse at Loop Head since 1670, originally a signal fire on the roof of a single-storey cottage (which can still be seen on the grounds), where the lightkeeper lived.

The present tower, which stands 23 metres high, was built in 1854. The range of the light is 23 nautical miles and its ‘character’ is a white light flashing four times in 20 seconds. The operation was converted to electricity in 1871, and automated in 1991.

This is one of just over sixty coastal lighthouses and many more harbour and estuary lights I've illustrated. I'll be posting them up each day.
The A2 poster of 16 of the most iconic lighthouses is up and ready to ship. If you're interested in a particular lighthouse they're available in A4 or A3 size.
www.irelandposters.ie

Blackrock Lighthouse, County Sligo

A beacon had been established on Blackrock sometime in the 18th century but had been washed away by 1814 according to the merchants of Sligo who were looking for the beacon to be re-established.

During 1821 the ship owners of Sligo requested that the Blackrock beacon be converted into a lighthouse and the metal man which was proposed to be placed on top should be placed on a pedestal on Perch Rock off Oyster Island. This happened in 1821 but Blackrock beacon was not converted into a lighthouse until 1833-34 using the solid beacon as the base of the tower, hence the outside spiral staircase to the entrance door well above the high water mark. The light was established on 1st June 1835. In the 1930’s, the the tower's colour was changed from white to white with a black band in the centre. It was converted to electric on 15th September 1965 when its character was changed to Fl W 5 secs.

This is one of just over sixty coastal lighthouses and many more harbour and estuary lights I've illustrated. I'll be posting them up each day.
The A2 poster of 16 of the most iconic lighthouses is up and ready to ship. If you're interested in a particular lighthouse they're available in A4 or A3 size.
www.irelandposters.ie

Skelligs Lighthouse, Skellig Michael, County Kerry

Skelligs Lighthouse is one of the main sea lights off the South West coast and is located on the outer and larger of the Skellig rocks; eight miles (12.8km) from the nearest mainland point, North East of Puffin Island.

Legendary references to Skellig rocks go back to pre-Christian times; but the collection of beehive dwellings, oratories and crosses are attributed to Saint Finian around the sixth century. Located close to the beehives is a medieval chapel and two wells dedicated to Saint Michael, patron saint of high places. The monastery, as it is usually referred to, is positioned on the south side of the 611 foot North-East peak at a height of around 550 feet ) above sea level.

When Inishtearaght, the most westerly island of the Blaskets, 22 miles (35.4km) north of Skellig rocks, was established on 1st May 1870, the upper light of Skellig was discontinued. During the 1939-45 war, an aircraft crashed, exploded and fell in flames into the sea off the north side of the rock on 27th February 1944. A search by Keepers and a British aircraft found neither survivors nor wreckage. Fortnightly reliefs by helicopter took over from the Service Steamer out of Castletownbere in November 1969 and a reinforced concrete landing pad was built on the rock near the diesel derrick at Cross Cove.

22nd April 1987 was a sad day for Skellig Michael. After just over 160 years of continuous manning, the station was made unwatched electric. 

This is one of just over sixty coastal lighthouses and many more harbour and estuary lights I've illustrated. I'll be posting them up each day.
The A2 poster of 16 of the most iconic lighthouses is up and ready to ship. If you're interested in a particular lighthouse they're available in A4 or A3 size.
www.irelandposters.ie