When it comes to Ireland’s coastline, there’s always more than meets the eye. But when you follow the trail of Ireland’s Great Lighthouses, the sea surrenders its secrets…
A lone island at the edges of the Atlantic Ocean, Ireland has lit the way for many a fearless mariner over the centuries, its waters striped by beacons beaming from an army of lighthouses. Countless tales of shipwreck, romance and tragedy swirl in the very water that surrounds these towering structures.
Why not pay them a visit in 2021 and find out the secrets and surprises of the stories behind the lights?
NORTHERN COAST
Combining two of Europe’s best road trips – the Causeway Coastal Route and the Wild Atlantic Way – the raw, savage beauty of Ireland’s northern coast has been carefully guarded by three story-filled lighthouses for centuries.
St John’s Point, County Donegal
St John’s Point in County Donegal has always been known for its dangerous coastline and swirling waters. In fact, way back in 1588, three ships of the Spanish Armada were wrecked during storms on nearby Streedagh Strand in County Sligo – within sight of St John’s Point. It took another 250 years for the merchants and traders of Donegal’s busy Killybegs harbor to decide upon the need for a guiding light at this spot. Designer George Halpin Senior – one of the era’s most lauded civil engineers – created a tower of cut granite, with the light itself coming into operation in 1831.
Fanad Head Lighthouse, Co Donegal
Built as a result of HMS Saldanha’s tragic wreckage in 1811 at Lough Swilly – according to reports, the only survivor was the vessel’s parrot and his silver collar inscribed with the ship’s name – Fanad Head Lighthouse in County Donegal has saved countless lives since. Perched on the western shore of the Fanad Head peninsula, a climb to the top of this seaside siren promises panoramic ocean views amid swirling, salty sea air. Three views – Tory Island, Dunree View and Inishtrahull – make up the three self-catering cottages at Fanad, so just take your pick and settle in! 2 night stay recommended.
Ratlin West Lighthouse, Ballycastle, Co. Antrim
Known as Ireland’s only “upside down” lighthouse, views from the vantage point of this County Antrim cliff-face are pretty incredible. Built between 1912 and 1917, this is one of three of Ireland’s lighthouses on the island, but the legend behind this one is special. It was in a cave underneath the West Lighthouse that Robert the Bruce, King of Scots, is said to have learned the gift of perseverance from a tiny spider, thus sealing his determination to return to his homeland of Scotland in the 1300s. Catch the ferry from Ballycastle to tour the island, and should a bed and a pint be required, you won’t be short of accommodation and a pub or two.
Blackhead Lighthouse, Co. Antrim
Sitting at the northern shore of Belfast Lough, Blackhead Lighthouse’s beams once watched over the likes of the Titanic, Olympic and Britannic as they left Belfast for open water. Today, thanks to the Irish Landmark Trust, you can spend the night at the lightkeeper’s house beside this great beacon. While you’re here, keep your eyes peeled for the secret tunnel used by keepers to access the light from the house during stormy weather.
St John’s Point Lighthouse, Co. Down
Standing (80 foot) above the Irish Sea, St John’s Point Lighthouse in County Down is the tallest onshore lighthouse on the island of Ireland. While today it might look like an ode to bees, it didn’t start out that way; in fact, the lighthouse has undergone two separate makeovers in its time. White when first exhibited in 1844, two black bands were added in 1902, with the yellow bands you see today painted on in 1954. Fancy overnighting in the sensitively renovated lighthouse keeper’s house here? Thanks to the Irish Landmark Trust and Katie Daly’s Ireland, you can.
EAST COAST
Wicklow Lighthouse, Co Wicklow
Not only is Wicklow the Garden of Ireland, it’s also graced with a stunningly beautiful coastline. Standing watch over the Irish Sea, surrounded by sprawling fields and vibrant yellow gorse bushes, the striking octagon-shaped Wicklow Lighthouse was one of two of Ireland’s lighthouses built along the shore in 1781. But it wasn’t all plain sailing: 55 years later, on the 10th of October, a bolt of lightning struck the tower. Thankfully, the meter-thick stone walls stood their ground, but the interior was not so lucky and was completely destroyed. These days, though, its six floors are the epitome of nautical luxury, available to rent from the Irish Landmark Trust.
Hook Head Lighthouse, Co. Wexford
At almost 800 years old, Hook Head has seen a thing or two. Named first in Lonely Planet’s Top 10 Flashiest Lighthouses list, records tell of a 5th century Welsh monk keeping a beacon lit on the peninsula here to warn sailors of possible shipwreck. Also, some say we have Hook Head and the tiny Crooke village (43 miles from Hook Head Lighthouse) to thank for the phrase “By hook or by crook”, which means by any means necessary. Pop by and keep your eyes peeled for the humpback and fin whales that often visit the waters here for feeding during the winter months.
SOUTHERN COAST
Ballycotton Lighthouse, Cork
Did you know that the Sirius was the first vessel to cross the Atlantic under power of steam in 1838? Just nine years later, the jubilation of that milestone was soured when the ship hit Smith’s Rock during dense fog, to the southwest of Ballycotton. By the time the captain attempted to bring the ship into Ballycotton harbor, it was a wreck. Inspired by this disaster, the lighthouse was built, its beam shining across the water from 1851. Only accessible by boat from Capel Island, make sure to greet the resident goats before climbing the stairs to share the Celtic Sea views from the red lantern balcony.
Galley Head Lighthouse, Cork
The lightkeepers at Galley Head have witnessed many tragedies in their time, including the loss of the Lusitania in 1915, as well as many British and German vessels during World War I and II. An imposing 174 feet above the Atlantic Ocean, Galley Head is a gleaming white lighthouse on a picturesque headland, pointing towards mainland Europe. Built in 1875 during the heyday of lighthouse building, Galley Head was once the most powerful lighthouse in the world. A major County Cork navigational aid to this day, along with the Old Head of Kinsale and Fastnet Lighthouses, mariners still watch for its blinking light as they pass. Spend a night in one of the two lighthouse keepers’ houses, courtesy of the Irish Landmark Trust, and dream a little dream of times gone by.
WEST COAST
Valentia Island Lighthouse, Co Kerry
While you’re enjoying the magnificent view from here, spare a thought for the Right Honorary Maurice Fitzgerald, Knight of Kerry, whom we have to thank for Valentia Lighthouse – it was he who first applied for the light to be built here.
Loop Head Lighthouse, Co.Clare
If lonely isolation attracts you to a lighthouse, Loop Head in County Clare might be just the ticket. Just three miles from the nearest village, Kilbaha, the original light here in the 1670s was a brazier of burning coal, sitting on a platform on the roof of a stone cottage where the original lighthouse keeper lived. Today’s light stands some 296 feet over the Atlantic Ocean,
Clare Island Lighthouse, Clare
Built in 1806 and settled into the humps and bumps of Clare Island’s most northerly point ever since, Clare Island Lighthouse drinks in some of the Wild Atlantic Way’s most dramatic sea views. More modest in size than its siblings, the lighthouse here was decommissioned in 1965. The reason? Its setting on the high County Kerry cliffs saw it too often shrouded in mist for its light to be effective. Renovated into luxury accommodation, the owners see the dwellings here as a “great escape – a restorative haven”. And they’re not wrong. WiFi, wrought-iron beds and art deco furnishings sit side by side with panoramic views of Clew Bay, salty Atlantic swells and miles of jagged cliffs.
