The story of Ballycotton lighthouse
I am delighted that this blogpost is not from myself, not simply because I'm very lazy, but because it is by someone who is sickeningly young.Ciaran Newcombe is a student in Transition Year in...
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The Mystery of the Missing Perch - A Play in One Act
From the Robinson family album, early 1900s (NLI) The Mystery of the Missing Percha play in one act byThe Drogheda Independentfirst performed on 5th December 1896 at Drogheda Harbour OfficeScene: the...
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A state of chassis on the Fastnet
From James Morrissey's wonderful 'A History of the Fastnet Lighthouse'I came across this interesting snippet in the Irish Examiner of 19th October 1883, two years after its sister lighthouse on Calf...
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A tragedy from Clare Island
Irish Lights inspection time, Clare Island c.1905 (NLI)John Gillespie was born around 1859 in that hotbed of lighthouse keepers, the north Foyle estuary. His father, Neil, had been a river pilot there...
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The Irish Lights Phone Book
Huge thanks to Joanna Doyle for sending me these photos of the best seller Telephone Directory which she found at her parents' house. Joanna, as she has mentioned once or twice, is descended from a...
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The roaming Relief
South Arklow lightvessel c.1906. The Relief was sold in 1867(This article originally appeared in Lamp 142, Autumn 2024)Despite having boasted the world’s second ever lightship in 1736, it was not until...
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Bringing Dad back to the lighthouse
It would be fair to say that the Stocker line of Irish lightkeepers is one of the longest in the country, dating back to at least 1818 when Edward Stocker was first sent down to the Tuskar. Henry...
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The Kings of Cleggan
When you think of Connemara and the business of keeping lighthouses burning on its rugged coast, one family immediately springs to mind - the King family of Keerhaunmore in Ballyconneely.As well...
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The Angus Rock Part One - a poem
Photo marinas.comDespite being notable as the last lighthouse...
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No damage done and nothing taken
Blacksod lighthouse (photo Richard Cummins)The following unnoteworthy correspondence is taken from the War and Raids collection at UCD and rivals the 'Small earthquake in Chile . Not many dead'...
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Warren Point revisited
Warren Point (Photo by Chris Newman)Warrenpoint co. Down is a small town on the northern shore of Carlingford Lough and has no further involvement with this article.Warren Point co. Donegal, on the...
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An old friend on the Tuskar
Photo Damien McaleenanIn early July 1851, a man called Mr Leslie, who was apparently the superintendent for the boring of the tunnel under the barracks, for the Great Southern and Western Railway...
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Green Seas and Small Boats
As some of you will know, I started to write a book on Eagle Island several years ago. Many people gave generously of their time to help me and the book was to all intents and purposes, finished by...
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The Angus Rock Part 2 - the history
It may come as a surprise to some (as it did to me) to learn that there has been a beacon on the Angus Rock for over 300 years.It was back in 1715 that the brig, Eagle's Wing, got caught in a storm at...
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Teach solais nua do Cill Mhantáin
A lot of people are calling it grossly unfair but Wicklow town (Irish: Cill Mhantáin or 'Wickler') is getting another lighthouse. Not content with having three beautiful specimens on Wickler Head and a...
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The Red Hut aka The Red Shed, Newry River
There are times, when researching local maritime history, when you come across a seemingly innocuous building, or an old slipway, or a weir and it spirals out of all control, opening up avenues that...
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My lighthouse - a poem
Galley Head light c.1906This poem, by an Irish emigré, was sent by the author's daughter, Eileen McGowan, to the Museum of the O'Connell Schools in North Richmond Street, many, many years ago,...
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Inishtrahull - Isle of Ships by Seán Beattie
According to one definition of an island, there are 281 of the little buggers around the coast of Ireland, which can be split up into three categories - those that have a resident population; those...
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The building of the navigational lights leading into Burtonport
I have been unable to blog the past few weeks so I am doubly grateful to Jim Gallagher for giving me permission to use his post on the Burtonport Heritage Facebook page. For many people, beacons and...
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A 1929 Dail debate on the ownership of Irish Lights
Commissioner of Irish Lights flag pre-1970 with the St George's CrossI recently came across this short debate on the ownership of Irish Lights in Dail Eireann on 10th July 1929: -Seán Lemass (Fianna...
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The Lighthouse Keeper's Wife by June O'Sullivan
The old Lower Skellig lighthouse c. 1903 (courtesy NLI)There is a line in Compton McKenzie's novel The Lunatic Republic in which an astronaut is trying to explain literary fiction to the moon's...
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Beeves lighthouse and the Titanic
When the Titanic arrived at Queenstown (now Cobh) on the morning of 11th April 1912, 123 people (63 men and 60 women) boarded the PS America and the PS Ireland and travelled out to the great ship...
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Roll call of Irish lightkeepers 1918
Michael Woods was at Mew Island in 1918This is a list which might be of interest to some readers who have lightkeepers in their family tree. And to former keepers who will doubtless recognise surnames...
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Niall agus Séamus 'ac a' Bháird (1871–1951)
Robert French photo showing the two lighthouses on Oyster Island (NLI)Séamus 'ac a' Bháird (1871–1951) - James Ward - was a Gaelic poet, songsmith, stepdancer and author, Prince, and later King, of...
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Ballast Board keepers appointed 1854-1860
This is another list that may be of interest to those people with lightkeeping dynasties stretching back to the 1800s. It comes from The Report of the Royal Commissioners on Lights, Buoys, and Beacons...
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