Irish Lighthouses
 

We are off to Ireland in September, mostly west and southwest. Can you recommend any interesting (old, historical, beautiful setting etc) lighthouses?

The lighthouse on Mizen Head is a "must do."

Go out to the lighthouse on Loop Head. It was closed when we were there, but you can walk around the back, and as one Irish lady describes, it feels like you are at the end of the world.

While you are out on Loop Head, take the scenic route from Kilkee, past the Bridges of Ross, out to the lighthouse. Very nice. ((b))

I don't know how far north you'll go along the west coast, but there's a wonderful lighthouse on Aranmore Island off the Donegal coast. Just a 20 minute ferry ride from Burtonport.

Dingle. I think it was the last manned lighthouse in Ireland and the gentleman retired a few years ago. I have seen beautiful pictures of him with Funghi jumping over his small boat. He looks exactly what you picture a lighthouse keeper should look like.

The scenery at Mizen is spectacular as is the walk out there including crossing the bridge. The lighthouse itself is not that classic black and white tower we've all come to recognize.

On Sheepshead (the next peninsula north) there is a lighthouse way out at the tip. It requires a hike across turf that is frequently muddy, but again, well woth the trip if you don't get rained on.

Hook Head lighthouse, SE of Waterford is said to be one of the oldest in Europe. My favorite setting so far is Fanad Head, nowhere near where you will be going. It sits way north in Donegal, perched on the rocks, usually with impressive seaspray all around.

Pictures of Sheepshead:
http://www.geocities.com/obeirne_ire..._22_goleen.htm
Fanad:
http://www.geocities.com/obeirne_ire..._-_donegal.htm
Mizen:
http://www.geocities.com/obeirne_ire...003/sneem1.htm

The more photos link on the 2002 pages seems to be corrupted, but try:
http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/bc/obeirne_ireland_2002/

They can all be found there.

Bill

There are only two lighthouses in Ireland that are open to the public. Mizen Head is a signal station and as such is a lantern mounted on a post on the cliffs. The cliffs in this location were high enough not to require the building of a tower. The other is Hook Head and you can actually go up into the lighthouse on the tour. At Kilmore Quay there is a lightship that can be visited. Other lighthouses around the coast of Ireland can be viewed from outside.

An interesting side note is that there are lighthouses that are self-catering rentals. The keeper's cottages at Loop Head and Hook Head are rentals. The Irish Landmark Trust rents many of these properties: http://www.irishlandmark.com/

If you want to stay in a lighthouse, the one on Wicklow Head can be rented by the night. It's supposed to be gorgeous. I'm hoping to be able to stay there the night after my wedding before we head off on honeymoon!