Wicklow Head Low Lighthouse (1) - Lost Lighthouse

Okay, so to recap. There was a high and a low lighthouse built in 1781. In 1818, these were replaced by a new High and Low lighthouse. The two 1818 lights are still standing - the high one is featured in the two photographs on this page, whereas the low one is still operational, is painted white and is built much further down the cliff face.

Of the two 1781 lights, the octagonal High light still remains, being used as very expensive holiday apartments. But where exactly was the old 1781 Low Light which was demolished in 1818 to make way for the 1818 High light, above and below?

Clues were somewhat scarce - apparently it was similar in shape and proportion to the 1781 High light only smaller. So it was octagonal. I'd be looking for octagonal foundations.

Second clue - the new High Light (above and below) was built very near to where the old Low light had stood.

Third clue - both sets of lights marked the path for boats to sail between the India and Arklow sandbanks and reach Wicklow Harbour successfully.

Armed with these three clues, I set off in hope.

I even tried to be scientific about it. Using Google satellite view, I laid a ruler between the two 1818 lights. Then I moved it - parallel- to where the old octagonal light was. If my calculations were correct, the old light was probably somewhere just to the right of the new light in the two pictures on this page.
Of course, 196 years of grass meant there was no hope in locating the foundations. My fond hopes of scratching away a few weeds to reveal a perfect octagonal stone foundation were dashed.
On the way home I pondered it more and figured a flaw in my reasoning. The lines between the two sets of lights wouldn't be parallel to each other or they'd be pointing to different places in the sea. Idiot!
And at home, researching some more, I came across a web entry saying the foundation stones of the old light could still be seen under the newer lighthouse, next to the path. Of course, I hadn't looked on that side of the lighthouse. You can probably see it better in the top black and white picture. There's a square patch of flat land just to the right of the path before it disappears around the bend.
I reckon this must be it. But it will have to wait for another time to prove or disprove this!

Wicklow Head Low Light (2) Revisited

 Following the winding track past the two old High lighthouses and descending to much lower down, we come across this little beauty, looking pretty damn good for being nearly 200 years old. This was the newer low lighthouse, established in 1818 at the same time as the newer high lighthouse, and built, again, by George Halpin Senior.

 The tower is 14 meters in height and it stands 37 meters above sea level. The light was converted to oil gas in 1868 and the old gas-producing chimney still stands proudly on the site. The lighthouse became automatic in 1994.

 The old gas producing chimney.

Wicklow Head High Lighthouse (2) Revisited

 Okay, following on from the explanation given in the previous post (see, were you paying attention?), this is the new high light which was established in November 1818 and replaced the octagonal beauty of 1781. It was built at a lower elevation, near the site of the old low light, which was demolished.

 The tower is seventy five feet high and still has the rail, though the lantern was discontinued and removed in 1865 when, to repeat a familiar story, they finally realised that it was built at far too high an elevation and was often obscured by fog

 This, incidentally is another George Halpin senior, light

 View from the old compound looking down towards the tower.

 This view gives a rough idea of the location of the dwelling houses. The wall running down the left and then cutting across to the lighthouse itself was the outer wall of the compound. The keepers houses, sheds, outhouses etc were built in the small square bottom left of the picture (the outline of the walls can still be seen) and covering about one quarter of the whole compound area. There were also buildings on the right side of the picture.

 An old photograph of the lighthouse looked in its heyday. Ah, I hear you say, the light was discontinued in 1865, but this looks a much more recent photograph. Well spotted. The upper 1818 tower and what were the two keepers cottages were leased from 1891 to the Admiralty (Coast Guard); Board of Works who took over in 1922, one or two private lessees; and from 1935 until 1942 the Irish Youth Hostel Association. 

Access was through the gate seen on the left side of the picture below (about halfway up)

Wicklow Head High Lighthouse (1) Revisited

Okay, pay attention everyone, because this gets a little complicated.
In 1781, it was decided to build two lighthouses on Wicklow Head, the most easterly point on the Irish mainland. Two lights to distinguish the headland from Howth and Hook Head (who only had one light each). And also, by lining up the lights it would give ships the lead between the treacherous India sandbank and the Arklow sandbank.

Apparently the two towers were in scale and dimension pretty identical, with the rear light (pictured here) taller than the front light.They were designed by John Trail who was the engineer for the Revenue Commissioners, who at that time had control of the lighthouses. Okay so far? Good.

However, like a good few Irish lighthouses at the time - Old Head of Kinsale, Inis Mor, Cape Clear etc - they found that the lights had been built too high up the cliff and were continually being obscured by fog. So they decided to build two more lights. This is where it gets complicated.

 The larger rear light (pictured here) was discontinued as a light but allowed to remain as a daymark. The 1781 Front light was demolished. In their places they erected a new Rear Light (located pretty close to the old front light) and a new Front light (halfway down the cliff) The new Front light is the only light still active.

 The light in this lighthouse were twenty tallow candles. It was discontinued in 1818 when the new lights came into being. At the time, it was suggested that the old lighthouse should be capped with a stone dome and with typical Lighthouse Service haste, this was done in 1866.

The lighthouse was taken over by the Irish Landmark trust in 1996 and has been split up into six holiday apartments, one on each floor. I have seen the prices and much as I would love to do it, it's way out of my league. Be warned though, if you are thinking of spending a week there, the kitchen is 109 steps up on the top level of the tower!

 These bottom two pictures show the Old High Light (1781), with the New High light (1818)

Wicklow Harbour Lights

 A selection of lights and buoys in and around Wicklow harbour. The first two are visible from the end of the East Pier, looking south-easterly out to sea.

 Above, the West Pier (actually the North Pier) light

And finally the Packet Pier light.

Wicklow East Pier

Six years since I was here and the new motorway means that my old hometown is only 45 minutes away from the northside of Dublin. Of course I'm biased, but Wicklow harbour at 7am on a glorious summer's morning was the place to be, scarcely a ripple on the sea and a man checking his lobster pots.

 As I said six years ago, Wicklow lies on the east coast of Ireland. The harbour has three piers, the north pier, the south pier and the packet pier which lies in between. But, being Ireland, the north pier is actually the west pier and this, the more southerly of the piers, is officially the east pier.

 Its easy to find - come through the town from Rathnew, go through the town until you reach the statue in the small square at the far end. Ernie's pub - which is a new one on me - is on your right, Ta Se's (which isn't) is on your left. Take the road to the left. It bends right. Take the next turn left which brings you down to the harbour. Take a right which brings you down to the end of the pier.

 It is rather a pretty little lighthouse, reminding me for some reason of a boiled sweet. A bit of graffiti on the door, but otherwise immaculate. You can walk right up to, and around it. It was built in 1884 and is operated by the Wicklow Port Authority.

Arklow Roadstone Jetty Lighthouse

Couldn't find this on my flying visit to Arklow last year but succeeded this time!
Heading south, go over the main bridge in Arklow and immediately turn left. Follow the quay road towards the sea, passing the Lightship Skua on the other side of the river. When you reach the small harbour, go around two sides of it. You will then see a signpost for South Beach. Follow the road around, heading south as far as it will go.
At the entrance to the Roadstone works, the narrow road to the left will lead you around to some rocks on the outside of the perimeter fence. A short walk from there will lead you to around 100 yards of the light.
Alternatively and quite illegally, we simply drove through the site unchallenged until we reached the jetty!
The light is situated on top of a corrugated iron building, seemingly at the end of a conveyor belt. It is a red light and has a range of nine miles.
If all lighthouses were as unprepossessing as this, I probably wouldn't have any interest in them. But you don't stop loving one of your children just because he's ugly...

Arklow Pier Light

Located at the end of the South Pier of Arklow harbour, which has been very ineffectively barricaded off by low railings. Rusting and graffiti ridden, this is located on the concrete pier head, which is also ineffectively barricaded off ffrom the lower level.

Lightship Skua, Arklow North Quay

Moored on the North Quay in Arklow, this is starting to look a sorry sight with a lot of rust prevalent. The site is open, with yellow stickers on the side of the boat warning people to Keep Out.