Wicklow Head () is a headland near the southeast edge of the town of
Wicklow
Wicklow ( ; ga, Cill Mhantáin , meaning 'church of the toothless one'; non, Víkingaló) is the county town of County Wicklow in Ireland. It is located south of Dublin on the east coast of the island. According to the 2016 census, it has ...
in
County Wicklow
County Wicklow ( ; ga, Contae Chill Mhantáin ) is a county in Ireland. The last of the traditional 32 counties, having been formed as late as 1606, it is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and the province of Leinster. It is bordered ...
, approximately from the centre of the town.
Geographically, it is the easternmost point on the mainland of the
Republic of Ireland
Ireland ( ga, Éire ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 Counties of Ireland, counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern ...
.
Lighthouses
The original Wicklow Head Lighthouse was one of two lighthouses built on the headland. The original lighthouse actually consisted of two structures to differentiate between
Hook Head Lighthouse
The Hook Lighthouse (; also known as Hook Head Lighthouse) is a building situated on Hook Head at the tip of the Hook Peninsula in County Wexford, in Ireland. It is one of the oldest lighthouses in the world and the second oldest operating light ...
to the South in
Wexford
Wexford () is the county town of County Wexford, Ireland. Wexford lies on the south side of Wexford Harbour, the estuary of the River Slaney near the southeastern corner of the island of Ireland. The town is linked to Dublin by the M11/N1 ...
and
Baily Lighthouse
The Baily Lighthouse (Irish: ''Teach Solais Dhún Criofainn'') is a lighthouse on the southeastern part of Howth Head in County Dublin, Ireland. It is maintained by the Commissioners of Irish Lights.
History Early history
The first lighth ...
on
Howth Head
Howth Head ( ; ''Ceann Bhinn Éadair'' in Irish) is a peninsula northeast of the city of Dublin in Ireland, within the governance of Fingal County Council. Entry to the headland is at Sutton while the village of Howth and the harbour are on ...
to the North in
Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 ...
. The rear tower was built as an eight-sided lantern in 1781 powered by 20
tallow
Tallow is a rendered form of beef or mutton fat, primarily made up of triglycerides.
In industry, tallow is not strictly defined as beef or mutton fat. In this context, tallow is animal fat that conforms to certain technical criteria, inclu ...
candles reflected against a mirror. On 10 October 1836, the tower was struck by lightning, resulting in the destruction of its interior. It was decided however that the tower was to be left as a landmark that could be used during the hours of daylight.
A new lighthouse was built in the 19th century lower down on the headland as it became clear the upper lighthouses were no longer effective for mariners and they were often obscured by fog or mist. On 31 March 1994, the active lighthouse was converted to automatic operation and lighthouse keepers were no longer required to operate it.
File:The Rear Lighthouse, Wicklow Head - geograph.org.uk - 692427.jpg, The 'Rear Lighthouse' was one of two built in the 18th century at Wicklow Head. It is now a holiday residence of the Irish Landmark Trust.
See also
*
Lambay Island
*
Extreme points of Ireland - listing points furthest in each direction around Ireland
References
Headlands of County Wicklow
Wicklow (town)
{{Irish lighthouses