Lighthouses and other navigational aids have been recorded as far back as the 5th century, when the monks of Rinn Dubháin in Co. Wexford (now known as Hook Head) lit a beacon to warn shipping away from dangerous rocks. In 1207, William Marshal ordered the building of a lighthouse here to guide boats up the river to his thriving town of New Ross. He enrolled the monks as the first lighthouse keepers and they remained as custodians for several centuries. Hook Lighthouse is one of the oldest working lighthouses in the world. Most lighthouses you see have been built within the last 200 years. The Commissioners of Irish Lights operate over 70 of them and although no longer manned, still play a vital role in maritime safety.
The Maiden Tower & The Lady’s Finger, Mornington Beach. County Meath c.16th century
emmet2025-10-27T09:21:38+00:00A beacon of love The Maiden Tower was built in the late 16th century as a beacon to aid sailors navigating their way up from the mouth of the River Boyne into Drogheda. [...]
