The most northerly point of Ireland

Banba’s Crown is Ireland’s most northerly building on the mainland. It was named ‘Banba’ after the mythological patron goddess of Ireland and was built by the British in 1805 as a Napoleonic lookout tower to help defend against a possible French invasion. Its location was vital for daily shipping as the coastline around Malin Head are some of the most treacherous waters in the World with over 400 shipwrecks being recorded. The Lloyds Insurance Group of London even used it to contact ships offshore – especially during WWI and WWII. This entire area is also of global significance to geologists as it has Ireland’s oldest rocks, 4 levels of ancient shoreline, and the highest sand dunes in Europe.