Ballycotton Lighthouse

Ballycotton Lighthouse is located on the island close to the entrance of Ballycotton Harbour.  It is one of two black lighthouses in Ireland (the other being Slyne Head Lighthouse, County Galway).

There had already been calls for Capel Island to be lit, but on 16th January 1847, the Sirius was on passage from Glasgow via Dublin to Cork.  Loaded with cargo and passengers, the vessel struck rocks in Ballycotton Bay in thick fog.  This provoked new calls for a lighthouse to be built at Ballycotton Island.

As building had already started at Capel Island, it was suggested that it could be removed and rebuilt on Ballycotton Island.  This was quickly rejected, and a new lighthouse was commissioned. It was proposed that a light be built at Ballycotton and the other at Helvick Head or Mine Head.

The lighthouse and cottages were designed by George Halpin, using local red sandstone quarried from the island.  A catadioptric apparatus was installed, the first of its kind on the Irish coast. It consisted of a fixed inner optic with a rotating outer consisting of eight sides, each with an annual lens and condensing prisms above and below. This, combined with a multiple-wick oil lamp, produced a very powerful light, which was first exhibited on 1st June 1851.

The tower was originally unpainted, but in 1892, to avoid confusion with Capel Island, a black band was painted around the centre of the tower.  In 1902, the whole tower was painted black.

Fog occurred frequently along this stretch of coast, and in June 1856, Reverend J Hopkins of Ballycotton requested a fog bell to be built.  The Board proposed a belfry with a fog bell, which was established shortly after.  The bell continued to operate until 1908, when the belfry was deemed unsafe.  It was replaced with a reed horn signal on 30th December 1909.  However, the horn was unreliable, so it was replaced in 1924 with a diaphone.

In 1896, several stations, including Ballycotton, were changed to rock status, and the families moved ashore.  Before this time, the families lived on the island.   Getting to school could be difficult, and the children had to be rowed across by boat. The lighthouse shore station was located at Powers Terrace along Main Street.

In 1974, Ballycotton Lighthouse was modernised with a Radio and Calibration Beacon installed. The following year, in 1975, the light was converted to electric operation, and a sealed beam unit replaced the 1851 optic.

Reliefs were often difficult, so a helicopter pad was built on the island.  New accommodation, known as the Ballycotton Hilton, was built for the keepers and engineers, and a watch tower was built on the roof.

The lighthouse was automated in 1992.

Lighthouse tours are available to Ballycotton Lighthouse through Ballycotton Sea Adventures.