This was one of the lighthouses that I wasn’t going to bother with. It’s unused and in a sorry state. As I started illustrating the lighthouses and told people about them, I realised that folks have an incredible fondness of their local lights and because these seagulls also have a very public fondness for Greenore, I’ve left it in.

Acording to Pete Goulding http://irishlighthouses.blogspot.ie - the lighthouse was built by George Halpin Senior in 1830. It stands a mere 36 feet high and was built to highlight the southern entrance of Carlingford Lough and also Greenore Port, which is actually the only privately owned port in the Republic. Greenore itself is pretty tiny with less than 1000 inhabitants.

Inishtearacht Lighthouse, Blasket Islands, County Kerry

Inishtearaght (the Western Island) is one of the Blasket Islands, the most westerly land in Europe apart from the nearby Foze Rocks and of course Iceland. The island is inhospitable - two steep pinnacles rising to 349 feet and 656 feet, joined by a saddle and a more rounded peak of 597 feet. The lighthouse took six years to build and was finally opened for business in 1870.