Mizen Head/Fasnet Light House
Ireland is best known for its stunning natural landscapes. From the rolling green fields that give it the title of Emerald Isle to the storm lashed coastlines, Ireland’s untamed wilds are unmatched in beauty. The wester coast of Ireland is dominated by a rocky coastline rich in breathtaking cliffs and stunning turbulent seas.
Once the last glimpse of Europe for many a seafaring soul, Mizen Head in County Cork is one must see destination on the Wild Atlantic Way. The combination of stunning coastal landscapes and formations as well as a fascinating history as a light house signal station, there is so much to see and learn at the Mizen head. With its strategic location the Mizen head signal station quickly became invaluable for shipping and communication. Though the signal station has become completely automated in recent years, the old buildings have been preserved and are open to visitors who wish to learn about the stations history. Many believe that the Mizen Head has a lighthouse but that is not the case. The signal station did house an explosive fog signal for a time which consisted of explosive flais which were sent up every few minutes during fog but there has never been a real lighthouse located on the Mizen Head.
On a clear day, however, you can even spot a lighthouse on its tiny rocky island 3.5 miles off the coast. Fastnet Rock, known in Irish as An Charraig Aonair or ‘the lonely rock’, it is a tiny island barely more than a rock sticking out of the turbulent sea. Fastnet Lighthouse, built in 1854, on the highest point of the tiny island proved too weak to handle the rough seas and so in 1903 a second stronger steel lighthouse was constructed on the rock at great cost. Many believed that another light house on Mizen head would help keep ships from floundering on the cliffs in turbulent seas but due to the cost of maintaining Fastnet light house the Irish Lights board deemed it unnecessary. The Board of Trade in London commissioned a lighthouse for Mizen Head in 1905 but in 1906 downgraded it to the Fog signal station. Fastnet lighthouse became fully automated in 1989 but is still used to this day.
Both the signal station and lighthouse are beautiful locations to visit, and though setting foot on Fastnet is forbidden, you can take a boat cruise out to the island and sail around it on calmer days. Shhhhh! This may be on the schedule.