The Cavanagh lighthouse

So, it's 2020. Coronavirus year, as it will forever be known. In years to come, grandchildren will be asking, "What did you do during the lockdown?" 

Well?

"Hmm. I drank rather a lot of beer. Got sunburnt in the garden. Walked around the estate. Slept a lot..."

But, did you not take the opportunity to do something artistic or constructive? Something you always wanted to do but never had the time?

Cue, Noel and Geraldine Cavanagh from Kilnamanagh in Dublin. Noel, a retired stone mason, had had a yearning over the years, to build a lighthouse in his garden but, due to life getting in the way, he had never managed to get around to it. 

Then, when Covit19 struck, being forced to cocoon at home, the couple discovered that when one door closes, another opens and work began in earnest on the long-planned project.

The project took nearly three months to complete. It stands two and a half meters tall and even has its own small scope flashing light, as the Cavanaghs felt that using a First Order Fresnel lens might have disturbed the neighbours! The light is painted in traditional red and white horizontal bands with a red lantern and gallery rail.
"I had intended to build it all in granite stone," says Noel, "but felt it would be more original-looking to build in brick and paint with traditional coloured stripes. I had given great thoughts to the design and finally decided that Hook Head was the simplest way to go. The base itself is granite."

Noel did not lick his construction expertise off the stones. A stone-mason for many years, his grandfather, Charles Cavanagh, from Limerick, was also a stone mason and reputedly worked on the construction of "one of the south coast lighthouses." Given the timeline, this would probably have been the Fastnet.

For people not familiar with Dublin geography, Kilnamanagh could not be considered close to the sea, so the Cavanagh lighthouse will probably not be a great aid to maritime safety. But I bet there's plenty of people who would give their right arm to have this feature in their back garden!