A state of chassis on the Fastnet

 

From James Morrissey's wonderful 'A History of the Fastnet Lighthouse'

I came across this interesting snippet in the Irish Examiner of 19th October 1883, two years after its sister lighthouse on Calf Rock was swept from its perch off Dursey Island. The 1880s seems to have been a time for gales, with damage being done to the Fastnet and maroonings, at least one of which caused severe hardship for the keepers.

Isaac Notter was the head honcho down in Crookhaven, owning much of the land and, for many years, held the contract for relieving the Fastnet. He also owned several pilot cutters and had his fingewr in many pies. In 1885, he commandeered 60 police officers in an abortive attempt to seize cattle from his tenants in default of rent. As a result of this, most of his employees downed tools in protest, including the crew of the lighthouse tender.

Picture courtesy Joanna Doyle

The two keepers who were accidentally relieved were PK James Walsh and AK Hamilton Kennedy. 

James Walsh would be awarded Service number 25, when they were introduced in 1900, by which time he was PK at Blacksod. A Dubliner, he married Wicklow girl Elizabeth Redmond in 1867 when still a seaman. Shortly thereafter, he joined Irish Lights and was promoted to Principal Keeper three months prior to the incident above.

Hamilton Kennedy, Service number 48, was the son of a coastguard, born in county Kerry around 1856. He would get married to Dora Harris three years after his enforced leave-taking and would die of natural causes aged 52 while serving at Valentia in 1908.

One wonders how adept the four seamen left on the Fastnet were at tending the light!

James Morrissey again