Members of the conservation project team in front of the recently restored lighthouse
Nine years after the restoration of Drogheda North lighthouse was announced comes the very good news that it has finally been completed. The project was undertaken by Drogheda Port Company under the supervision of conservation architect Fergal McGirl and supported through the Built Heritage Investment Scheme administered by Meath County Council.The North lighthouse was one of three lights erected on the Boyne estuary foreshore in 1842. Constructed by Messrs. Carolan of Talbot Street at a cost of £450 each, the East and West lights were built on tramways to guide ships up the channel; as the channel moved, so the lights were moved along the tramways, at least in the early years.
The Drogheda North light, the one with the dwellings, is not a large structure, and one might ask how it took nine years for the restoration to be completed. Covid, of course, took a large chunk of that time and it seems that the whole business of conservation restoration, at which Fergal McGirl Architects seem to specialise in, is, of necessity, a long, drawn-out process, with each stage of the work having to be carefully completed before moving on to the next.
Back in 2016, I did write to the architects asking if I could be allowed in occasionally to record progress. Sadly, I got no reply but, in the end, its the end result that counts.
Restoration works were carefully phased, with skilled craftsmen addressing the most urgent structural issues first, says Drogheda Life. Initial interventions focused on stabilising the historic battery array. Attention then turned to the lantern housing, where long-term water ingress had caused substantial deterioration. The works included replacing the lantern porch roof, reinstating decayed timbers with like-for-like replacements, and restoring the lantern lead roof in line with original detailing. These measures ensured the weatherproofing and structural integrity of the upper section of the lighthouse. The most extensive and technically demanding phase involved the wrought iron cross braced tower structure. This was returned to its original condition, significantly enhancing its resilience and long-term stability. This stage represented the largest single investment of time and labour within the project.
Another report of this restoration can be found in Afloat, which has always been a great supporter of our maritime heritage.
The North light c. 1901. Robinson Family Album. National Library of Ireland
Pre-restoration
At a time when preserving our lightkeeping heritage is not rating very highly on the national consciousness, Drogheda Port Company and Meath County Council must be congratulated for putting resources into this project and ensuring that the lighthouses survive. The three amigos are very unique in Ireland and indeed in England and Scotland and the deterioration shown in their condition needed urgent repair to ensure their survival.
The great news is that they will now be turning their attention to the East lighthouse!!
Condensed water catcher on the lantern ceiling pre-restoration
One of the first keepers at Drogheda lighthouse was a man called Michael Redmond, about whom I have been able to find very little. He was born around 1790, so he could well have been a brother of Hugh and Joshua Redmond, also keepers. Aged around 50, he took charge of the newly-constructed Drogheda North light in 1842 and remained in his post until 1867, maybe longer. His wife, Margaret, became Female Assistant there when the position was created in 1866. By that time, Michael would have been in his mid-70s.
After retirement (before June 1871) the couple moved in with their son, John, also a keeper. He died in Duncannon, where John was serving, in 1872, aged 82 years.
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