Probably
the most unusual light in Ireland, the Metal Man was ushered into being after a
number of wrecks on the Perch Rock near Oyster Island and Rosses Point. 12 feet
tall and weighing seven tons, this naval petty officer was one of four cast by
Thomas Kirke in 1819. A second one stands on a headland in Tramore county
Waterford. The other two have vanished, probably carousing somewhere.
The
Metal Man was originally earmarked for Blackrock Beacon further out to sea.
Thankfully Perch Rock prevailed and the statue is easily seen from Rosses
Point, often with a gull or two on his head.
These
days he acts in conjunction with the light on Oyster Island to guide ships into
Sligo Harbour. The light was added in 1908 and converted to propane gas in
1979. He has been depicted in many drawings by Jack Yeats and others.
see also here
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