Always nice to go to Dun Laoghaire but this one had a special surprise. Lovely day out on the train with daughter and grandchildren and walked the East Pier, which I haven't done for a while. And lo and behold, when we got to the end, the gate was open! First time I'd seen the lighthouse up close. Previously you'd only been able to see the top of it from behind a wall. Never even knew they had a fog bell. And isn't it brilliant!
This permanent lighthouse and dwelling was designed by Chief Engineer with the Ballast Board, George Halpin, with some later alterations by Jacob Owen. The cost of the granite tower was £937. The light was established on 1st October 1847, 41 feet above high water, and of 12,000 candle-power. As early as 1877 there were suggestions for improving the power and range of the Kingstown lights. In 1892, the City of Dublin Steam Packet Company, which had a monopoly on the Holyhead-Kingstown mail route, complained to the Commissioners of the poor harbour lighting. An Inspection Committee was established and alterations recommended. The tower on the east pier was heightened by 12 feet, thus casting a beam on the Muglin rocks off Dalkey for the first time. The lighthouse was fully automated on 31 October 1977.
Why is the bell inverted?
ReplyDeleteHi Pete. You have a fantastic resource here. I'm hoping you can help me, or point me to an article on your blog. I'm trying to find out when the fog horn arrived in Kingstown Dublin. I have a character in a novel I'm writing on East pier 1918 and I'm wondering was it the fog bell or horn that would call out the coming fog. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry Stephen. Only seeing this now. I thought for a long time nobody was commenting and only a few months ago found a thousand messages which I accepted en bloc. To get to your question, if it still relevant. I have a post from August 2020 called When Dublin Bay Speaks in which A. A. Bestic describes the sounds of a foggy Dublin Bay in 1924. The fog Bell at the end of the East Pier is mentioned so presumably it was operational in 1918. Let me know when the book is out.
DeleteLove your photos, Pete, especially the one of what I believe is the "dwelling" for the keepers. I am rewriting some portions of my Light Keeper book...adding some details. This image helps....Marty
ReplyDeleteAh, inveterate writer!! Glad I could help. Any photos on this blog, help yourself!!
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