Tuesday, August 30, 2022

Mullaghmore lighthouse - was it ever built?

 

The above Failte Ireland photograph shows Mullaghmore Harbour in north county Sligo, a beautiful and peaceful spot very unfairly known to most people as the place where the IRA blew up Mountbatten's boat in 1979, killing Mountbatten and two children. I was only ever there the once when our own children were small and we spent a glorious. afternoon on the long, sandy, practically empty beach. It is apparently a favourite beach for surfers also, though I don't recall them at the time of our visit.


Photo from buildingsofireland.ie

There is no lighthouse at Mullaghmore, unless it is one only visible to members of the wizarding community, of which I am not a member. The pier, most sources say, was built between 1820 and 1840 by the local landowner, Lord Palmerston, an absentee landlord who later became Prime Minister of Great Britain twice. Evidently he was not well loved by his tenantry, though I doubt he lost a lot of sleep about it. Many of the local population were forced to flee to America on the coffin ships during the famine, the state of them, half-naked and diseased, on arrival, prompting the Canadian authorities to write a scathing letter of condemnation to his lordship. Our old friend, Alexander Nimmo was the harbour's architect.


Photo from buildingsofireland.ie

Anyhow, I came across a file (CSO/RP/1828/1449)in the National Archives in Dublin recently, containing two letters. The first is basically a forwarding letter from the Ballast Office, advising His Royal Wonderfulness that his application to build a lighthouse on his newly-erected pier had been accepted:

Ballast Office, Dublin
20th September 1828

 My Lords,

 I have the honour by direction of the Corporation for Preserving and Improving the Port of Dublin to transmit to you for the Information of His Excellency the Lord Lieutenant, Copy of a Letter received from the Elder Brethren of Trinity House London sanctioning Lord Palmerston to erect a Light House on the new pier lately built by His Lordship at Mulloghmore (sic) Harbour in the County of Sligo, which you will please to submit for the concurrence of His Excellency.

I have the honour to be, My Lords, your very humble servant,

                                                          John Cossart, Secretary


Photo from marinas.com

The second letter in the file is the letter of sanction from the Elder Brethren in London referred to in Cossart's letter:

Trinity House, London
5th September 1828
 
Sir,
 
I have to acknowledge receipt of your Letter of the 25th Ultimo transmitting by direction of the Corporation for Preserving and Improving the Port of Dublin, Copy of a Letter received from the Agents of Lord Palmerston, applying for permission for His Lordship to erect a Light House on the new pier lately built at Mulloghmore Harbour (more sic) in the County of Sligo on the Coast between Sligo and Donegal Bay, together with a Copy of the Inspector of Light Houses report on the subject and signifying the request of the Corporation that the same may be submitted for the Consideration and Concurrence of the Elder Brethren.
And having accordingly submitted the same to them, I have it in command to acquaint you for the Information of the Corporation for Preserving and Improving the Port of Dublin that the Elder Brethren have no objections to offer to the erection of a Light House in the situation before mentioned, provided in the Exhibition of the Light the precautions so properly suggested in the report of Mr. Halpin the Inspector of Light Houses be carefully observed.
And as it appears the Harbour of Mulloghmore (yet more sic) is very small and dry at Low Water that, as a further necessary precaution, the Light be shewn as a tidal light and not exhibited except at those times of Tide during which there is a sufficient depth of Water to permit the safe approach and entry of Vessels of such draught as those which are accustomed to use the Harbour.
 
I have the honour to be, Sir, your most obedient servant,
                                                          J. Herbert

The above letter could of course been abridged to "Got your letter. The boys say yes. Oh, and its a tide light," but of course public bodies would never use one word where fifteen would suffice, hence the garbage.
Sadly, there is no further correspondence and I can find nothing to suggest the sanctioned lighthouse was ever built. I can find no reference to it, nor does it appear on the Ordnance Survey First or Last Editions. Was it ever built? 
It is interesting to think that permission was required from London to erect a small light at the end of a small pier. Maybe they were worried it would confuse shipping, though the nearest light at that juncture would have been Clare Island to the south and Arranmore to the north. 
A little further north in Bruckless, near Killybegs, a guy erected his own light to guide boats into the little harbour there in 1822, though nothing more was ever heard of it. I wonder if the Elder Brethren came wandering over the headland there, waving their sticks shakily in the air and demanding removal of his unsanctioned monstrosity?

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