Thursday, March 2, 2023

Tarbert lighthouse (the Irish one!) Part One - the early years


There is a very statuesque barber-shop lighthouse at Tarbert (aka Tarbat) (aka Tarbert Ness) gracing the headland north of Inverness constructed by Robert Stevenson in 1830. This post is not about that light. This post is about the less statuesque but equally as interesting lighthouse built on Tarbert Island on the south shore of the Shannon estuary  by George Halpin four years later. The 74 feet limestone tower was built in response to the increased trade to the port of Limerick and the inability of ships to spot a rather treacherous rock called the Bowline (Bolands) Rock. Lighting Tarbert meant ships could now clear the rock and use Tarbert as a port of refuge before being piloted through the narrows. One of the chief promoters for the establishment of a light at that spot was a Mr. Robert Steele, a Cambridge don, inventor of "the communicating diving bell" - whoa!! - author of a treatise on improving the navigation of the Shannon and a man of fortune, who had temporarily forsaken academia for a spot of political agitation.


(Photograph courtesy of the Trustees of Muckross House, Muckross House Research Library)

After an acre of the northern part of the tidal island had been purchased for £210, Mr. Robert Howard was engaged to build the tower to Mr. Halpin's specifications. (The Pilot reported in 1830 that the Ballast Board baulked at the enormous expense and volunteered to place a lightship off the island instead. Fortunately wiser heads prevailed!) The money paid was divided very fairly between three-year-old owner of the land, Robert Leslie, who got £200 and John Clarke, the tenant, who doubtless retired on the £10 he received for his troubles. 
Howard had the tower constructed by May 1832, from when, for some reason, it took two years to add the lantern and the optic. Eventually, on the last day of March 1834, a fixed white catoptric second order light shone forth 58 feet above the high water mark. The dwelling house for the keeper and his family was added later. 
The people of Tarbert apparently had a meeting in March 1832, in which they agreed that the forthcoming lighthouse should be named the O'Connell Lighthouse after Dan, the man, who had just been elected M.P. for Clare. However, the Government soon put a stop to their gallop. (Source - the magnificent "Tarbert - an unfinished biography" by Patrick J. Lynch (2008))


When the light shone forth for the first time, "its splendid illumination was hailed with joy by all the mariners in the Shannon," (the Dublin Observer 5th April 1834) which must have been quite a spectacle. At midnight, who should come rowing over from Labasheeda Bay on the north bank of the estuary but a boat crew carrying an ebullient Mr. Steele, who had them rowing around for hours so he could view the light from all angles.


Photo Tarbert.ie Facebook page

After minutely inspecting the building, he cracked open a bottle of wine in the lantern room and he and his boat crew drank to the health of George Halpin. Every aspect of the lighthouse, he said, commanded admiration. The illumination was splendid, the ventilation was admirable, the building had been beautifully designed and executed, every comfort had been provided in the interior (bet there was no jacuzzi) and the keeper chosen was trustworthy and eminently suited for the position. Oh and he was now going to politically agitate for a light where the unlit Beeves Rock beacon now stood further up the estuary.


1967 photograph with Morris Minor or maybe an 1100 on the foreshore - National Library

There is some confusion (or rather, "I am confused") as to the construction of the wonderful bridge which went up in 1841 to nullify the needless hazard of the keeper having to row to and from the lighthouse twice a day. Some sources suggest there was a causeway constructed from the lighthouse to the island, which was a possibility as it would have greatly helped in the construction of the tower. On the other hand, on the Night of the Big Wind in January 1839, the Revenue House on Tarbert Island was badly damaged and "the bridge leading to the lighthouse thereon was carried away," according to the Drogheda Journal and others. Incidentally, it also said that every boat except one was blown onto the Clare shoreline!
Whatever the story about the original bridge, work was definitely underway on a new bridge by August 1840, when the Kerry Evening Post reported that 
"On Tuesday last, a poor man was conveying a large quantity of heavy metal for constructing the bridge between the Light-House and Tarbert Island, when the boat was upset and one of the pieces of the metal fell upon the poor man’s breast, which carried him to the bottom and he was drowned." Was never particularly fond of heavy metal myself.
In September, the Limerick Reporter wrote that the Ballast Board was "throwing a handsome iron bridge over the rapid sea water which runs between the new Tarbert Light-house and the shore." If only it were as easy as that.


1842 sketch by Captain Thomas Hastings of Tarbert Harbour with the lighthouse in the background - National Library


From Beam 13.1 - the journal of the Irish Lighthouse service

As I have a limited attention span, I will post about Tarbert keepers down through the years presently. Well, futurely.

15 comments:

  1. That Is a Morris Minor, it’s my father’s car and if memory serves me correct… Registration No. CMI 244. Peter Lavelle

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    1. We used to have a Morris Minor too. Always got sick in the bloody thing. My dad made me lean my head out the window!

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    2. I think there's a unpaid ticket on it Peter. I remember those days playing around your mom and dads house Great memories 🤣🤣

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    3. I have a photograph of a J. Lavelle at Mew Island in the 40s but I have no idea if its your Dad or John Lavelle. You want to drop me a line at gouldingpeter at gmail dot com and I'll send it on?

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  2. Thanks for all your research on the lighthouse ...I am really looking forward to your next blog !

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    1. Ha Peter, now you're putting me under pressure! You want to send me 100 to 200 words on your da? At least I'll be sure my information is right!!

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  3. My great grandfather John Hayes was a lighthouse keeper .I wonder if he had a posting there.unfortunately Tony from thedays of ‘Lighthouses of yesteryear ‘ had ,names ,places and the family name seemed to be there for various postingsBallymacaw,Castle Townsend .,the rest I forget. All his records are invaluable and must be kept in Dublin.I like to contact theDepartment if you find the appropriate one .Thanks

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  4. Hi, intriguing post! Ok, I can find no trace of a keeper called John Hayes. Certainly not after 1900. He may have been keeper of a local harbour light, but then he wouldn't have been transferred around. Also there is no lighthouse at Ballymacaw or Castletownshend. What I do have is a keeper called Michael Hayes. He died in 1938 aged 50 while serving in West Cork, probably on Roancarrig, near Castletownbere. He had also served on Inishtrahull in Donegal for three years in the 1930s. I came across his grave in Rosscarbery last year. This is where he originated. His father Denis was a labourer and there seems to be no link to the lighthouse profession. Anyhow, if you would like further information on Michael Hayes, his Irish Lights Service number was 267. If you email info@irishlights.ie and quote the name and number, they should be able to send you his service record. Peter

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  5. Great piece again Pete, the images are class too 👏

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    1. Thanks Andrew and thanks for posting up on FB too. Always appreciated!

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  6. My mother lived in Tarbert till. She was 12. Time frame 1920-1930.
    She said that a painter (black Jack)fell from the lighthouse and survived.

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    1. Never heard of this story nor indeed of Black Jack. How brilliant! If the paint landed on him, he'd have been White Jack, I suppose.

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  7. A very interesting piece on the Lighthouse. Thanks for your research. My grandfather, Robert Phelan, served as keeper in Tarbert in the 1920s and 30s. My mother was born and reared in the adjoining keeper's house.

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    1. In my research, I couldn't seem to find much on Robert. He was born on Rathlin, son of another keeper, and seemed to have married when in his fifties. Any further info on him, or indeed a photo, would be most welcome!!! Pete

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  8. My Grand Father was Peter Langan . He had access through the power station to a slipway near the lighthouse . I remember going there with him as a child and seeing the chimneys and the power station close up .
    Wouldn't happen nowadays I bet .

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