The Kings of Cleggan

When you think of Connemara and the business of keeping lighthouses burning on its rugged coast, one family immediately springs to mind - the King family of Keerhaunmore in Ballyconneely.

As well described in Bright Lights White Water by Bill Long - taken from Michael Costeloe's writings in Beam - the road to Slyne Head lighthouse was a long one. Donkeys were used to carry bags, baggage and personnel to the little quay at 'Slackport' and then hardy rowers took over to bring them to the furthest island in the Slyne Head archipelago, whereupon the two lighthouses stood.
The lights on Slyne Head were, of course, established in 1836 and it is surmised that the Kings were the first boat contractors to the lighthouse, as well as running the donkey cavalcade. Certainly, they were in charge in 1852 when Thomas King and his brother Festy and nephew (or son) John were drowned bringing an impatient keeper back to his post. 
Following Thomas' demise, the Ballast Board contract was taken over by his son John, who held the position for roughly fifty years. John seems to have been a remarkable man who, it is alleged, fathered roughly twenty children.

John King

One of these, Thomas King, became a lightkeeper himself, and fathered the last child to be born on Skellig Michael. All in all, the Kings kept the boat contract until the helicopters took over in the late 1960s, which I believe is a record on the Irish coastline.

Last year, on a week's holiday in Roundstone, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that in 1962, one Joe King, had been harbourmaster there and as such had been responsible for lighting the two minor lights at Inishnee and Deer Island. I later learned that he was part of the Ballyconneely Kings.

And now, courtesy of a very interesting mail from Éamonn King in Shanghai, who references a post I did about Cleggan Point lighthouse two years ago. His family, who are from Knockbrack in Cleggan, were, apparently the keepers of that light.

"I want to gather as much information as I can before our history fades into obscurity and is lost forever," says Éamonn. "It’s a real shame it’s so hard to find any written documentation on the history of Irish lighthouses. The history that I have about our involvement in the lighthouses has been mostly oral history, there is very little written." Which, as many of you know, is the whole reason behind this blog - to get stories down in black and white before they are forgotten.

Éamonn then details the lighthouse links of his family in Cleggan.

"My father, Tom King, currently serves as the lightkeeper of Cleggan lighthouse," he says. "This role has been passed down through generations of the King family. The lineage of lightkeepers in our family likely dates back to the original construction of Cleggan lighthouse. 

'Our family has deep roots in Cleggan, residing on Dock Road near Cleggan Pier for generations. The Kings originally hail from Keerhaunmore in Ballyconneely, where we are part of a branch of the family associated with Slyne Head Lighthouse. For over 150 years, members of the King family have served as lighthouse keepers along the coast of Ireland.

'Myles King / Maolra bán (circa 1810 – after 1869), an ancestor from Keerhaunmore, settled in Cleggan. It remains uncertain whether his relocation was connected to the construction of a new pier or lighthouse in Cleggan or other factors.

'There is also ambiguity surrounding the original date of construction for Cleggan lighthouse; it may have been built around 1852, coinciding with Myles King's arrival in Cleggan from Keerhaunmore. This date aligns with a tragic event in which many members of the King family in Keerhaunmore, Ballyconneely were drowned while transporting provisions to Slyne Head lighthouse. Following this disaster in 1852, it is possible that the Ballast Board provided an opportunity for Myles King to participate in constructing a lighthouse at Cleggan Head. In 1852, the Ballast Board had promised to look after the families of those drowned off Slyne Head. It may be possible that Myles King was promised work at a new lighthouse to be built on Cleggan Point."

(In my original post, I had said that the light on Cleggan Point was built between 1896 and 1901 but there was a strong possibility that there had been an earlier light there since the mid-nineteenth century. Early maps suggest an entity called Cleggan Tower on that headland. This was a signal tower built in 1816, though. But 40m west of the ruined tower, there are the remains of another tower. Intriguing.)

Thanks to Richard Sharpe, I was able to post that the current light was erected in 1961 by John O'Toole, (Richard's grandfather,) Tom King and J. Lynch. Éamonn's later confims this:

"The current structure of Cleggan Lighthouse was constructed in 1961 by my grandfather Tommy King (Lightkeeper), John O’Toole [John O’Toole was married to my grandfather’s first cousin Margeret King, Trean, Cleggan], and J. Lynch [Foreman]. I’m not sure which department J. Lynch worked for, it may have been from the Office of Public Works. The materials used for this rebuilding were more than likely transported along the road and then via tractor across the Cleggan Head peninsula."

As this year of 1961 corresponds with the year that the aforementioned Inishnee and Deer Island lighthouses were automated, one presumes that Cleggan Point and Lyon Point went automatic at the same time.

Finally, Éamonn lists his lineage at Knockbrack and their connections to the lights.

Needless to say, its absolutely brilliant to have all this information recorded and my sincere thanks to both Éamonn and Richard for committing part of their family history to paper.

From last year's holidays. Tom King's Bar in Clifden