Lighthouses of County Waterford
County Waterford has 3 lighthouses. Dunmore East lighthouse was built to designs prepared by Alexander Nimmo. The elegant granite ashlar lighthouse was constructed in 1824, on a polygonal plan, and takes the distinctive form of a fluted Doric column. The lighthouses at Mine Head (1851) designed by George Halpin Snr and at Ballynacourty (1858) designed by George Halpin Junior, have a more traditional circular design.
The lighthouses were painted in different colours such as red, white or black, some with contrasting bands, so that sailors could identify them during daylight hours. By night each lighthouse would have a different flash pattern.
Of the 70 lighthouses around Ireland, Mine Head light house has the second highest focal height of 87m. Both Ballinacourty and Mine Head had well constructed keepers’ houses, where the light-keepers and maintenance men would live.
In 1997, the Baily Lighthouse in Dublin became the last manned lighthouse in the country to become automated.
