Loop Head Lighthouse will be showcased during the May Bank Holiday Weekend through its status as one of the Great Lighthouses of Ireland.
Over the weekend, a festival will take place at six of the 12 Great Lighthouses, an all-island tourism initiative that also includes lighthouses at Hook Head in Wexford, Valentia Island in Kerry and Donegal’s Fanad Head.
Loop Head, which attracted over 27,000 visitors in 2016, will host family-friendly events including tours, music, storytelling, and a local food and craft showcase. There will be Irish traditional music and storytelling at the Lighthouse on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, while on Bank Holiday Monday a guided walk will take place along the Loop Head Food Trail.
Martin Gleeson, supervisor for Loop Head Lighthouse said, “This three-day festival celebrates the Loop Head Peninsula’s maritime history and unique landscape. The public will be able to enjoy the stories of our maritime past, enjoy our local food and discover more about the 19th century lighthouse.”
Clare County Council, which manages Loop Head Lighthouse in conjunction with the Commissioners of Irish Lights (CIL), reopened the popular visitor attraction for the 2017 tourist season in March.
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.