Tag Archives: Loop Head Lighthouse

The landmark Loop Head Lighthous will open to the public for the first time this year on  Friday. Located at the mouth of the Shannon Estuary on the Loop Head Peninsula, it is one of two “Signature Discovery Points” in County Clare along the route of the Wild Atlantic Way It also is a landmark location on the Loop Head Heritage Trail and is one of 12 Great Lighthouses of Ireland. Loop Head Lighthouse is steeped in history and is rich in maritime heritage, with its origins dating back to the 1670s. The existing tower style lighthouse was constructed in 1854 and was operated and maintained by a keeper who lived within the lighthouse compound. In January 1991, the lighthouse was converted to automatic operation, and today is monitored by the CIL.

Visitor figures at Loop Head Lighthouse are up almost 5% in 2016. Clare County Council, which manages the facility in conjunction with the Commissioners of Irish Lights (CIL), says 7,129 people visited the West Clare landmark between April and June compared to 6,806 people during the same period in 2015. June was the busiest month at the Lighthouse with 3,202 visitors recorded during the period. The total visitor numbers at Loop Head Lighthouse from March 18 last to July 15 was 9,440. Approximately 22% or 2,072 of these visitors were children. The nationalities of visitors to Loop Head Lighthouse during the same period were Irish (39%), German (27%), American/Canadian (10%), British (6%), Italy (2%) and other (16%). Loop Head Lighthouse is a landmark location on the Loop Head Heritage Trail which was named winner of the ‘Culture and Heritage’ category of the 2015 World Responsible Tourism Awards. It is also one of 12 lighthouses which make up Great Lighthouses of …

WEST Clare’s maritime history and unique landscape will be showcased at Loop Head Lighthouse this May Bank Holiday weekend through its status as one of the Great Lighthouses of Ireland. This weekend a flagship festival will take place at eight of the 12 Great Lighthouses of Ireland, 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 will offer family-friendly events that include tours, storytelling and a local food and craft showcase. On Bank Holiday Monday, a guided walk will be hosted along the peninsula from 11am, while there will be food-tasting stalls from 12 noon until 2pm. “This three-day weekend festival celebrates the best of Loop Head’s stunning coastline through a series of events and workshops. The public will be able to enjoy the stories of our maritime past, explore the tower to discover its hidden secrets, get tips on being safe and enjoying our coast …

HAS there ever been such excitement outside 11am mass in Kilbaha on a stormy Sunday morning in February? An Taoiseach Enda Kenny visited Kilbaha and Carrigaholt where he canvassed mass goers inside the Little Ark church in Kilbaha before the congregation concentrated on what their parish priest, Fr Michael Casey, had to say. An Taoiseach also met with a range of some startled locals outside the church. They were somewhat taken aback to be met by Deputy Kenny and a sizeable media presence. [doptg id=”102″] An Taoiseach and his entourage left before the ceremony started and were met minutes later by a large crowd inside the pavilion, which was buffeted by incessant wind and rain, at Loop Head lighthouse, where Mr Kenny’s grandfather served as a lighthouse keeper. While at Loop Head lighthouse, the Fine Gael leader stressed his belief that while the economic recovery has not reached everybody in the country, he feels that the current government are in …

Loop Head Lighthouse has been named as part of the Great Lighthouses of Ireland, an EU funded tourism initiative. Launched by Tourism Minister, Paschal Donohoe and the Commissioners of Irish Lights, featured are 12 lighthouses in stunning coastal location, which will offer unforgettable experiences and create a deep appreciation of the role of lighthouses, past and present, and in the maritime and seafaring story of the island of Ireland. From Loop Head Lighthouse it is possible to spot whales, dolphins and seals, and the rock ledges and caves of the dramatic cliffs are home to many seabirds. Ger Dollard, director of services at Clare County Council, who oversees the Loop Head lighthouse projects, said “Loop Head’s recognition among these 12 extraordinary sites will benefit all locations, enabling us to better showcase our individual attractions and the maritime heritage of the whole island to wider audiences. We see a lot of opportunities to further grow our international appeal and extend the season through …

Visitors to Loop Head Lighthouse increased by 7.5% during the West Clare landmark’s six-month opening period up to Sunday, October 5. Figures released by Clare County Council, which manages the facility in conjunction with the Commissioners of Irish Lights (CIL), reveal that a record 20,368 people visited the historic lighthouse. Just over 60% of visitors were Irish visitors, with North America, the United Kingdom and Germany each accounting for 8% of the overall figure. Italian and French visitors represented just over 5% of the total figure. Gerard Dollard, director of services, tourism and Community, Clare County Council, said visitor numbers at the lighthouse were buoyed by the development of new services at Shannon Airport, favourable weather conditions during September, and the launch of the Wild Atlantic Way. “Loop Head Lighthouse is now finishing its fourth year of operation as a visitor attraction. During this time, it has become firmly established as one of Clare’s most popular visitor attractions,” he said. Mr …

A group of amateur ham radio operators will wind back the clock at Loop Head Lighthouse this weekend, when they attempt to communicate via radio and Morse code with hundreds of radio clubs throughout the world. The Limerick Radio Club, which features members from Clare, Kerry, Limerick and Tipperary, will broadcast non-stop for 48 hours from the West Clare lighthouse as part of the 17th International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend (ILLW). During the broadcast, from midnight on Friday to midnight on Sunday, visitors to the popular tourism landmark will be able to listen into communications with some of the other participating ham radio operators, broadcasting from 400 other lighthouses and lightships in 65 countries. Last year, the Limerick Radio Club successfully made contact with lighthouses and lightships as far away as Brazil, Australia, Tonga, French Guiana, Asiatic Russia, Ecuador, The Azores and The US Virgin Islands. The majority of all radio contacts were made with operators in the United States …