Black Head Lighthouse (Clare)

February 1935 the Galway Commissioners had reached agreement with Mr Casey for the purchase of the land and the following month, March, the agreement between Irish Lights and the Galway Commissioners was approved and sealed. The site being available from the 1st April for building.

The 13'4" (4.0m) square by 16'9" (5.1m) high concrete tower was built by Mr Robert MacDonald of Galway. Chance Brothers of Birmingham supplied the 4th order optic, Steven and Struthers of Glasgow the lantern, glass for the lantern by Seddon and Sons of St. Helens, Lancashire and W Moyes of Glasgow, the twin 56lb (25.4 kg) generators for the carbide-to-water acetylene generating plant, they also supplied the flashers.

During July 1935 the Galway Commissioners requested that a red sector be provided to cover Loo Rock and give better defining of the anchorage. They also asked if the Finnis Rock buoy off Inisheer, could be lighted. The Board agreed to providing a red sector for Blackhead but referred the lighting of the Finis Rock buoy to the Inspecting Committee. The latter was not converted to lighted until 1978.

By August 1935 Macdonald reported that he intended putting the roof on the tower on Tuesday 22nd but due to unforeseen circumstances the roof was not begun until the 30th.

Towards the end of August Mr Tonkin interviewed Mr John Casey, the prospective attendant who lived with his family near the lighthouse at Morrough. The Galway Commissioners were informed and if they decided to employ him they could offer him £12 per annum plus a further £2 for painting the tower at least once a year. Also the appointment to date from the exhibition of the light.

A Notice to Mariners was issued by the Galway Harbour Commissioners, 16th September 1935, stating that at an early date they intend to establish at Blackhead Galway Bay an unwatched acetylene white flashing light of 2000 candle power with a red sector over Loo Rock showing 40 flashes every minute. Flash 0.3 seconds eclipse 1.2 seconds. The light to be shown from a square white tower 28 feet (8.5m) high. The focal plane of the light 67 feet (20.4m) above high water.

Due again to unforeseen circumstances, faults in the construction of the lantern by Steven and Struthers, caused delay in the completion and it was not dispatched from Glasgow until early December 1935. Macdonald was instructed to transport the gear when it arrived in Galway to the site and store it in the tower, then when erected the acetylene gear was to be transported to the tower.

Erection went ahead using the Board's tradesmen and further delay was caused by an error on the part of the lantern glass supplier. Templates were held up by British customs when being returned to Seddon & Sons and yet another delay was caused when the Irish Customs held up the new glass which ironically was too big!! A Dublin firm was then engaged to grind the edges; meanwhile temporary glazing was fitted into the lantern and the light was established on 21st February 1936. The correct glass was fitted a few days later, and the light was checked by the Commander of the Irish Lights Tender "Isolda" Captain Holinshead on 29th April 1936.

With the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939 trans-Atlantic liners ceased to call at Galway and in the post-war years this traffic never returned on the same scale and coastal traffic was similarly affected. As the Galway Harbour Commissioners did not collect light dues for Blackhead it became an increasing financial burden on their resources, especially when the attendant looked for a further £2 per week! The Galway Commissioners approached Irish Lights in April 1952 and enquired if they would consider contributing 50% of any increase granted and assist towards the maintenance of Blackhead out of the General Lighthouse Fund. Reluctantly, they said they were seriously considering discontinuing its function.

Irish Lights replied stating they had no power to accede to the request.

Towards the end of May the Galway Commissioners wrote again this time enquiring if the Irish Lights Board would take over the maintenance and attendance of the light otherwise they would regretfully have to discontinue the light.

The ball was now in the Irish Lights court and they informed the Galway Commissioners early in June that the matter had been referred to the Inspecting Committee when on Tour in July.

On the morning of Tuesday 15th July 1952 the Inspecting Committee on board the ILT Granuaile received a deputation from the Galway Harbour Commissioners who pointed out their financial difficulties and unless Irish Lights was prepared to take over the maintenance of the light would be compelled to discontinue it. The Inspecting Committee stated that the Minister for Industry and Commerce would have to be approached with a view to obtaining financial aid and the Galway Commissioners were asked to furnish a return of vessels using the port and if possible those which sheltered due to weather. Also to check with masters of vessels and pilots as to the necessity for retaining the light.

A year, all but six days, passed before the Galway Commissioners replied giving the information required. All masters of both regular and occasional trading vessels, Galway Bay pilots including the liner pilot, Aran Islands trading vessels and the Minister of Defence on behalf of the Irish Naval Service pointed out and agreed the value of Blackhead light. They also reiterated the reason for discontinuing light, that is stricter financial economy but did not give the return of the number of vessels using the port or any comment on contacting the Minister for Industry and Commerce.

Irish Lights stated in their reply, 8th August 1953, that they have under consideration the possibility of taking over Blackhead light and appreciate that its discontinuance would be retrograde step. They enquired if the Minister for Industry and Commerce had been contacted and they noted that the Galway Harbour Board had received a Government Grant for harbour works.

The Galway Commissioners replied in late September stating that they regretted a misunderstanding at the meeting on the Granuaile on 15th July 1952 with regard to approaching the Minister for Industry and Commerce but the Chairman of the Inspecting Committee, Captain Webb, was informed that such an approach would be abortive. The Grant received recently was towards Harbour Developments and improvements.

The Irish Lights Commissioners felt that the Galway Harbour Commissioners should still approach the Minister and said so in their short letter dated 30th October 1953.

In their reply 15 January 1954 the Galway Commissioners quoted a statement from the Minister's Department dated 1st January 1954 in which he stated that the light was most desirable, in the event of trans-Atlantic liners resuming their calls to Galway but also for vessels seeking shelter in Galway Bay. The Minister saw no reason why the Commissioners of Irish Lights should not take over the responsibility and there are no such funds at the disposal of the Minister towards the upkeep of the light.

This statement apparently was all that the Irish Lights Commissioners required they informed the Galway Commissioners on 30th January that they were submitting the matter to the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation in London. The latter replied 10th May 1954 acknowledging the Board's letter dated 29th January and the report for the Advisory Committee whos meeting was held on 16th March, the outcome of which agreed that Irish Lights should take over Blackhead lighthouse from the Galway Harbour Commissioners providing the latter make arrangements for the free legal conveyance of the land and property involved to the Irish Lights Commissioners.

The Galway Commissioners were informed of the decision on 17th May and in their reply later in May they thanked the Commissioners for the satisfactory manner negotiations for the future of Blackhead lighthouse had been dealt with and they will arrange with their solicitor for the conveyance bearing the expense of same.

By 1st March 1955 the Galway Commissioners informed Irish Lights that the conveyance had been completed and enquired for a suitable date for "take over". Die to sickness in Irish Lights Office formal take over was delayed but on 13th April 1955 Captain W.H. Ball Assistant Inspector and Mr A.D.H. Martin Deputy Engineer-in-Chief represented the Commissioners in the Harbour Office of the Galway Harbour Commissioners. The two groups proceeded to Blackhead and found the tower in an excellent state of repair and tidy condition. Captain Ball interviewed John Casey whom he recommended to be retained as Attendant Keeper; he would receive the appropriate remuneration for the class of station that Blackhead fell into, and for Mr Casey it meant an immediate increase of £30 on his previous money. Mr Martin realising that Mr Casey had to cycle 3 miles (4.8km) twice a day to turn on the light one hour before sunset and extinguish it one hour after sunrise, recommended a Newbridge 15-day clock gas valve to be fitted. Mr Casey must have thought it was his birthday! What with the extra money and the prospect of not having to cycle six miles a day every day as he had done for the previous nineteen years!

Captain Ball collected the Deeds and the property was formally accepted.

In September 1977 it was proposed to convert the light to propane as the carbide-to-water acetylene generators were old and obsolete. The conversion was to be included in the 1980/81, and Department of Trade sanction was obtained in March 1980.
The existing character of one 0.4 second flash every 2.0 seconds was unsuitable so a 1.0 second flash every 5.0 seconds was agreed between the Inspector and Engineer. The Board approved the change on 13th June 1980 and the Notice to Mariners was issued on 18th September 1980 stating that the character would be changed on Wednesday 22nd October. AGA Navigation Aids supplied the propane flasher and burner with a cluster of three mantles, together with the miscellaneous equipment. As a point of interest Blackhead was the last of many stations around the coast to use carbide-to-water acetylene generators. On 18 February 2002 the gas light was change to a solar powered light.