Hook Head Lighthouse

The lighthouse is one of the oldest lighthouses in the world and the second oldest operating light in the world after the Tower of Hercules in Spain. It is operated by the Commissioners of Irish Lights and is situated at the eastern entrance to Waterford harbour on the Hook peninsula. The current structure dates back 850 years and was constructed in 1172.

It is believed that a Welsh monk named Dubhan founded a monastery just north of Hook Head in the 5th century. According to tradition Saint Dubhan established a beacon on Hook point to guide shipping into Waterford Harbour. This was probably a pile of stones with a wooden fire atop but it is believed to be the first lighthouse in the area.

Between 1170 and 1182 a Norman from Pembrokeshire named Raymond LeGros landed just north of Hook. He built a tower and it is believed that this was the first proper tower built that replaced Saint Dubhan's beacon.

Other authorities attribute the tower to William Marshall, Earl of Pembroke in 1245 however history tends to state that it was first constructed in 1172. The tower and light was tended by monks from nearby Churchtown however with the outbreak of civil war in 1641 the monks left the area leaving the light untended. It wasn't until 1665 that Charles II granted Sir Richard Reading permission to erect six lighthouses around the Irish coast and in 1667 Hook was reestablished.

Hook lighthouse is a fascinating piece of medieval architecture. The tower is four stories high with walls up to 4 metres thick.
The tower was originally 18 metres high and 8.5 metres in diameter. It was subsequently enlarged to 24 metres high and 12 metres in diameter. It is more cylindrical than round and has a stone stairway sandwiched between the old wall and the inside of the newer wall. When the enlargement took place is unfortunately unknown but it is likely when the work was done a lantern may have been constructed to hold a beacon fire at the top of the tower.

The tower fell into disrepair but in 1791 the Revenue Board granted a Thomas Rogers a contract to maintain and staff a number of lighthouses including Hook Point.

Rogers erected a new 3.65 metre diameter lantern in 1810 with further improvements in 1812 and again in 1864 when a new lantern and fixed dioptric lens made by Chance Brothers of Smethwick near Birmingham was installed.

Coal gas replaced oil lamps in 1871 and remained in use until 1910. On New Years Day 1911 a new revolving 3rd order lens replaced the Chance lens and vapourised paraffin became the fuel in use. Paraffin was superseded by electricity in 1972 and then in 1933 the external paint colour of the light was changed from white with three red bands to the present white with two white bands.

Lighthouse families were withdrawn in 1977 though the keepers remained in situ until 29th March 1996 when the station converted to unwatched and was monitored remotely from Dun Laoghaire.

Hook remains fully operational and in 2001 the light was opened to the public as a tourist attraction with the old keepers houses turned into a visitor centre. It is possible to climb the 115 steps and see the stunning views from the balcony.

In June 2011 the structure gained the ultimate accolade when it was placed first in a Lonely Planet listing of the Top 10 Flashiest Lighthouses, being described as the great grandaddy of lighthouses!!!