Irish Lighthouses by John Eagle
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Southern Ireland Extreme Lighthouse Tour 2012 June 24th to July 2nd 2012 4 places left
8 day tour of the lighthouses of Ireland's southern coast including Skellig Michael, Fastnet, Mizen, Hook, Bull Rock, Youghal, Ardnakinna and Roche's Point. We meet men who worked the lighthouses and we spend 2 nights at Galley Head lighthouse and see the famous puffins on Skellig Michael. There are 4 boat trips, and guided tours inside some of the lighthouses. Your guide is the author of 'Ireland's Lighthouses ~ A Photo Essay by John Eagle'
Galley Head Start near Ennis in Co. Clare, goes along the south coast and finishes in Cork City We spend 2 nights at Galley Head lighthouse (above) We also get up close and personal with the Fastnet Rock lighthouse, Skellig Michael and go on a guided tour of the Hook lighthouse
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Northern Ireland Extreme Lighthouse Tour 2013 Dates not confirmed yet, but most likely in the latter part of August. If you are interested in coming along please contact me We start near Ennis in Co. Clare and make our way north to Galway and visit Mutton Island for a tour of this recently restored lighthouse
Other lighthouses we get to visit include
Blacksod
Inishowen
Blackhead
The Baily 2012 tour is fully booked but click here for an idea of what its about |
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Fabulous trip John! "Extreme Lighthousing" does not say enough. You got us into places we would not have seen and best of all we got to meet several people associated with the lighthouses that we would not have met without you. I will especially remember our talk with Mr. O'Driscoll , the last keeper of Fastnet, and his wife Maura. Your boat trips are the only way to understand just how impressive the offshore lights - and the people who lived there - really are. I was expecting to be impressed with Fastnet, and I was, but Calf Rock amazed me. The island is so small, just covered with steps cut into the stone, and people lived through the tower being broken in half. And then during our visit to Bull Rock, we got to take the boat through the tunnel. I will be bragging on that feat for years. The B & Bs you took us to were so nice. I especially remember Josephine's place and walking just outside to see Eagle Island and Blackrock Mayo. I had fun making breakfast in the keeper's kitchen at Blackhead Antrim, but it wasn't as good as Jospehine's. My trip isn't over - there is so much more to learn about the places we saw. I want to learn more about the monks on Skelligs Micheal and I need to find the books Mr. O'Driscoll told me about. I hope to see you again in a few years John. Can't wait! 2011 Extreme Lighthouse Tour participant Laura Chewning |
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| Pictures below are from the Southern tour | Pictures below are from the Northern tour |
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| At the Fastnet lighthouse August 20th 2011 | St. Johns Co. Down |
| At the Fastnet lighthouse August 20th 2011 l-r Bette Keeping, Gerry Douglas-Sherwood, Claus Peter Hempelmann, Keith Morton (Hon. Secretary of the ALK), Nancy Ohlson, Kirsten Hempelmann, Judy Weeks, Laura Chewning, Kim Fahlen and sheepdog Suzie. Please click here to watch a short video |  |
| The Baily, where we get a guided tour | |
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| About to go through the Bull Rock tunnel which runs beneath the lighthouse. Spooky but fun! | Blackhead in Co. Antrim |
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| The Fastnet lighthouse, we go round this in a boat | Blacksod in Co. Mayo |
| Please click here for further details | The 2012 Northern tour is fully booked |
John, I need to thank you for all the work and planning that went into our trip. I have dreamed of seeing Ireland for many years. Our trip was unbelievable! Your choice of Tommy for our driver was inspired. He was so helpful. Listening to the Irish accent was a treat everywhere we went. We saw so much in our time in Eire. It is so hard to choose a favorite! The new friends must be first. Fastnet, Skelligs, The Hook, are each special in their own way, but staying at Blackhead must be on a list of its own. Getting up to travel around The Fastnet at dawn is spectacular! The early sun shinning off the tower and lens took my breath away. Watching the waves break against the rocks on such a peaceful day makes the power of storms that break over the tower almost unimaginable.
Skelligs took my breath away in more than one way. Your encouragement to keep climbing ( I made it to the beehives) and advice to help an amateur photographer made that event special. Seeing the lens flash out the bedroom window at Blackhead was wonderful. The buildings are so well cared for. Self catering with new friends is another highlight of the trip. Your land, the vistas and flowers and the people we met along the way added layer upon layer of memories to our collection. Thank you again, Nancy Ohlson 2011 tour Would you like to see more pictures taken on the 2011 tour? Click here |
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Thanks so much. You did a brilliant job organising it all looking forward to the next one... Judy Weeks (Association of Lighthouse Keepers)
Read what Kim Fahlen wrote in Lamp about this lighthouse tour, click here
© All photographs copyright John Eagle Photography |
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