DESTINATION | BELFAST Guiding Lights For a remote getaway with a difference, follow the beautiful gaze of Ireland’s historic lighthouses. WORDS YVONNE GORDON PHOTOGRAPHS PIOTR DYBOWSKI Chasing rainbows at the Metropolitan Arts Centre (MAC), opposite. This page Gareth McCaughey of The Muddlers Club. 54 | | AERLINGUS.COM DESTINATION | IRISH LIGHTHOUSES Top, Libby Carton of Kinnegar Brewing in Co Donegal and, right, a mouth-watering Billy Andys platter. Clockwise from top left, essential reading in St John's Point Lighthouse; binoculars at the ready; lightkeeper Henry Henvey checking the fog machine at St John's Point; watchdog at Wicklow EAT AT … Lighthouse; Hannah If you’re staying Sweeney of Fanad TRADITIONAL PUB Lighthouse; Henry's at Blackhead, check out Billy Andys, tools at St John's a 19th-century pub near Glenoe, Point Lighthouse; between Larne and Carrickfergus in Luke Daly enjoying Co Antrim. It has a tiny snug, peat fire the waves with Adventure and a 100-seat restaurant with locally One; maritime sourced meat and seafood. Try the paraphernalia braised beef or a platter of rare-breed at Blackhead pork. (Glenoe, Co Antrim, +44 28 2827 Lighthouse. 0648; billyandys.com) CRAFT BEER On the Fanad peninsula, the award-winning microbrewery Kinnegar Brewing and Sacarpello & Co have combined he light from the full moon shines Bright isles beautiful white lighthouse tower with its ornate glass forces at The Tap Room, which across the bay, refecting on the water. – Blackhead lantern divided into curved diamond panes. Tis serves delicious stone-baked pizzas Lighthouse keeps from an outdoor wood-fired oven, It’s not long after sunset and both sea watch over the lighthouse has been guiding ships in and out of Belfast and sky have taken on a rich blue, the Antrim coastline. Lough since 1902. Inside, the house is cosy, with an accompanied by Kinnegar’s craft land and the water interrupted only by open freplace, book shelves, old lamps and furniture, beer on tap. Outdoor or indoor a thin strip of twinkling yellow lights similar to how it would have been when the lighthouse dining is relaxed here, in the stunning Ton the horizon. Tere are stars in the sky and a small keepers lived here with their families until 1975. setting of Rathmullan House. green beacon fashes out in the bay – but the real star is It’s tempting to take a book and sit in the long grass (Rathmullan, Co Donegal, 074 915 8188; the lighthouse beam from the white tower. Every three of the clif for the day in the sunshine, but there’s too rathmullanhouse.com/the-tap-room) seconds, a silent, slow, fash, fash, fash. much to explore. Two white walls line the clif path From the horizon, other lighthouses send bursts of leading down to the sea, where there’s a rocky shore, FINE DINING After a visit to Hook light back across the water to my lighthouse, as if in caves and busy seabirds. Dolphins and minke whales Head, drop over to Dunbrody Country response. I say “my lighthouse” because I’m staying at are often spotted here. House, run by well-known TV chef Blackhead Lighthouse in Co Antrim, in the former Nearby, Te Gobbins clif path opened in 1902 – a Kevin Dundon and his wife Catherine. lightkeeper’s house. Tere are uninterrupted views series of bridges and steps allowing early railway visitors Dinner is €65 per person. Or tuck across the open sea and to Belfast Lough. Te only to experience the sea stacks and caves. Once more into fish ‘n’ chips at on-site The Local sounds are the lapping of water from far below the clif, popular than the Giant’s Causeway, the path fell into pub from €12.50 with Dunbrody’s the cries of seabirds and a hum from a distant road. disrepair in the 1950s but reopened last year. Further own craft beer. B&B also available. Opening the shutters in the morning, the view is south on Islandmagee, the tiny Portmuck Harbour (Arthurstown, Co Wexford, 051 389 of a clear blue sea and sky and, in the front garden, a is popular with swimmers, kayakers and anglers. 600; dunbrodyhouse.com) 56 | | AERLINGUS.COM AERLINGUS.COM | | 57 DESTINATION | IRISH LIGHTHOUSES SMART TIPS If you’re looking to explore Co Wexford, Hook Head B&B makes for a warmly- welcoming base thanks to its hostess with the mostess, Anne. B&B from €30 per 4 BEST person per night. (Broomhill, Fethard-on-Sea, Co LIGHTHOUSE Wexford, 086 0897915; email ) VISITOR [email protected] CENTRES Ireland has some of the best Hook Lighthouse in waves in the world. Luke Daly Co Wexford is the world’s oldest on of Adventure One Surf lighthouse – find out about its Fanad Head, gives surfing N 800-year history on a tour of lessons for all levels. 1 the impressive tower and watchroom, (Fanad, Co Donegal, 087 628 CORCORA including ghostly holograms, plus a ) M 5565; adventureone.net café and picnic areas. (Adults €6, child GRAHA €3.50, 051 397 055; hookheritage.ie) Wicklow Head Lighthouse tucked into the cliffs, above, On a tour of Ballycotton and Fanad from afar, right. Top right, Hook Head tour Lighthouse in Co Cork, travel guide Liam Colfer and out to the tiny island by boat, bottom right, walking and to see the black lighthouse talking guide, Sean Mullan. 2 tower as well as where the lightkeepers lived and worked – ask about the goats that the lightkeepers kept on the island. (Tour, adults €20, child €10, “William McClelland, a well-known smuggler, lived with walking, mountain 021 464 6875; greatlighthouses.com) here in the 1700s,” says Gobbins guide Ginny Murray. biking and horse-riding “Te coastguard built their cottages next door – to keep trails. It’s also a golfer’s Valentia Lighthouse in an eye on him.” paradise with Royal County Co Kerry is another lighthouse I leave the tales of smugglers and go south, to St John’s Down among the top with an interesting history, built Point in Co Down, where the lighthouse is a striking courses in the area. 3on the site of a 17th-century yellow and black striped 40-metre tower – Ireland’s tallest Heading northwest to fort and warding off many invaders, as onshore lighthouse. Former lightkeeper Henry Henvey, Co Donegal, the Fanad well as the powerful Atlantic Ocean 82, still lives in a house here. He travelled the world as a peninsula is one of Ireland’s forces. (Adults €5, children €2.50, ship’s carpenter before dropping anchor. most northerly headlands. At Fanad Head Lighthouse, 066 947 6985; greatlighthouses.com) “We used to go up the tower in four-hour watches. I stay in one of the former lightkeeper’s houses to get a We logged the weather, cloud formation, wind taste of what life was like here. Te houses and tower Loop Head Lighthouse in direction, barometer and thermometer readings,” are set on a rocky outcrop, with panoramic views across Co Clare is at the end of the he says, telling how they also used to wind up the the sea and a remote but cosy feeling. Although it’s calm stunning Loop peninsula, with Above, The Gobbins plenty of opportunities for tour guide Ginny lighthouse’s clockwork mechanism every hour. when I visit, a lightning storm out to sea is a reminder 4 Murray. St John’s Henry keeps the compressed air fog signal in pristine that this exposed headland is at the mercy of the spotting whales and seals, as well as Lighthouse is a condition, proudly running it once a month, though I powerful Atlantic. lots of seabirds. You can either tour stunner both inside later learn the foghorn’s nickname – Moaning Minnie. Local walking guide Sean Mullan (walktalkireland. the lighthouse. (Adults €5, children €2) and out, right. Te area around St John’s has everything for nature com) shows me where the sea created the magnifcent or stay overnight: three days from €437. lovers: beaches, the Mourne Mountains and forest parks Great Pollet Sea Arch. “Lough Swilly is called (01 670 4733; greatlighthouses.com) 58 | | AERLINGUS.COM AERLINGUS.COM | | 59 DESTINATION | IRISH LIGHTHOUSES SLEEP AT … MARITIME At the start of the Causeway Coastal Route and just a half hour from Belfast, Blackhead Lighthouse is a great setting for coastal walks. The old-style furnishings Anticlockwise of the lightkeepers’ houses add plenty from top right, of character. There are three different an airy Wicklow Lighthouse houses, sleeping up to seven people. bedroom; a Three nights self-catering from €432. windswept Hook (Whitehead, Co Antrim, 01 670 4733; Head; strong greatlighthouses.com) currents at Ballyhiernan Bay beach; Barry NATURE The St John’s Point Phelan has a Lighthouse in Co Down has two lightbulb moment lightkeepers’ cottages to stay in at St John’s Point (each sleeps four) and is great for Lighthouse. exploring Strangford Lough, the Mourne Mountains or the early Christian church in Killough. Nearby beaches include Rossglass and blue flag Tyrella beach. Three nights from €538. (Killough, Co Down, 01 670 4733; greatlighthouses.com) ‘the lake of shadows’,” he adds, telling how St REMOTE Fanad Head Lighthouse Colmcille once killed a monster in the sea lough, which on the Fanad peninsula is on the Wild runs between here and Inishowen. Atlantic Way and in the Gaeltacht area. Wicklow Head Lighthouse on the east coast is one It has three cottages, sleeping from of the few towers you can stay in, with each room on a two up to four people. Self-catering, diferent foor. During my stay, I walk to a quiet cove and from €237 for a two-night stay.