Name and Location

The North Bull Lighthouse was erected in the Victorian era, specifically in 1880. The builder/authority responsible for its construction was the Dublin Port & Docks Board, which later succeeded by Dublin Port Company in cooperation with the Commissioners of Irish Lights.

Construction and History

The North Bull Lighthouse marks the northern extremity of the sandbank ("North Bull") formed by tidal currents in Dublin Bay and is complementary to the South Bull Lighthouse on the opposite side of the channel.

Architecture and Materials

• The North Bull Lighthouse is a minor harbour light constructed as a solid masonry tower, rendered and painted white.
• It has a cylindrical shape with a gallery and flat roof, standing 15 meters above its base.
• The focal plane is approximately 15 meters above mean high water.
• The materials used in its construction include locally quarried stone and lime mortar, coated in marine-grade paint.

Light and Navigation

The North Bull Lighthouse is an active navigational aid for commercial and recreational vessels entering Dublin Port. Its Admiralty number is A 5884, and it displays a characteristic Fl(1+3) G 4s (one green flash followed by three green flashes every 4 seconds). The nominal range of the light is 10 nautical miles. Power source is solar-charged batteries (current system), with remote monitoring handled by the Commissioners of Irish Lights.

Accessibility and Visiting

Public access to the lighthouse tower is closed, but visitors can walk or cycle along the surrounding Bull Wall, which offers panoramic views across Dublin Bay, including the city skyline to the west, Howth Head to the north, and Dollymount Strand to the south. The nearest amenities are at Clontarf village and Bull Island café.

Notable Views and Landscape

The lighthouse is situated in a unique landscape of low-lying reclaimed salt marsh and sandbanks, home to Dublin Bay's bird sanctuary (UNESCO Biosphere Reserve). Flora and fauna include salt marsh grasses, waders, and wintering wildfowl. Nearby attractions include Bull Island and North Bull Island Nature Reserve (wildlife trails, birdwatching hides), Dollymount Strand (long sandy beach), and Clontarf Promenade.

Anecdotes and Folklore

Local legend speaks of 19th-century horse-drawn beach carriages that once ferried Dubliners along Dollymount Strand to the end of the Bull Wall for seaside outings under the watchful light of North Bull. In storms of the 1920s and 1930s, keepers (before automation) braved waves crashing over the wall to maintain the lantern.

Technical and Operational Details

The managing authority responsible for the lighthouse is Dublin Port Company (on behalf of Commissioners of Irish Lights). Official website: https://www.irishlights.ie/our-lighthouses/north-bull.aspx. Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Bull_Lighthouse. Key reference: R. W. Ritchie, "Lighthouses of Ireland," Lighthouse Press, 2001, pp. 45–47; P. J. Hudson, "Dublin Bay – The Channel and the Walls," Marine Heritage Journal, vol. 12, no. 3 (2010), pp. 23–31.

Further Information

For further information on the North Bull Lighthouse, please visit the official website of Ireland's Commissioners of Irish Lights or consult relevant historical publications.