Name and Location

The Wicklow Head Lighthouse is located in County Wicklow, Ireland, at Dunbur Head (Wicklow Head). Its official name is Wicklow Head Lighthouse, and it can be found at coordinates 52°57′55.59″N, 5°59′53.27″W (decimal: 52.965442, -5.998131).

2. Construction and History

The Wicklow Head Lighthouse was constructed in 1781 by the Corporation for Preserving and Improving the Port of Dublin as two stone towers to guide vessels into Dublin Bay. Locally, they were known as the "twin lights." In 1836, one of the two towers was discontinued, and the remaining tower continued in use with upgraded optics and lighting. The light was fully automated and demanned in 1993.

3. Architecture and Materials

The Wicklow Head Lighthouse is a tapered cylindrical stone tower with a balcony and lantern made from locally quarried granite, rendered, and painted white. It stands approximately 25 meters tall from base to balcony roof (not including the lantern). The focal height is 37 meters above mean high water.

4. Light and Navigation

The light characteristic is a group of three white flashes every 15 seconds (Fl(3) W 15s), with a sequence of flash 0.2s, dark 2.3s, flash 0.2s, dark 2.3s, flash 0.2s, and dark 9.8s. The nominal range is 23 nautical miles. The lighthouse can be found on Admiralty chart reference A 5850.

5. Accessibility and Visiting

The site is situated within a low-fence perimeter, and the tower itself is closed to the public. Access is via a small car park off the R752 south of Wicklow town, followed by an easy 1-kilometer cliff-top walk. The terrain is grassy clifftop paths, with no formal visitor center or facilities on the headland.

6. Notable Views and Landscape

Perched on 50-meter-high cliffs, the lighthouse commands 360-degree views of the Irish Sea and Wicklow Mountains. On clear days, you can see Lambay Island, the Mourne Mountains (Northern Ireland), and Dublin's eastern coastline. The headland is a noted spot for seabird-watching and coastal wildflowers.

7. No Anecdotes or Folklore

8. Technical and Operational Details

The lighthouse is operated by the Commissioners of Irish Lights and has been automated since around 1993. It uses solar panels with a backup battery bank as its power source, and maintenance visits are carried out by Irish Lights marine engineers.

9. Further Information

For more information on the Wicklow Head Lighthouse, visit the Commissioners of Irish Lights website (www.irishlights.ie) or consult Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals, Vol. 1 (NP 69).