Calf Rock Lighthouse

Located about 2km off Dursey Island, West Cork, Ireland. Dursey island is only accessible via cable car, and via boats, perhaps a helicopter/aircraft...oh and you could swim I suppose?....ok, let's just say Dursey island is accessible! However, there is a cable car from the mainland (the only cable car in all of Ireland) and it's pretty cool! Dursey Island has only 6 permanent all year round residents, but lots of sheep! I was told there was once a shop on the island, but it closed in 1973. 

A decision was made in 1857 (following many a shipwrecks) to construct a lighthouse off Dursey Island. Of course, these things always take time, and partly due to poor weather conditions delaying the construction, it wasn't until 1866 that the light was lit. The artwork below is of the Calf Rock Lighthouse, an almighty cast iron creation by George Halpin (famous lighthouse head). However, it didn't stay looking this way for too long...Calf Rock Lighthouse was destroyed in a storm in 1881, the top half of the tower, including the lantern, snapped off and was swept into the sea! Amazingly, no lighthouse keepers were injured (there were 6 living in dwellings built into the rock at the time). The lighthouse had already had some damage previous years due to stormy weather, and had its base strengthened in 1869 (which is the only part that remains on the rock now). Someone somewhere definitely said 'I told you so' after this event, because when Calf Rock was selected as the location for the lighthouse, many were against it - including the constructor. They all expressed the rock was too low, and that Bull Rock, a much higher rock, would be a better choice. However the powers that be ignored these concerns and went ahead with Calf Rock. It was reported that during bad weather waves did obscure the lighthouse completely, reaching up past the lantern for periods of up to 2 minutes! Which when you consider that the lighthouse was a little over 100 ft high - is pretty scary. Following the destruction of Calf Rock Lighthouse a temporary lighthouse was built on Dursey Island, and remained in use for eight years, until Bull Rock lighthouse was established in 1889 and remains in use today. Interestingly, Fastnet lighthouse was also 'rebuilt' following the destruction at Calf Rock. It was, at the time, also a cast iron tower, which they hurriedly decided just wasn't strong enough to withstand the ferocious sea. 

Artist unknown

Pictured below (and you need to use your imagination a little) are the three lighthouses. Well, two ruins and the current lighthouse. The dot on the left is Calf Rock Lighthouse, in the foreground are the remains of the temporary lighthouse (which was never given a name it seems), and to the right, its replacement, Bull Rock Lighthouse. My camera doesn't have a fancy telephoto lens, so no epic photos I'm afraid. But let me describe Calf Rock Lighthouse to you as it currently stands...a copper coloured rusty stump on a rock, that's it! 

Returning back to the night of the storm in 1881, as said, all lighthouse keepers survived. However, they spent 12 days marooned on the rock in awful conditions. Several attempts at rescues were thwarted by the raging storms, until 7 local men set out in a boat and heroically rescued all men facing treacherous sea conditions. This is a memorial recognising that rescue. 

Below is an attempt to somehow make up for the fact I have no proper photos of the lighthouse. I picked up the rock from Dursey Island, carried it homeand painted it. Ta da! As you can obviously see, my talents don't only lie with blog writing....ahem.

Photo credit John Eagle