Located in Cork harbour, to mark a shallow bank. The nearest town is Cobh. It’s very easy to visit with a local “Cork Self-Drive Boat Tour” that leaves from Cobh town. You will follow a tour guide in a small powerboat, and Spitbank is part of the tour. There’s a stop off at Spitbank where you’ll be given a brief history of its construction.
The lighthouse was designed by George Halpin (no surprises there!) George Halpin designed 50 lighthouses around the coast of the island of Ireland. George Halpin did not design the spider-like structure it sits on though. The screw pile.
A screw pile is a structure that stands on piles that are screwed into sandy or muddy sea beds. Irish engineer Alexander Mitchell (born 1780) invented the screw pile design. He was born in Dublin, and moved to Belfast as a child. In his early 20’s, Alexander became blind, but this didn’t hamper his designs. He specialised in structures designed to stand in mudbanks and shifting sands, such as bridges, piers and screw pile lighthouses. He moved to Cobh in 1851 for the installation of the Spitbank screw pile.
(Image credit: History Ireland)
The lighthouse was first lit in 1853. As you can see, there was no room to accommodate keepers at this lighthouse. It was managed and maintained by keepers that lived locally, in Cobh. It was renovated in 2013. It really is worth a trip out to see this structure, and sure that boats are great craic!
