Howth, County Dublin, Eire - February, 1999

East Pier

Howth, County Dublin, Eire - February, 1999

Howth Lighthouse is an historic aid to navigation situated on the East Pier of the harbour. It was built in the early 19th century to help guide shipping into the newly constructed harbour, which acted as the terminus for the packet service between Ireland and England. In 1982 it was decommissioned and replaced by a modern pole light on an adjacent extension of the pier. In 1807 work started on building the east pier at Howth to a design by a Captain Taylor, but when a large section of the pier gave way, the works were taken over by John Rennie the Elder. A second pier was constructed on the advice of Rennie, and the harbour was mostly finished by 1813. The piers were built with stone from the nearby quarry at Kilrock and granite which was shipped in by boat from Dalkey Quarry. But, "It was not formally established as the mail packet station until 1818, when a lighthouse was added to the end of the east pier." Although the lighthouse was designed by Rennie, the commissioning of the light was undertaken by George Halpin who was the Inspector of Lighthouses for the Dublin Ballast Board. Halpin complained in June 1818 that the lighthouse was "neither ready for a lightkeeper nor suitably constructed for lighting the harbour." Changes were made, and it was first lit on 1 July, with "twelve Argand lamps with red lamp glasses and silvered copper catoptric reflectors". Due to problems with siltation the use of the harbour for the mail packets was short lived, and instead another harbour was constructed at Dún Laoghaire, also designed by Rennie. This became the packet station in 1826. This shift in the importance of Howth harbour meant that questions were asked in 1836 about the ongoing need for the lighthouse. But the necessity for the light was justified by Halpin due to the use of the harbour for sheltering ships in bad weather. The oil lamps were replaced with a 250 Watt bulb in 1955, when electricity was installed and the keepers were withdrawn. The lighthouse is recorded as being of national importance within the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Completed in early 1818] with the adjacent lighthouse keeper's house being added in 1821; initially this was single storey, but an additional storey was added in 1856. The Holyhead Mail Pier Lighthouse also designed by Rennie is a matching tower in Holyhead it was built in 1821 at the other terminus of the Irish packet ships.

Howth, County Dublin, Eire - February, 1999

Plaque commemorating the landing of German Arms by Erskine Childers using his yacht ASGARD at Howth Pier in 1914. The arms were later used by the Irish Volunteers during the Easter Rising. During World War I Childers served in the Royal Navy before transferring to the newly formed RAF at the end of the war. In 1919 Childers moved to Dublin and joining the Provisional Government. He was elected to the Dail in 1921 for Sinn Fein. Childers opposed the Anglo-Irish Treaty and supported DeValera's anti treaty side in the Irish Civil War. Childers was arrested in November 1922 by the Irish Free State Army and convicted of possessing a pistol which had been given to him by his former friend Michael Collins who had led the Free State. He was executed by firing squad on November 24, 1922 at Beggar's Bush Barracks in Dublin after shaking the the hands of his executioners. His son was to become president of the Irish Republic in 1973.

Howth, County Dublin, Eire - February, 1999

Howth Lighthouse is an historic aid to navigation situated on the East Pier of the harbour. It was built in the early 19th century to help guide shipping into the newly constructed harbour, which acted as the terminus for the packet service between Ireland and England. In 1982 it was decommissioned and replaced by a modern pole light on an adjacent extension of the pier. In 1807 work started on building the east pier at Howth to a design by a Captain Taylor, but when a large section of the pier gave way, the works were taken over by John Rennie the Elder. A second pier was constructed on the advice of Rennie, and the harbour was mostly finished by 1813. The piers were built with stone from the nearby quarry at Kilrock and granite which was shipped in by boat from Dalkey Quarry. But, "It was not formally established as the mail packet station until 1818, when a lighthouse was added to the end of the east pier." Although the lighthouse was designed by Rennie, the commissioning of the light was undertaken by George Halpin who was the Inspector of Lighthouses for the Dublin Ballast Board. Halpin complained in June 1818 that the lighthouse was "neither ready for a lightkeeper nor suitably constructed for lighting the harbour." Changes were made, and it was first lit on 1 July, with "twelve Argand lamps with red lamp glasses and silvered copper catoptric reflectors". Due to problems with siltation the use of the harbour for the mail packets was short lived, and instead another harbour was constructed at Dún Laoghaire, also designed by Rennie. This became the packet station in 1826. This shift in the importance of Howth harbour meant that questions were asked in 1836 about the ongoing need for the lighthouse. But the necessity for the light was justified by Halpin due to the use of the harbour for sheltering ships in bad weather. The oil lamps were replaced with a 250 Watt bulb in 1955, when electricity was installed and the keepers were withdrawn. The lighthouse is recorded as being of national importance within the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Completed in early 1818] with the adjacent lighthouse keeper's house being added in 1821; initially this was single storey, but an additional storey was added in 1856. The Holyhead Mail Pier Lighthouse also designed by Rennie is a matching tower in Holyhead it was built in 1821 at the other terminus of the Irish packet ships.

Howth, County Dublin, Eire - February, 1999

Howth Lighthouse is an historic aid to navigation situated on the East Pier of the harbour. It was built in the early 19th century to help guide shipping into the newly constructed harbour, which acted as the terminus for the packet service between Ireland and England. In 1982 it was decommissioned and replaced by a modern pole light on an adjacent extension of the pier. In 1807 work started on building the east pier at Howth to a design by a Captain Taylor, but when a large section of the pier gave way, the works were taken over by John Rennie the Elder. A second pier was constructed on the advice of Rennie, and the harbour was mostly finished by 1813. The piers were built with stone from the nearby quarry at Kilrock and granite which was shipped in by boat from Dalkey Quarry. But, "It was not formally established as the mail packet station until 1818, when a lighthouse was added to the end of the east pier." Although the lighthouse was designed by Rennie, the commissioning of the light was undertaken by George Halpin who was the Inspector of Lighthouses for the Dublin Ballast Board. Halpin complained in June 1818 that the lighthouse was "neither ready for a lightkeeper nor suitably constructed for lighting the harbour." Changes were made, and it was first lit on 1 July, with "twelve Argand lamps with red lamp glasses and silvered copper catoptric reflectors". Due to problems with siltation the use of the harbour for the mail packets was short lived, and instead another harbour was constructed at Dún Laoghaire, also designed by Rennie. This became the packet station in 1826. This shift in the importance of Howth harbour meant that questions were asked in 1836 about the ongoing need for the lighthouse. But the necessity for the light was justified by Halpin due to the use of the harbour for sheltering ships in bad weather. The oil lamps were replaced with a 250 Watt bulb in 1955, when electricity was installed and the keepers were withdrawn. The lighthouse is recorded as being of national importance within the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Completed in early 1818] with the adjacent lighthouse keeper's house being added in 1821; initially this was single storey, but an additional storey was added in 1856. The Holyhead Mail Pier Lighthouse also designed by Rennie is a matching tower in Holyhead it was built in 1821 at the other terminus of the Irish packet ships.

Howth, County Dublin, Eire - February 25, 1995

View northwards towards Lambay Island. The location of the wreck of the White Star Line ship TAYLEUR on a voyage from Liverpool to Australia..

Howth, County Dublin, Eire - February 25, 1995

Howth Harbour and RNLI lifeboat 52-35 RNLB CITY OF DUBLIN.

Howth, County Dublin, Eire - February 25, 1995

The Port of Howth possess and impressie boatyard and lift served by an extreme broad guage railway in which boats are moved into the yard on large railway trucks.

Howth, County Dublin, Eire - February 25, 1995

The Port of Howth possess and impressie boatyard and lift served by an extreme broad guage railway in which boats are moved into the yard on large railway trucks.

Howth, County Dublin, Eire - February 25, 1995

The Port of Howth possess and impressie boatyard and lift served by an extreme broad guage railway in which boats are moved into the yard on large railway trucks.

Howth, County Dublin, Eire - February 25, 1995

The Port of Howth possess and impressie boatyard and lift served by an extreme broad guage railway in which boats are moved into the yard on large railway trucks.

Howth, County Dublin, Eire - February 25, 1995

Howth

Howth, County Dublin, Eire - February 25, 1995

Howth Castle

Howth, County Dublin, Eire - September 16, 2001

View from Howth Head to the Baily Lighthouse.

Howth, County Dublin, Eire - September 16, 2001

Fishing vessels at Howth Harbour

Howth, County Dublin, Eire - September 16, 2001

View towards Howth Lighthouse. Howth was originally developed as the packet port for Dublin to be served by mail boats from Holyhead. However, the port proved unsuitable and was replaced by Dun Laoghaire.

Howth, County Dublin, Eire - September 16, 2001

Fishing vessels at Howth Harbour

Howth, County Dublin, Eire - September 16, 2001

The Footsteps of King George IV were cut unto the granite of of the quayside when he landed at Howth.

Howth, County Dublin, Eire - September 16, 2001

The Footsteps of King George IV were cut unto the granite of of the quayside when he landed at Howth.

Howth, County Dublin, Eire - September 16, 2001

Plaque Commemorating the landing of German Weapons by the yacht ASGARD owned by Robert Erskine Childers. Childers was an interesting character who served as an officer in the Royal Navy before joining Sinn Fein. He was later executed by the Irish Free State due to his support for the anti Treaty IRA forces during the Irish Civil War.