Commissioner warned ‘hands off’ our much-loved iconic lighthouse

25 September 2019

A PACKED public meeting has issued a firm “hands off” warning to the Commissioner of Irish Lights over proposed changes to the historic St John’s Point lighthouse near Killough.

Around 60 people who packed into Ardglass Golf Club for a meeting with senior officials from Irish Lights last week called for the current mechanism which rotates a huge Fresnel lens to be retained and for plans to replace the current light with a modern LED to be scrapped.

Irish Lights officials insist that the planned changes are “minimal” and will not result in major changes to the iconic sweeping beam.

But it’s a claim firmly rejected by local people, including the Lecale Lightkeepers campaign group who say the

beam’s range will be reduced by up to nine miles if the changes are allowed to proceed.

In addition to fitting a new LED light, Commissioners want to remove mercury from the lighthouse’s current rotating lens mechanism and replace it with am “innovative alternative” which has been trialled for the past three years.

Irish Lights insist that the engineering works planned for St John’s Point will deliver a “better quality, environmentally superior solution which meets modern health and safety requirements.” They say they are simply removing mercury out of the rotating lens system and putting in a new “innovative mechanical bearing solution”, insisting that the changes are not being driven by any directive to make savings.

During last week’s meeting — which lasted well over two hours – a number of speakers, including local politicians, urged Irish Lights to leave the lighthouse as it is and not to do anything to harm its heritage.

There was also a warning that there would be “ructions at all levels” if the proposed changes were implemented, with several people pointing to the potential for the lighthouse to be transformed into a unique leading visitor attraction which would provide an economic boost for the area.

Mr Chris Murphy said local people recognised that they “very well possibly have the finest example of a lighthouse of its kind an are particularly proud of it”.

He said no one is in any doubt about the maritime history and heritage of St John’s Point and its uniqueness, claiming he has been left “heartbroken” at changes implemented at other Irish lighthouses.

He told Commissioners: “You have destroyed the heritage of Tory Island lighthouse and you propose to do the same thing here. We will not let you. We will not let you take away any part of the heritage of St John’s Point lighthouse.”

Mr Murphy said he did not believe that the Commissioners were listening to local people and that it was quite arrogant to be told that the proposals represent an improvement and an upgrade and that the lighthouse will be better.

“That is not how we see it,” he said. “This all comes back to integrity; trying to take away something that you think means nothing and it will look the same. This lighthouse is unique and authentic and that is what is so valuable in the eyes of people who come to see it.”

Mr Hugh O’Donnell, whose father was a former lighthouse keeper at St John’s Point, said Irish Lights “needed to take notice of the strength of feeling about the proposed changes”.

He continued: “Why don’t you just leave well alone? People are asking that this beautiful old lighthouse is left as it is, working perfectly.”

Mr O’Donnell said the proposals were essentially focused on decommissioning the current Burdel lens rotation system and its mercury bearing, suggesting that there appears to be an “obsession” with getting rid of mercury.

He argued that as a chemist the location of the mercury in the lighthouse tower, where there are 32 brass vents and a cowl on the roof that, that it poses no problem in terms of toxicity.

Mr O’Donnell added: “In the history of lighthouses and their keepers none of them died from mercury poisoning and no one ever mentioned mercury sickness. So why this obsession with mercury?

“When the Burdel rotating system was first invented, it was regarded as a beautiful application of mercury and rendered obsolete the use of ball and roller bearings and the chariot wheels they used to use in those days. You are reinventing the ball bearing and whatever it is you are putting in there [the lighthouse] you are going back in time rather than forward. I abhor the idea of breaking up the Fresnel lens and Burdel rotation system.”

Mr David Erskine asked Mr McCabe if local people appointed their own experts to prove there is no risk from the mercury, would the lighthouse be left as it is, while another speaker said he had a dream that the lighthouse would remain intact as part of the area’s industrial, archaeological heritage. He said taking away the mercury “will destroy it”.

Mr Henry Shaw said that while he was pleased that the Fresnel lens was being retained, he made what

he described as an “emotional appeal” for the lighthouse’s “rare bit of engineering excellence” to be retained, maintained, kept safe and made an example for people to come to see.

“I believe that there is a cogent argument for the heritage of this site to be preserved,” he continued.

“While not from this area, I am heartened by the views of the local community. Has anyone costed the opportunity of retaining what is an utterly unique thing to the whole of Ireland? I believe this lighthouse has major potential as tourist attraction. It is a unique resource which people from around the world would fly in to see.”

Dr Michael Healy described his first reaction to the proposed changes at the Killough lighthouse as “emotional”, explaining that the first thoughts which came to his mind included “leave well alone” and “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it”.

He added: “A man once told me that St John’s Point had the greatest lighthouse in Ireland and who could disagree?”

Another resident who spoke at the public meeting said local people “will stand by their lighthouse” in an area which relies in tourism.

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