Lighthouse campaigners continue bid to save beam

Lighthouse campaigners continue bid to save beam

22 July 2020

CAMPAIGNERS opposed to changes at the historic St John’s Point lighthouse near Killough have reaffirmed their “hands off” warning to the Commissioner of Irish Lights.

Their renewed determination to retain the lighthouse’s iconic sweeping beam and rotating mechanism — which turns a huge Fresnel lens — comes after it emerged that the Dublin-based organisation has started the tendering process to remove it.

Despite widespread opposition locally, the Commissioners of Irish Lights (CIL) is seeking tenders from specialist companies to remove liquid mercury from St John’s Point and six other lighthouses across Ireland over the next six years, beginning with two on Rathlin Island.

CIL is planning to replace the current rotating mechanism at the Killough lighthouse and replace the light with a modern, low-powered LED alternative, while retaining the existing lens.

But campaigners are calling for the proposal to be scrapped and are concerned that tender documents have been issued, despite local politicians and residents vehemently opposing any changes at St John’s Point.

CIL insists it is planning minimal changes and aims to remove mercury from the lighthouse’s current rotating lens mechanism and replace it with a German-made alternative.

In addition, the organisation insists that the engineering works planned for the Killough lighthouse will deliver a “better quality, environmentally superior solution which meets modern health and safety requirements.” 

CIL argues it is simply removing mercury out of the rotating lens system and putting in an innovative mechanical bearing solution. However, the claims have been firmly rejected by local people keen to see the controversial plan aborted.

According to the tender documents, CIL wants to replace the existing beam with a more environmentally friendly LED light, maintaining that it can do this while retaining the traditional lens.

And CIL says while mercury has been used to rotate large revolving Fresnel lenses since the 1800s, with the system providing a near frictionless environment, it describes mercury as a “toxic substance.”

While pointing to many years of reliable service, the organisation says there is increasing European and international legislation restricting the use, storage and transport of mercury.

CIL maintains while it has no immediate statutory requirement to remove mercury from lighthouses, it has been its policy that where re-engineering capital projects are being carried out at lighthouses, “the opportunity is taken to remove mercury”.

The organisation says with no other liquid medium available to replace mercury, alternative solutions are designed on a station by station basis to provide visual aid to navigation.

CIL claims that trials on an alternative bearing at Tory Island lighthouse which started in 2015 ensures the reliability of the bearing solution proposed for St John’s Point where it plans to retain the existing Fresnel lens which it recognises as important to the heritage of the station and local area.

“As part of the engineering upgrade works, the mercury will be removed from existing optic installations and will be replaced by a mechanical bearing to provide an alternative rotation mechanism,” states the tender documentation. “Only the liquid mercury will be removed and the remaining apparatus will be retained unchanged.”

“It is the intention to award the contracts for mercury removal at Rathlin East and Rathlin West lighthouses initially and appoint the successful tenderer for future removals.”

A spokeswoman for the Lecale Lightkeepers campaign group battling to retain the lighthouse in its current guise, suggested that local politicians will be “perplexed” that CIL has effectively ignored their wishes on the issue and the protection of the iconic sweeping beam.

She said Newry, Mourne and Down Council unanimously decided to oppose any changes and was firmly standing alongside the local community on the issue.

“The people and politicians are as one on this issue,” the spokeswoman declared. “St John’s Point lighthouse is part of the area’s unique maritime history and heritage and must not be changed in any way.

“Why is CIL issuing tender documentation when it has not told local politicians and indeed the people of Killough why it is proceeding without further discussion with them? Why is CIL ignoring the wishes of elected representatives?”

She continued: “We have consistently asked for this beautiful lighthouse to be simply left as it is. It is working perfectly and if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it. We have consistently argued that the mercury issue is a red herring and nothing we have seen or heard has made us deviate from this position.

“St John’s is one of the best ventilated lighthouses of its kind and we are opposed to any divorce from the current Fresnel lens and its Burdel rotating mechanism.”

Campaigners say they hope that politicians will seek an urgent, virtual meeting with CIL to ask why their wishes have been ignored and why they were not formally told that the tendering process had begun.

The campaign spokeswoman added: “The St John’s Point lighthouse boasts what is widely regarded as a rare bit of engineering excellence which we want retained and maintained. The iconic sweeping beam and rotation system must not be lost at the stroke of a pen and consigned to the pages of history. We will not let this happen.”