THERE ARE TWO MEMORIAL PLAQUES AT THE LIGHTHOUSE IN BALBRIGGAN
Sorry about the quality of the photograph but a local sitting with two dogs on a bench distracted me and I forgot to properly photograph the plaque.
The Balbriggan Lighthouse, a beacon of maritime history, stands proudly at the end of the pier in Balbriggan Harbour. Its round, slightly stepped structure, adorned with two commemorative plaques, is a familiar sight to locals and visitors alike.
Built in 1761 under the supervision of the Honourable George Hamilton of Hampton, the lighthouse initially used candles to guide ships safely to shore. The pier itself was constructed between 1761 and 1765. Over the years, the lighthouse underwent several transformations, including an increase in height and a shift to oil lamps, then eventually to an automated electric light.
One of the plaques commemorates the Honourable George Hamilton of Hampton, who built the pier in 1761 with the aim of promoting trade and prosperity in Ireland. It reads:
"This pier was built by the Honourable George Hamilton of Hampton in the county of Dublin Third Baron of His Majesty’s count of the Exchequer in Ireland whose great object in life was to promote the trade and prosperity in His country ann.dom.1761″
The other plaque honours the bravery and selflessness of Patrick Joseph Hanley, who tragically lost his life in 1957 while attempting to rescue two friends during a violent storm. It reads:
“Erected by people of Balbriggan in proud & loving memory of their townsman Patrick Joseph Hanley aged 29 years who from near this spot on the night of August 24th 1957 at the height of a violent storm set out, alone, in a small boat to the rescue of two friends whom he believed in peril in the outer sea and in this endeavour lost his own life.”
“Greater love than this, no man hath/that a man lay down his life for his friends John 15,13″.
While no longer a primary sea light, following the establishment of Rockabill lighthouse in 1860, the Balbriggan Lighthouse continues to serve as a vital aid to navigation for vessels entering the harbour. It also holds a special place in the hearts of the local community, a symbol of their maritime heritage and collective resilience.
The Balbriggan Lighthouse, a beacon of maritime history, stands proudly at the end of the pier in Balbriggan Harbour. Its round, slightly stepped structure, adorned with two commemorative plaques, is a familiar sight to locals and visitors alike.
Built in 1761 under the supervision of the Honourable George Hamilton of Hampton, the lighthouse initially used candles to guide ships safely to shore. The pier itself was constructed between 1761 and 1765. Over the years, the lighthouse underwent several transformations, including an increase in height and a shift to oil lamps, then eventually to an automated electric light.
One of the plaques commemorates the Honourable George Hamilton of Hampton, who built the pier in 1761 with the aim of promoting trade and prosperity in Ireland. It reads:
"This pier was built by the Honourable George Hamilton of Hampton in the county of Dublin Third Baron of His Majesty’s count of the Exchequer in Ireland whose great object in life was to promote the trade and prosperity in His country ann.dom.1761″
The other plaque honours the bravery and selflessness of Patrick Joseph Hanley, who tragically lost his life in 1957 while attempting to rescue two friends during a violent storm. It reads:
“Erected by people of Balbriggan in proud & loving memory of their townsman Patrick Joseph Hanley aged 29 years who from near this spot on the night of August 24th 1957 at the height of a violent storm set out, alone, in a small boat to the rescue of two friends whom he believed in peril in the outer sea and in this endeavour lost his own life.”
“Greater love than this, no man hath/that a man lay down his life for his friends John 15,13″.
While no longer a primary sea light, following the establishment of Rockabill lighthouse in 1860, the Balbriggan Lighthouse continues to serve as a vital aid to navigation for vessels entering the harbour. It also holds a special place in the hearts of the local community, a symbol of their maritime heritage and collective resilience.
THERE ARE TWO MEMORIAL PLAQUES AT THE LIGHTHOUSE IN BALBRIGGAN