Lighthouse Family Protest

Northern Lights at Wicklow Head Lighthouse. Enda Kelly

oncerns have been raised in recent years now about public access to the iconic Wicklow Head Lighthouse.

On an increasingly regular basis, the Dunbar Road access point has been closed off, preventing locals from enjoying the scenic walks and breathtaking views from the lighthouse station.

In some cases, security have been positioned at the locked gates, to ensure no one has access.

Which is why this coming Saturday, September 16th, Keep Ireland Open have organised a protest at said gate for 2pm.

“Even if Wicklow County Council negotiate a solution, under the current legislation, this could arise again,” says their chairperson, Robert Dowds. “This is why Keep Ireland Open are campaigning for legislative change.”

Local councillors also raised concerns recently over the arbitrary closure of part of the access road to the lighthouse – a Special Protection Area – by a local landowner. Wicklow County Council did register the neighbouring Cliff Walk as a Right Of Way, but those without good mobility rely on the Dunbar Road access point.

Walk this way…?

The lighthouse was constructed in 1781 to prevent mariners from confusing Wicklow Head with the lights of Howth Head and Hook Head, whilst the headland station was built in 1818 and automated as recently as 1994.

Says local activist Fintan Clarke, “The people of Wicklow and potential visitors from further afield deserve better than to have this priceless heritage snatched away and one might ask what our public representatives intend to do about it”.

The Keep Ireland Open protest at the Wicklow Head Lighthouse is on Saturday, September 16th at 2pm. More on Keep Ireland Open here.