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Donaghadee
Donaghadee
Get up close and personal with the lighthouses
Blacksod
Blacksod
radar

Radar at the Baily

Kish
The Kish (high powered lens needed)
St. Johns
St. Johns Down
Angus
Angus Rock
Strangford
Strangford Loch
Irish Lights
CIL Emblem
'John, thank you for all your hard work and perseverance to make our trip a success. You have overcome the many obstacles put in your way by the weather to make our trip an outstanding success. We really appreciate all you have done. This has been a memorable trip' Phil and Mary Borkowski 2009 tour
St Johns
St. Johns Donegal
lantern
Inside a lantern
John Eagle
John Eagle on the balcony of The Baily
Baily Lantern
Baily lantern
Meet those who worked at the lighthouses
Baily
The Baily
Chaine Tower
Chaine Tower
St. Johns
St. Johns Down
Ardglass
Ardglass
Seeing the lens flash out the bedroom window at Blackhead was wonderful.  The buildings are so well cared for.  Self catering with new friends is another highlight of the trip Nancy Ohlson
South Rock
South Rock
Altacarry
Altacarry
Inishowen
Stairwell
Rathlin West
Rathlin West
 
See pictures taken on the 2012 tour

Northern Irish Lighthouse Coastal Island Tour of Ireland 2019

Inishmore, Tory, Blacksod, Eagle Island, Broadhaven, Ballyglass, Arranmore, The Baily, Blackhead, Rathlin Island, St. Johns Donegal, St. Johns Down

August 24 to September 1st 2019 taking bookings now

Extra day added now starting August 24th

5 places taken, only a few left

Due to small numbers allowed at the lighthouses please make your booking early. Those who book late may have to sleep in a nearby B&B. When several people wanting single rooms book on the tour the lighthouses get booked out faster. If you are single and are happy to share with someone please let me know

'I returned home, after experiencing the Northern Irish Lighthouse Tour. What an amazing adventure. Seeing up to 28 or more lights, (I’ll have to look at my photos to confirm). Spending a few nights at a couple of those lights we saw (Fanad and Blackhead). Meeting new friends, and of course viewing all of the wonderful scenery of Ireland. I you are a Lighthouse fanatic, this is the tour for you. And there is a tour of the Southern Lights too. I am already making my plans for that one'  Brendan Odom 2018 tour

Follow the Wild Atlantic Way north and stay in 2 lighthouses

LH tour map

Northern tour

See the lighthouses, stay on an island, bring your camera, bring your drone, bring your sketch pad, have a grand time

Only a few places left for this popular tour

We stay in great accommodation, like Fortfield Farm B&B, Bru Chlann Lir, Fanad Head lighthouse, The Railway Lodge, Donegal, Blackhead Lighthouse. We visit the Reel Inn with great live traditional Irish music and dancing. Side attractions include going to Downpatrick cliffs and visit the Ceide Fields neolithic site

Tory Island

We hope to do a day trip to Tory depending on the weather  (above)

and spend 2 nights at Fanad Head lighthouse

Fanad Head lighthouse, Co. Donegal

Altacarry below

Rathlin East

 You will also see  Blackhead up close from the keeper's cottage where we stay

Blackhead Antrim The Baily Metal Man Sligo Blacksod
Blackhead, Antrim
Spend two nights here
The Baily, Dublin
Go on guided tour
Metal Man Sligo
Keep him company!
Blacksod in Mayo
The only square Irish lighthouse

This year going to stay at Fanad lighthouse for two nights

A 8 day tour for only €1795 pp which includes bus, driver, myself, all boat trips, accommodation & breakfast except at Blackhead lighthouse which is self catering. You will  land on Inishmore, Tory Island and Arranmore, see Straw Island, Eagle Island, Blacksod, Broadhaven, Blackrock Sligo, The Metal Man, Oyster Island, St. Johns Donegal, Rotten Island. You will also spend a night on Tory and Rathlin Island, as well as spend 2 nights at Blackhead lighthouse. On top of this you get to visit Fanad, Rathlin West (or see it from below) and The Baily.  You will also see Donaghadee,  Ardglass, St. Johns Down, and several more in the distance including Inisheer and Maidens

 With the Euro being so weak my tour costs remain great value

Blackhead lantern

Birds you are likely to see during the tour: Storm Petrel, Blackheaded Gull, Gannet, Kittiwake, Aortic Tern, Black Guillemot, Guillemot, Gulls, Fulmar, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, and Greater Black-backed Gull.

We will almost certainly see dolphins, (they are often to be seen at Doolin where we get the Aran Island boat) porpoises and seals at Rathlin Island, maybe basking sharks off Tory

We stay first night at Fortfield B&B . We will be picking up in the Limerick, Ennis and Shannon areas so if you would like us to pick you up in these areas we can then take you to Fortfield. Fortfield is in a lovely location on the Shannon Estuary. We have stayed there many times and always made to feel really comfortable

Itinerary is as follows

We meet up on the evening of August 24th, starting the tour first thing August 25

August 25th Day 1: We go for a cruise from Doolin through the Aran Islands passing Inisheer which has a lighthouse

Aran Islands

we will not be landing on the island on this tour, we do that on the Southern Tour in June, however we will be landing on Inishmore

The old lighthouse at Inishmore with Napoleonic signal tower beside it

We will also see Straw Island lighthouse and after landing on Inishmore where a minibus awaits us for a drive round the island. We will go to the far end of the island to view Eeragh and walk up the hill to see the old lighthouse of Inishmore. There is an optional visit to the ancient semi circular fort at Dun Aengus

Straw Island

Straw Island

Inishmore

Inishmore

Eeragh Dun Aengus
Eeragh The cliffs at Dun Aengus on Inishmore

After a high speed ride in a catamaran to Rossaveal we go to Westport for supper, then to a local B&B for the night. Westport is a lovely town to stay in, with great shops

Day 2 August 26th:

Achill Island

After breakfast we head north following the Wild Atlantic Way round the north side of Clew Bay to Achill the largest island in Ireland for a spectacular drive looking across to Clare Island and the lighthouse there perched atop the cliffs. Then north to Blacksod for the night. We spend the night at Josephine Geraghty's superb B&B Brú Chlann Lir near Blacksod. I love staying there.There are 3 lighthouses for us to view, although I hasten to add Eagle Island has been squashed down and resembles a castle. A pity I feel. A 4th lighthouse, Blackrock, can be seen at a distance way off the coast, but you will catch the light from the back of Bru Chlann Lir. See the lighthouses at the end of the day we will catch them lighting up

 

Blacksod Broadhaven
Blacksod

Watch my video
Broadhaven

Watch my video
Eagle Island
Eagle Island
Eagle Island Blackrock
Eagle Island Blackrock

Blackrock is 9 miles off the coast, you won't get the view I took above, but you will catch the light

Day 3: August 27th

We wake on the Belmullet Peninsula and after breakfast head north to Donegal town via Sligo to see the Metal Man and Oyster Island.  Eagle Island and Broadhaven lighthouses are on our viewing list and you will catch the distant light of Blackrock.

We then make our way to Downpatrick Head which is a beautiful location ten minutes from Ceide Fields. There's time for a good look, but mind the cliffs. Watch my video

Ceide Fields Mayo cliffs

Downpatrick Head

 

At  Rosses Point near Sligo you will  see The Metal Man and Oyster Island below

Watch my video of The Metal Man and Oyster Island

The Metal Man Oyster Island
The Metal Man Oyster Island

We take the road west, to visit St. John's Point lighthouse, Slieve League the highest cliffs in Europe, and see Rotten Island lighthouse. We will pass through the town of Killybegs which is one of the biggest fishing ports in Ireland
Rotten Island
St. Johns

Watch my video

Rotten Island

At the entrance to Killybegs, a major Irish fishing port


Slieve League
The Slieve League, Ireland's highest cliffs with Rathlin O'Birne lighthouse in the distance

We spend the night at The Railway Lodge in Donegal town, a short walk from the Real Inn one of the best live Irish music pubs in Ireland

Day 4: August 28th

We  take the road to Burtonport for the ferry to Arranmore Island to see the lighthouse then go to Fanad for the first of two nights there
Arranmore Fanad

 

Arranmore

Out on the cliffs at the very edge of Ireland

 

Fanad lighthouse

Fanad lighthouse, one of the major lighthouses on the northern coast, very impressive and not to be missed.

We spend 2 nights here in 2019

Day 5: August 29th
We wake up at Fanad lighthouse
Tory Island lighthouse Tory Island
Tory Island
Watch my video of Tory
Tory Island showing lighthouse and away to the east end

Our driver needs a day off from driving, which is the rules of driving he must adhere to.  So we will go with a local driver to catch the ferry over to Tory.

We spend our second night in the far north of Ireland at Fanad Head lighthouse

 Day 6: August 30th We go with Aquaholics for a fabulous boat trip round Rathlin Island. This is weather permitting. If we cannot go round then we will land and go to Rathlin West for a tour. Transport on the island isn't great. There is a bus out to Rathlin West but not to the other two lighthouses, just a very long walk.

Aquaholics

The Aquaholics boat trip enables us to see all three lighthouse and get great photographs. This is a really skilled company specialising in boating and diving, and have been hired to help with the filming of Game of Thrones. Their catamaran is very stable even in rough conditions. I am very impressed with them

Rathlin West

Rathlin West, the famous upside down lighthouse

Rathlin West Rathlin West
Rathlin West, lantern at the tower base Bedroom of a keeper at Rathlin West
Rathlin Island Altacarry
The western shore of Rathlin Island near the lighthouse Altacarry, the Eastern lighthouse on Rathlin Island

watch a video of Rathlin East lighthouse

After the boat trip we return to Ballycastle and go to Blackhead lighthouse for the first of two nights we take the ferry back to Ballycastle, and drive to Blackhead north east of Belfast for the first of two nights at the cliff top lighthouse

Blackhead lantern

Blackhead lantern

Chaine Tower Chaine Tower
Chaine Tower Chaine Tower with Ferris Point in distance

Close by are the lighthouses of Chaine Tower and Ferris Point

We spend the first of two nights at Blackhead lighthouse

Watch my video of Blackhead

 

 

 

Blackhead

Blackhead

Blackhead

Day : August 31st We take a tour of County Down, Donaghadee lighthouse is first then there is Ardglass where we will stop for a bite to eat on the pier close to the harbour light. Then we will be calling in to visit St Johns Point lighthouse, the only yellow and black lighthouse in Ireland. Watch out for lots of small lighthouses along the way before and after St. Johns. There is a ferry crossing at Strangford passing a water turbine

Donaghadee

Donaghadee. See more about the lighthouse

Watch video of Donaghadee lighthouse and harbour

Water turbine

Strangford Lough water turbine machine

Mountains of Mourne Ardglass
Mountains of Mourne Ardglass
St Johns St Johns Down
St. John's Point
St. John's Point
The only yellow and black lighthouse on the Irish coast
After our tour of County Down we return to Blackhead lighthouse for our second night there
Watch my video of St. John's Point
Baily Baily lantern
The Baily and the lantern
Day 8: September 1st: After breakfast we head south to Howth for a two hour tour of the The Baily. We will then take you to the Dart Startion (Dublin Area Rapid Transport) station in Howth so you can go into Dublin and make your ongoing connections. Alas it's time to go our separate ways and we hope you have enjoyed your tour of the Northern lights of Ireland

 

Tour price is €1795

Price includes visits to all lighthouses, places to stay with breakfast, boat trips, bus and driver

What's included

Tour price includes all lighthouse entry fees, all accommodations (top quality B&Bs and 2 nights at Blackhead lighthouse), all breakfasts except the two spent at Blackhead lighthouse which is self catering, all transportation costs and your guide, author and photographer John Eagle. Highlights of the tour will include boat trips,  lighthouses to view inside and meeting people who have worked and continue to work for Irish Lights. The tour is limited to 8 people due to beds available at Blackhead Keeper's Cottage. Please advise if you are prepared to share or would prefer a single room. Unlike other countries WiFi is for the most part free in Ireland, or comes free with your accommodation.

There is a great restaurant at the local golf club near Blackhead lighthouse, fabulous food for reasonable fee. Also great fish and chips in nearby Whiehead

 

What's not included


Evening meals and lunches are not included. I have considered including all meals, but realise that some people like to go off and do their own thing in the evenings. I also feel that set meals for people tend to be of lower quality. I will do my best to take you to places that offer the best value for the money.

Insurance

I have my own Public Liability Insurance (with LeisureInsure Certificate) It covers me for showing people around lighthouses and out on location for workshops in Ireland. Tour participants should consider their own travel insurance covering any unexpected medical needs, and travel expenses.

I have taken a course in cardiac arrest rescue and know how to assist someone in need of help

 

Special Notes

Cancellations and Refunds

A 75% refund will be given up to 3 months ahead of the start date of the tour, ie 25% will be kept to cover administration costs and fees incurred by banks and PayPal. 

I make reservations, numerous phone calls and emails with my hotels and ferry operators. I need to know 3 months in advance what I am doing. In the final 3 months leading up to the start date of the tour I will keep all monies paid for the tour

I will do my level best to help you plan your trip, with staying in places beforehand and afterwards

May I suggest Bunratty Mews B&B as a fine place to stay in Bunratty

Photographing lighthouses takes us to challenging locations, including cliffs and rough seas. For this reason I strongly suggest taking out travel insurance to cover unexpected medical needs during the tour, as accidents can happen. I will always advise you when conditions are dangerous, and when extra care is required. I have photographed all the lighthouses many times over and know the dangerous places to avoid. When on the water waterproofs are advisable, as well as non slip footwear. Cliffs might look tempting for dramatic shots, but a gust of wind could spell danger. You need to be alert at all times.  Boat trips are weather permitting. I will do my level best to get you out on the water but in some cases the seas might be too rough. I will never put you in any kind of danger, and will always judge a scene before allowing you into it for your and my own safety

 

2019 tour deposit

€300 deposit to secure your place on the Northern Irish Lighthouse tour 2019
Also see the Southern Extreme Irish Lighthouse Tour
The Lighthouse Digest Calendar The United States Lighthouse Society
Association of Lighthouse Keepers
All photographs © John Eagle Photography

 

 

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John Eagle Photography,

Eyeries, Beara, Co. Cork. Ireland

tel: 027 74275

cell: 087 9693745

Email: john@johneaglephoto.com