New LED Light on Inisheer and Exhibition of Old Plassy Wreck

12th June 2014

#PlassyWreckExhibition- As previously reported on Afloat.ie, Inisheer Lighthouse on the easternmost of the Aran Islands, was installed with a new light emitting diode (LED) light by the Commissioners of Irish Lights (CIL) last month.

The Iighthouse is a highly important Aid to Navigation (AtoN) as this safeguards the considerable traffic between Inisheer and Co. Clare. It also marks the south-eastern end of the Aran Islands and the western side of the southern approach route to Galway Bay.

It stands 34 metres and this is to ensure visibility of the light due to the low-lying nature of the Island. A red sector of the light delineates the potential danger of Finnis Rock lying to the east.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, it was during a passage of the Plassy, a Limerick Steamship Co. owned general cargoship which ran aground in a severe storm off Finnis Rock in 1960.

The wreck of the vessel is of TV 'Father Ted' fame, having featured in the opening credits and is the theme for an exhibition 'Art of Rust – From Rust to Art' which this afternoon opens (from 5pm till 7pm) in the National Maritime Museum of Ireland (NMMI) Dun Laoghaire.

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Jehan Ashmore

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Jehan Ashmore is a marine correspondent, researcher and photographer, specialising in Irish ports, shipping and the ferry sector serving the UK and directly to mainland Europe. Jehan also occasionally writes a column, 'Maritime' Dalkey for the (Dalkey Community Council Newsletter) in addition to contributing to UK marine periodicals.

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