Displaying items by tag: Hook Lighthouse

5th January 2022

Hook Lighthouse Dawn Arrow Ceremony Signals Start of Brighter Days Ahead

A centuries-old tradition took place on New Year’s Day at the 800-year-old Hook Lighthouse as the Dunbrody Archers took part in a traditional “arrow ceremony”, the ancient tradition which dates back to 1687.

On the coastal narrow road to Hook Lighthouse in Co. Wexford was lined with sea foam as cars arrived on New Year’s Day from 7.30 a.m. for a ceremony that dates back to 1687.

An outcrop of rock behind the 800-year-old Hook Lighthouse was the destination for the Dunbrody Archers, New Ross Municipal District officials and some curious onlookers, all braving the cold to witness a spectacular start to 2022.

The tradition dates from 1687 when the mayor and the corporation of New Ross Town Council claimed their authority over the waters by travelling to Hook and shooting an arrow into the sea from Hook Head Lighthouse.

The Mayor of New Ross, casting the arrow into the sea, symbolises the port of New Ross’s authority over the estuary of the Barrow and the Suir all the way down to Hook Head.

More from the New Ross Standard on the event from the south-east.

Published in Coastal Notes

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31st July 2018

Hook Lighthouse To Host Stargazing Evening For Perseids Meteor Shower

The Milky Way observed from Hook Lighthouse

#Lighthouses - The most spectacular meteor shower of the year takes place in Ireland each August – and Hook Lighthouse will be the place to see it.

At the world’s oldest original working lighthouse, the dark skies at the tip of the Hook Peninsula underneath the beam of the lighthouse tower offer spectacular views of the constellations and the night skies.

On Saturday 11 August the Lighthouse Visitor Centre will remain open extra late to offer a stargazing evening event to visitors who want to see the Perseids meteor showers like they’ve never been seen before.

Joining the team at Hook Lighthouse to guide the event is special guest astronomer from Big Bear Planetariums, Carl O’Beirnes.

Carl will be on hand to open the evening advising visitors on what to look out for and how to identify the constellations in the night sky.

He will also offer visitors the opportunity to view the planets and deep sky objects visible during the meteor shower via telescopes and share details on how to photograph the night sky and the milky way galaxy.

Carl advises that visitors bring their telescopes and cameras if they wish, but no equipment at all is required for those who wish to relax and enjoy the best movie that nature can offer.

Visitors are advised to dress warmly and to bring deck chairs and blankets as the temperature will drop as the night progresses.

This is a free event and those attending are invited to find a spot on the lighthouse lawns from 7pm to gaze skyward for shooting stars.

The Perseids are created when the Earth crosses the tail of Swift-Tuttle, a comet which takes 133 years to orbit the sun. Meteors are created when tiny flecks of dust and debris from the comet penetrate the Earth’s atmosphere at nearly 60 kilometres per second creating a shockwave. They burn up quickly in the atmosphere leaving the impression of a huge fireball.

The lighthouse will remain open until 11pm offering hot chocolates and snacks at the café. For further details visit www.hookheritage.ie

Published in Lighthouses

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Hook Lighthouse

21st March 2016

Hook Lighthouse Gives Inspiration to Young Wexford Artist

‘Hook Lighthouse’ was painted by 15–year–old Emer O’Doherty, a pupil at Gorey Community School. Viewing the work is Valero Texaco Marketing Manager, Bronagh Carron

This painting of the Hook Head Lighthouse is one of many with a nautical theme submitted for judging in this year’s 62nd Texaco Children’s Art Competition. Appropriately entitled ‘Hook Lighthouse’, it was painted by 15–year–old Emer O’Doherty, a pupil at Gorey Community School.

Viewing the work is Valero Marketing Manager, Bronagh Carron.

Winners of the Competition will be announced in mid-April with prizes being presented in May.

Published in Lighthouses

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Hook Lighthouse

16th October 2012

Hook Bass Festival Hopes to Catch Ireland's Best Anglers

#ANGLING - Minister of State Paul Kehoe was on hand at the famous Hook Lighthouse recently to launch the first Hook Bass Angling Festival, which takes places over three days from 26-28 October.

The contest will be held on a catch-and-release basis and comprises various locations on the Hook Peninsula, situated on the amazing southwest Wexford coast, where you can find a beach a day for a fortnight - perfect for the festival.

First prize is a weekend's accommodation at Grangecourt Holiday Cottages in Fethard-On-Sea that sleeps up to five people, plus a day trip fishing for two with Wild Swan, Mermaid Angling, Arthurstown. Prizes will also be awarded for second and third place, and for the longest bass.

Aside from the angling action, the Friday and Saturday evening will see talks from Billy Colfer and Dr Ed Fahy about the history of the area and bass fishing respectively. These will take place at 7pm each evening in Neville’s Bar and Restaurant, which will also be serving a special anglers menu - and will host the prize-giving ceremony on the Sunday evening.

The entry fee for anglers is €75 for the three days days or €25 per day. You can enter online via www.hooktourism.com.

Families are more than welcome, as the Hook Peninsula has many historic sites to see and activities to do, especially for Hallowe'en, such as the 'Ghostly Guided Tours' of Hook Lighthouse. For more information visit www.hooktourism.com.

Published in Angling

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Irish Sea Ferry Routes

Irrespective of the type of vessel deployed on Irish Sea routes (between 2-9 hours), it is the ferry companies that keep the wheels of industry moving as freight vehicles literally (roll-on and roll-off) ships coupled with motoring tourists and the humble 'foot' passenger transported 363 days a year.

As such the exclusive freight-only operators provide important trading routes between Ireland and the UK, where the freight haulage customer is 'king' to generating year-round revenue to the ferry operator. However, custom built tonnage entering service in recent years has exceeded the level of capacity of the Irish Sea in certain quarters of the freight market.

A prime example of the necessity for trade in which we consumers often expect daily, though arguably question how it reached our shores, is the delivery of just in time perishable products to fill our supermarket shelves.

A visual manifestation of this is the arrival every morning and evening into our main ports, where a combination of ferries, ro-pax vessels and fast-craft all descend at the same time. In essence this a marine version to our road-based rush hour traffic going in and out along the commuter belts.

Across the Celtic Sea, the ferry scene coverage is also about those overnight direct ferry routes from Ireland connecting the north-western French ports in Brittany and Normandy.

Due to the seasonality of these routes to Europe, the ferry scene may be in the majority running between February to November, however by no means does this lessen operator competition.

Noting there have been plans over the years to run a direct Irish –Iberian ferry service, which would open up existing and develop new freight markets. Should a direct service open, it would bring new opportunities also for holidaymakers, where Spain is the most visited country in the EU visited by Irish holidaymakers ... heading for the sun!