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

Tagged under

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

Tagged under

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

Tagged under

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

Tagged under

National Yacht Club Facilities

Facilities include a slipway directly accessing Dun Laoghaire Harbour, over eighty club moorings, platform parking, pontoons, fuelling, watering and crane-lifting ensure that the NYC is excellently equipped to cater for all the needs of the contemporary sailor. Berths with diesel, water, power and overnight facilities are available to cruising yachtsmen with shopping facilities being a short walk away. The club is active throughout the year with full dining and bar facilities and winter activities include bridge, snooker, quiz nights, wine tasting and special events.

National Yacht Club History

Although there are references to an active “club” prior to 1870, history records that the present clubhouse was erected in 1870 at a cost of £4,000 to a design by William Sterling and the Kingstown Royal Harbour Boat Club was registered with Lloyds in the same year. By 1872 the name had been changed to the Kingston Harbour Boat Club and this change was registered at Lloyds.

In 1881. the premises were purchased by a Captain Peacocke and others who formed a proprietary club called the Kingstown Harbour Yacht Club again registered at Lloyds. Some six years later in 1877 the building again changed hands being bought by a Mr Charles Barrington. and between 1877 and 1901 the club was very active and operated for a while as the “Absolute Club” although this change of name was never registered.

In 1901, the lease was purchased by three trustees who registered it as the Edward Yacht Club. In 1930 at a time when the Edward Yacht Club was relatively inactive, a committee including The Earl of Granard approached the trustees with a proposition to form the National Yacht Club. The Earl of Granard had been Commodore of the North Shannon Y.C. and was a senator in the W.T.Cosgrave government. An agreement was reached, the National Yacht Club was registered at Lloyds. The club burgee was created, red cross of Saint George with blue and white quarters being sky cloud, sea and surf. The Earl of Granard became the first Commodore.

In July of 1950, a warrant was issued to the National Yacht Club by the Government under the Merchant Shipping Act authorising members to hoist a club ensign in lieu of the National Flag. The new ensign to include a representation of the harp. This privilege is unique and specific to members of the National Yacht Club. Sterling’s design for the exterior of the club was a hybrid French Chateau and eighteenth century Garden Pavilion and today as a Class A restricted building it continues to provide elegant dining and bar facilities.

An early drawing of the building shows viewing balconies on the roof and the waterfront façade. Subsequent additions of platforms and a new slip to the seaward side and most recently the construction of new changing rooms, offices and boathouse provide state of the art facilities, capable of coping with major international and world championship events. The club provides a wide range of sailing facilities, from Junior training to family cruising, dinghy sailing to offshore racing and caters for most major classes of dinghies, one design keelboats, sports boats and cruiser racers. It provides training facilities within the ISA Youth Sailing Scheme and National Power Boat Schemes.

Past Commodores

1931 – 42 Earl of Granard 1942 – 45 T.J. Hamilton 1945 – 47 P.M. Purcell 1947 – 50 J.J. O’Leary 1950 – 55 A.A. Murphy 1955 – 60 J.J. O’Leary 1960 – 64 F. Lemass 1964 – 69 J.C. McConnell 1969 – 72 P.J. Johnston 1972 – 74 L. Boyd 1974 – 76 F.C. Winkelmann 1976 – 79 P.A. Browne 1979 – 83 W.A. Maguire 1983 – 87 F.J. Cooney 1987 – 88 J.J. Byrne 1988 – 91 M.F. Muldoon 1991 – 94 B.D. Barry 1994 – 97 M.P.B. Horgan 1997 – 00 B. MacNeaney 2000 – 02 I.E. Kiernan 2002 – 05 C.N.I. Moore 2005 – 08 C.J. Murphy 2008 – 11 P.D. Ryan 2011 – P. Barrington 2011-2014 Larry Power 2014-2017 Ronan Beirne 2017 – 2019

At A Glance - National Yacht Club 2024 Events