4 Ballycotton Lighthouse – County Cork
Did you know that the Sirius was the first vessel to cross the Atlantic under power of steam in 1838? Just nine years later, the jubilation of that milestone was soured when the ship hit Smith’s Rock, to the Southwest of Ballycotton.
By the time the captain attempted to bring the ship into Ballycotton’s harbour, it was a wreck. Inspired by this disaster, Ballycotton Lighthouse was built, and by June 1851, the light, towering some 60 metres above the water, could be discerned in clear weather from as far as 18 miles.
Today, boat tours access Capel Island, where you can greet the resident goats before climbing the stairs to share the Celtic Sea views from the red lantern balcony.