Official opening of Hook Lighthouse Visitor Centre
by Martin Dyas, Head of
Finance
Hook Lighthouse Visitor Centre was officially opened by the President of Ireland, Mrs Mary McAleese, on 25 April 2001. It was a beautiful spring day and many of those living on the Hook Peninsula and beyond turned out to mark the occasion. The lighthouse complex resembled a market fair with visitors from far and wide, children from the local schools, and craic agus ceol in abundance.
The President spoke of the great tradition of lightkeeping and the service provided to unknown seafarers-strangers who we may never meet as they take safe passage past our shores.
Opening the lighthouse tower to the public was the brainchild of Michael O'Neill, Irish Lights Commissioner and then Vice Chairman of the Board. Michael felt that the wonderful history of this tower and of lighthouse keeping throughout the ages should be available to be enjoyed by local Wexford people and visitors from throughout Ireland and beyond.
The Hook Tower has an incredibly rich history. It is the oldest lighthouse in Ireland and amongst the oldest in the world. With the exception of the lantern it remains today largely as it was eight centuries ago.
Because of its unique historical and architectural significance the Commissioners took the unusual step of investigating the possibility of developing a partnership arrangement with the local community with the aim of opening the tower to the general public. A new Heritage Committee of the Board was formed in 1993 by the Chairman of the Board, John Gore-Grimes. Its first major project was the future of Hook Lighthouse.
Both myself and Michael Taylor (now retired Civil Engineering Manager) were charged with establishing links with the local community and public representatives in the Hook Peninsula and Wexford areas. From these initial contacts the Company now running the Centre, Hook Heritage Ltd, was formed under the Chairmanship of Hugh Byrne, TD, Minister of State at the Department of the Marine and Natural Resources.
This is a good example of public sector partnership with representatives of Wexford County Council, South East Region Tourist Authority, County Wexford Partnership, representatives of the local community, and the Commissioners of Irish Lights working towards the long term success of the Centre. The project has received grant assistance from Bord Failte and Wexford County Council.
In 1999 Irish Lights made a lease agreement with Hook Heritage whereby the dwellings would be developed into a Visitor Centre including a coffee shop and craft shop. The Tower is licensed to Hook Heritage Ltd to allow them conduct guided tours at particular times during the year.
In the season just ended the Tower had 29,000 visitors, a great achievement in its first full year of operation.
I would encourage you to pay a visit to the Visitor Centre where an exciting experience awaits you. The panoramic setting and the magic of the view from the top of the Tower is an experience not to be missed.
The Centre is staffed by local people under the management of Derville Killian who has been with the project from its infancy and whose hard work has helped to make the Hook Lighthouse Visitor Centre the success it is today.
The Hook Lighthouse Visitor Centre celebrates this unique medieval building and pays a special tribute to the Keepers and the Lighthouse Service who 'by Hook or by Crook' ensured and continue to ensure a safer passage for all seafarers.
Hook Lighthouse Visitor Centre was officially opened by the President of Ireland, Mrs Mary McAleese, on 25 April 2001. It was a beautiful spring day and many of those living on the Hook Peninsula and beyond turned out to mark the occasion. The lighthouse complex resembled a market fair with visitors from far and wide, children from the local schools, and craic agus ceol in abundance.
The President spoke of the great tradition of lightkeeping and the service provided to unknown seafarers-strangers who we may never meet as they take safe passage past our shores.
Opening the lighthouse tower to the public was the brainchild of Michael O'Neill, Irish Lights Commissioner and then Vice Chairman of the Board. Michael felt that the wonderful history of this tower and of lighthouse keeping throughout the ages should be available to be enjoyed by local Wexford people and visitors from throughout Ireland and beyond.
The Hook Tower has an incredibly rich history. It is the oldest lighthouse in Ireland and amongst the oldest in the world. With the exception of the lantern it remains today largely as it was eight centuries ago.
Because of its unique historical and architectural significance the Commissioners took the unusual step of investigating the possibility of developing a partnership arrangement with the local community with the aim of opening the tower to the general public. A new Heritage Committee of the Board was formed in 1993 by the Chairman of the Board, John Gore-Grimes. Its first major project was the future of Hook Lighthouse.
Both myself and Michael Taylor (now retired Civil Engineering Manager) were charged with establishing links with the local community and public representatives in the Hook Peninsula and Wexford areas. From these initial contacts the Company now running the Centre, Hook Heritage Ltd, was formed under the Chairmanship of Hugh Byrne, TD, Minister of State at the Department of the Marine and Natural Resources.
This is a good example of public sector partnership with representatives of Wexford County Council, South East Region Tourist Authority, County Wexford Partnership, representatives of the local community, and the Commissioners of Irish Lights working towards the long term success of the Centre. The project has received grant assistance from Bord Failte and Wexford County Council.
In 1999 Irish Lights made a lease agreement with Hook Heritage whereby the dwellings would be developed into a Visitor Centre including a coffee shop and craft shop. The Tower is licensed to Hook Heritage Ltd to allow them conduct guided tours at particular times during the year.
In the season just ended the Tower had 29,000 visitors, a great achievement in its first full year of operation.
I would encourage you to pay a visit to the Visitor Centre where an exciting experience awaits you. The panoramic setting and the magic of the view from the top of the Tower is an experience not to be missed.
The Centre is staffed by local people under the management of Derville Killian who has been with the project from its infancy and whose hard work has helped to make the Hook Lighthouse Visitor Centre the success it is today.
The Hook Lighthouse Visitor Centre celebrates this unique medieval building and pays a special tribute to the Keepers and the Lighthouse Service who 'by Hook or by Crook' ensured and continue to ensure a safer passage for all seafarers.