The general sailing direction for entering Strangford Lough is through the eastern passage which runs between Angus Rock and the Pladdy Lug. A pladdy on the Ards coast signifies a flat sunken rock. Pladdy Lug, which is situated close to the end of a reef running west from Ballyquinton Point and dries to 3 feet was marked by a perch at least since 1782 (Johnston Chart No. 2). According to the First Report of the Irish Fishery Inquiry, 1837, the harbours of Strangford and Portaferry contained piers and quays which were kept in repair by the proprietors of the soil, Lord de Ros of Strangford and Mr Andrew Nugent of Portaferry, and tolls were charged on fishing boats.

On 3 June 1858 the Ballast Board's Inspector, George Halpin, reported after inspecting the Pladdy Lug-
'The rock does not strip at neap tides and is nearly flat on the top so that a stone Beacon could be erected on it, but the work would be costly as the rock bares only during a short time at Spring tide low water and is in an extremely rapid tideway. The Beacons previously erected on the Pladdy Lug have been private property. The last mast Beacon erected for Mr Nugent cost £80 and for about £100 a Beacon of timber and iron of better construction than any of those carried away could be built.'

Mr Halpin was then requested by the Board to prepare a design of beacon for the Pladdy Lug.

On 5 July 1858 Captain Nugent wrote to William Lees, Secretary of the Board, expressing his willingness to cede to the Board all his right and title to 'the rock called the Pladdy Lug at the entrance to Strangford Lough' with the proviso that any formal conveyance required must be at the expense of the Board and subject to the approval of his (Nugent's) solicitor.

On 11 December 1868 a letter from the agent of Major Nugent was read to the Board of the Commissioners of Irish Lights stating that the perch on the Pladdy Lug had been blown down and requesting the Board to erect and maintain an iron perch or beacon on this rock, as the dues received by Major Nugent did not even cover the expense of maintenance.

On 6 June 1870 Col. Nugent wrote to the Board subscribing £140 towards the erection of a stone beacon on the Pladdy Lug on the understanding that its future maintenance should be taken off his hands.

In 1875 Alexander Knox in his History of the County Down observes that-
'A stone beacon was recently erected on the Pladdy Lug by the Commissioners of Irish Lights to replace a wooden perch which was often swept away. The beacon is 33 feet high surmounted by a diamond shaped iron framed top 9 feet high.'
On 2 February 1883 a letter was read to the Board from the Coastguard at Portaferry reporting a portion of the Pladdy Lug Beacon washed away. The Commissioners' Engineer was ordered to prepare an estimate of the cost of rebuilding it, and on 18 January he submitted three designs. He was, however, instructed to suggest a cheaper way of marking the rock, upon which he submitted an estimate and design for a perch.

A letter of 20 June 1884 from the Board of Trade requested an estimate of the cost of the proposed perch for the Pladdy Lug and enquired if Col. Nugent would contribute towards it.

The Board received statutory sanction from Trinity House on 27 June 1884 for 'the erection of an inexpensive perch on the Pladdy Lug, to take the place of the stone beacon which has been washed away'.

On 25 July 1884 a reply was received from Col. Nugent relative to a contribution towards the proposed perch, in which he referred the Board to his earlier letter of 6 June 1870 expressing his desire to relinquish the maintenance of the beacon on the Pladdy Lug.

The Inspecting Committee on 30 January 1925 approved a report from the Engineer as to the cost of building a new beacon faced with white glazed brick in place of the iron perch on Pladdy Lug rock overthrown during a gale on 14 January, and recommended application to be made to the Board of Trade for sanction to an estimated expenditure of £1,250.

The Board of Trade asked for the cost of re-erecting the iron perch on the Pladdy Lug as an alternative to building a new beacon. An estimate prepared by the Engineer amounting to £1,325 was forwarded on 6 February 1925.

The Engineer reported on 26 February 1926 that he proposed to commence the building of the new Pladdy Lug Beacon at the next spring tide and to hire a store at Portaferry with the use of a yard, quay, and crane at £2 a week for 3 months and £1 a week thereafter. I have been unable to discover the date the building was completed but, presumably, it was some time later that year.

This present Pladdy Lug Beacon has withstood the assaults of the sea for 80 years. Great credit is due to C.W. Scott, the Board's Engineer responsible for the erection of this large, important beacon, for having had the foresight to face the beacon with white glazed bricks which act as a water repellant and need very little maintenance, as well as providing a high degree of conspicuity. The Pladdy Lug Beacon stands also as a monument to the skill of the local workforce, which included Willie Dorrian and Billy Mageean of Portaferry, under the supervision of Captain Cairns.

Some of the vessels which came to grief on the Pladdy Lug before the erection of the present beacon were-
15 January 1852 Providence
23 October 1856 Robert E. Ward
5 January 1867 Gardella
3 July 1874 Cumbrian
26 September 1908 Trientalis
2 August 1918 Alice

© Jim Blaney, 2005

Jim Blaney was a teacher in Portaferry, Co. Down where he had among his pupils children of crew members of the Skulmartin and South Rock Lightvessels. Now retired, he has spent many years researching the history of Irish Lightships and the family history of their crews.