THE KISH BANK LIGHTHOUSE, a familiar sight for many of us travelling to and from Wales on the ferry, was placed on site in July 1965 and commissioned on 9 November 1965. Construction took place in Dun Laoghaire Harbour and took 20 months from first concrete pour until the lighthouse was inaugurated. When first established the Kish tower was manned by a Principal Keeper and two Assistant Keepers. The lighthouse was automated in 1992.

To facilitate access and maintenance a radial jib crane was fitted to the tower, designed to travel around the circumference to the best position to facilitate unloading from supply Lighthouse Tenders' cutters. The jib was 20 metres (66 feet) above high water, approximately 13.5 metres (45 feet) long, with a walkway on top to allow access for maintenance and inspection. Initially the crane was driven by a hydraulic power pack and was rated for a safe working load of two tons but difficulties were encountered in keeping the hydraulic system in operation and in 1994 the crane was fixed in one position and an electric travelling hoist was fitted on the crane jib.

By 2005 corrosion of the steelwork and fixings within the structure of the crane was so extensive that the crane was beyond economic repair. The crane was taken out of service pending review of requirements for the station, and an inspection of the structure was undertaken by two Bernard Hynes (since retired) and Michael Delahunty. They found heavy corrosion on the crane's support tracks and on several areas of the crane structure. The four bridle ropes supporting the jib were corroded and in need of renewal.

In 2006 it was decided that the crane was not economical to repair and, as it was no longer required, it should be removed. On a land based structure this would be relatively straightforward operation which would only take a couple of hours using a hydraulic excavator with demolition jaws. With the Kish Tower surrounded by water this was not an option. As Regional Engineering Operations Manager, I had many discussions with Brian Kelly, Engineering Operations Supervisor, to find a safe method of removal. We considered chopping off sections of the jib and working our way back into the tower; we also considered using Granuaile's crane to support the Kish's crane whilst it was cut off from the tower, or dropping the crane in a controlled fashion into the sea attached to a couple of marker buoys so that Granuaile could retrieve it later. We also looked at the possibility of raising the jib to the vertical position, the way it was stowed when the tower was being towed to the Kish Bank in 1965, or lowering it and then somehow chopping it up into manageable pieces for removal from the station.

Brian Kelly and I visited the station in May 2007 to evaluate each proposed method and one by one these were rejected as the risks were assessed. By this stage we were at a loss as to how the crane could be safely removed, until we suddenly had a flash of inspiration, and came up with a method of cutting sections out of the crane jib at the tower end and allowing the jib gradually to be fed back into the tower. A risk assessment was carried out and a method of safe working was drawn up which itemised the skills and equipment required, and the materials to be fabricated to enable the work to be carried out.

On Sunday, 10 June 2007 a team consisting of Thomas Murphy, the Kish Lighthouse Attendant, Brian Kelly, Engineering Operations Supervisor, Brian Birrell, Lighthouse Technician Mechanical, Liam Noone, Coast Tradesman, Pat Dalton, Support Operative, and Noel Gaughan, Coast General Worker travelled by helicopter from Baily Lighthouse to Kish. They brought winches and slings which were required as supports to reinforce the crane jib when unloading the remainder of the equipment from the Depot launch Puffin the following day. On arrival, Brian Kelly briefed all personnel on the method statement and safety issues, whilst Tommy Murphy briefed all personnel on fire, emergency, and safety precautions for the station.

Two winches and a safety line were rigged on the crane jib to provide additional supports to the existing pendant ropes. Puffin, manned by Davy Thomas, Coxswain, Kevin McCann, and Derek Hay, with Desmond O'Brien, Marine Assistant sailed to the station with 4,300 kgs of equipment including scaffolding, slings, oxy-acetylene cutting gear, and crates for the scrap metal. The equipment was landed on the Kish, checked, and stowed in case the weather should deteriorate.

Diagram 1 1. Scaffold tower, showing the guide rollers of the hoist trolley (in blue) secured to the scaffold to restrain the jib when sections were removed. 2. Two temporary support cables attached to winches that were adjusted to keep the crane jib level as sections were cut out of the jib. 3. Four pendant ropes which supported the crane jib when in service. 4. Crane support tracks set into the tower allowing the crane to move through 360 degrees around the tower. 5. Hydraulic ram fixed to the inner side of the jib and clamped on the outer side using a quick release clamp. 6. Section of the jib shown removed whilst the gap is bridged by a hydraulic ram (in purple) clamped to either side of the cut. Diagram 2 7. Shows the temporary support cables shortened after several sections of jib were removed.The pendant ropes have been removed at this stage. When each small section of the jib was cut away, the hydraulic ram was released to allow the outer jib section to move inwards until it contacted the inner fixed section. The winches were then adjusted to maintain the jib level.After the first section was removed the pendant ropes no longer supported the jib and they were removed.

The first priority was to erect scaffolding under the jib to provide safe access to the area where most of the work was to be carried out. To enable the scaffolding to be completed, Brian Birrell cut away the weather-proof box that protected the crane's electric hoist. Unfortunately Brian received a minor burn during this process and, as a precautionary measure, was brought ashore by Lifeboat. He had a check-up in hospital and was released the same afternoon. The hoist was retained and attached to its test weight of 750 kgs as well as being secured to the scaffolding. This then acted as a guide for the jib as it was shortened and pulled in. With the scaffolding in place, the walkway on the crane over the scaffolding was cut away and a fixing for a hydraulic ram was welded to the main crane structure. The other end of the ram was attached to a Riley Universal Superclamp designed to take side loading. The ram acted as a bridge for the section of the main crane beam that was being cut away. As each section was cut away the ram was retracted and the support ropes at the end of the jib were shortened to keep the jib level. During this process the wind increased and additional bracing had to be attached to the jib to prevent it from swinging horizontally.

This process took two days to complete, leaving us with the remainder of the crane support structure to cut off and remove. To do this the scaffolding was increased in height. All the scrap metal was removed, cut into manageable pieces, and loaded into crates which were stored outside the tower at Level 3 for removal by Granuaile. When the crane was removed and the scaffolding dismantled, Brian Kelly, Liam Noone, and Noel Gaughan returned to Dun Laoghaire in Puffin. This left the remainder of the team on the Kish to clean down the station, collect the scrap and equipment, and make it ready for removal ashore.

On Saturday, 23 June the Commissioners' Inspecting Committee visited the station for their biennial inspection. While the inspection was being carried out, Granuaile's crew removed the scrap and equipment from the station.

The job could not have been completed without the team-work between the Marine Department and the Engineering Department's mechanicalelectrical operations and civil operations sections. My thanks to everyone for their excellent work and cooperation.