IN EARLY FEBRUARY an envelope dropped through the letterbox. It contained an invitation from the Chairman of the Board to the official opening of the Commissioners of Irish Lights' new Headquarters in Dun Laoghaire. Not exactly skilled in the social graces, a quandary immediately presented itself. But any communication from the Chairman being a matter to take seriously, in two minutes I replied in the positive.

Twenty-second February, the great day, arriving in Dun Laoghaire by dart, just after the West Pier a magnificent circular glass-walled building passed by the train window. An adjacent flagpole sagged against the wind, laden with the Irish national flag, Commissioners of Irish Lights flag, and the flags of the other General Lighthouse Authorities. No doubt of where we were.

In Dun Laoghaire Harbour a forest of yacht masts and rigging drew sonorous sounds in the westerly gale. The wind almost blew people off their feet. However, on entering through the revolving doors into the building, all fell silent. We entered a bright and draughtless interior. This was a unique feeling but to me, a former Lightkeeper, it did not feel like Head Office. The building felt functional. In particular, it felt like being inside an enormous lantern. Outside, the flush circular glass wall, slick against the wind and rain; inside, its framework. The helical stairway also rang bells. Beyond Dun Laoghaire the panorama of Dublin Bay, visible to the horizon.

Some high-tech features like solar panels can be identified. Others, such as the use of sea water for heating and cooling, can not. Automatic blinds to the windows respond to sunlight to prevent unwanted glare reaching the interior. Ventilation is provided by fans powered by the solar panels. I suspect the building has a few other tricks up its sleeve.

During the course of the day everything went exactly to schedule. Transport by shuttle bus from car parks was provided. On arrival all guests were issued with clip-on nametags, colour coded for seating purposes - even handier for those with a dodgy memory. In the Buoy Hall the Chairman and Vice-Chairman, followed by the President of Ireland, addressed the gathering and made good, comprehensible speeches. e-Navigation, a term I think was used, would need some time to be pondered upon, however. The Plaque was unveiled and a gift made to the President. On completion of this ceremony a photo-shoot took place and the President then departed the Buoy Hall as she had arrived, on schedule.

Refreshments, which included great draught Guinness, were then served and people mingled freely, old colleagues and total strangers bumping into each other exchanging brief greetings or longer conversations. Faces were put on people who previously had been voices over the telephone.

At all times unfailing courtesy and attention were extended to all guests by members of the Board and Headquarters staff. The legion of caterers brought in for the day moved quietly and efficiently through the throng leaving no one short of finger food or their glass empty.

Tours of the Headquarters then commenced and, again, the contrast between the new building and the traditional office was striking. Administration stationed on one floor, workbenches and equipment on the next. Heavy lifting gear, buoys, and ships visible outside the windows. On board ship the old saying is 'oil and water don't mix'. It is true that oil and water don't mix but in conjunction they work perfectly well, otherwise no ship would ever sail the seas - Head Office is no more.

This new Headquarters is a place a worker somewhere on the west coast of Ireland can telephone in the knowledge that he is not speaking to someone located in a city street office whose view is obstructed by another office block or a passing An Lár bus. No, the west coast caller may be speaking to a kindred soul - one who's eye will sometimes catch the glint of sun on water and, perhaps, at the end of the lunch break leave some scraps for a hungry sea-gull! Raymond Wickham is Assistant Attendant of Tuskar Lighthouse. He joined Irish Lights as a Supernumerary Assistant Keeper in 1961.