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Buncrana lighthouse sold for €5
16.04.09
by Damian Dowds, Inishowen Independent
BUNCRANA Town Council snapped up the bargain of the
century when it acquired the old lighthouse recently
removed from Buncrana Pier for the princely sum of
€5.
The lighthouse, which dates from the early 1850s,
was acquired from the Commissioners from Irish
Lights and the Town Council hopes that the Buncrana
and West Inishowen Historical Committee and the Tidy
Towns Committee can obtain funds to restore and
preserve it for future generations.
“It’s an important part of Buncrana’s maritime
heritage and we want to see it restored and located
in a prominent place in or around the town,” said
Peter Gurrie, chairman of the historical committee
said. “It’s a cherished landmark and our committee,
as well as, I’m sure, the local community, would
like to see it restored.” |
“That lighthouse has
seen an awful lot of history, from the Laurentic
sailing out of the Swilly on its ill-fated final
voyage to the fleets of herring fishing boats
landing their catch at the pier,” said local
historian Thomas ‘the Miller’ Doherty. “I don’t
think that it should have been removed from the
pier, but at least it has been salvaged and will now
be preserved.”
While the final decision will most likely be made by
the Town Council, possible locations suggested for
the restored lighthouse include the Market Square,
Ludden, and near the shoreline behind the Drift Inn.
The Buncrana and West Inishowen |
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Historical Committee is
making an application for LEADER funding to restore
the lighthouse to its former glory.
Over the years many different men served as
lighthouse keepers. Initially, it was powered by a
paraffin lamp and subsequently by a carbide-to-water
generator before it was electrified in the 1950s.
Meanwhile, the next public meeting of the Buncrana
and West Inishowen Historical Society is on
Thursday, 23 April in Buncrana Public Library where
Peter Gurrie will give a presentation on the history
of Fahan, Buncrana and Lough Swilly. All are welcome
to attend. |
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