By Hook or by Crooke October 5, 2006
We left Glendolough in a blustery rain and headed south toward the Hook Head Peninsula and its lighthouse 126 kilometers away. The drive over the two lane roads with farm and commercial traffic took several hours but we arrived at the light house by lunch time.
There was a gale blowing when we reached the old light and we made a dash from the car to the visitor’s office anxious to see if tours were being conducted during times of inclement weather. The ladies behind the counter smiled and said like the light itself we provide service in all weather.
A young lady, we think named Nave (spelling?) called us over at the assigned time and our group of 9 intrepid lighthouse devotees plunged forth into the rain and wind for the short walk to the stout cylindrical tower that stood on the very edge of terra firma. The platform at the top of the light towered above us and even as we walked there were rumblings of uncertainty about walking the platform in “this wind”. Once inside stone walls six to seven feet thick and the noise of the wind shut out by the heavy doors, Nave began her dialogue about the light house and its history. This was made more interesting by the fact that her grandfather and his brothers had been light keepers and she had been in the light when it was still manned before it was automated in 1996. A true love and knowledge of lighthouses showed through as she led us on the tour which made the experience that much more enjoyable.
The Hook Head Light was built in the 13th century and is the oldest working lighthouse in the world. There seems to be some disagreement about this statement but Nave assured us that this has now been verified. The light started its life as a coal fired light on an open platform that was tended by monks from a nearby monastery. This meant the monks constantly would carry numerous bags of coal on their shoulders up the 115 steps (36 meters or about 120 feet high) every night for hundreds of years. The light was changed to a lantern style light in the 17th century and then to a coal gas lantern in the 19th century. In 1911 the fuel was changed to paraffin which was pumped about 2/3 of the way up and then hand carried the rest of the way to the light mechanism. The light was converted to electricity in 1972. The lighthouse is unique in that it has three floors which the first two were used for the keeper’s quarters and the storage of fuel. One floor has cells which were used by the monks as their quarters and Nave told us that when she was little and visited the light the first floor was plastered and painted. At that time it contained furniture and a kitchen for the keeper and his family. Now all the walls are back to the bare stone. The walk on the platform was breezy and anything not securely attached to you was lost in a hurry. Small steps and tight grips on the railings kept us from being blown away and the walk outside was of short duration.
After our tour Nave kindly gave me a copy of the training sheets they use for the new guides for use in writing this blog. She is a very nice young lady and a credit to her profession.
One other note; There is another headland not far from Hook Head that was called Crooke Head. The ships would come in and pass either of the headlands so the expression “by Hook or by Crooke” began to be used.
After leaving the light we drove west crossing the Waterford Harbor on a small car ferry before continuing on toward Dungarvan looking all the while for a place to stay the night. We had decided to wing it for a few nights because of the flexibility the car affords us. We ended up driving to a small seaside village named Ardmore and the Round Tower Hotel. Ardmore is the oldest Christian settlement in Ireland and was founded by St. Declan in the 4th century. The round tower, similar to the tower at Glendolough, was built in the 12th century and overlooked the convent which is now the Round Tower Hotel. The rooms, although dated, are comfortable and with he rain starting again after a brief break this afternoon we are glad to be warm and dry inside.
There was a gale blowing when we reached the old light and we made a dash from the car to the visitor’s office anxious to see if tours were being conducted during times of inclement weather. The ladies behind the counter smiled and said like the light itself we provide service in all weather.
A young lady, we think named Nave (spelling?) called us over at the assigned time and our group of 9 intrepid lighthouse devotees plunged forth into the rain and wind for the short walk to the stout cylindrical tower that stood on the very edge of terra firma. The platform at the top of the light towered above us and even as we walked there were rumblings of uncertainty about walking the platform in “this wind”. Once inside stone walls six to seven feet thick and the noise of the wind shut out by the heavy doors, Nave began her dialogue about the light house and its history. This was made more interesting by the fact that her grandfather and his brothers had been light keepers and she had been in the light when it was still manned before it was automated in 1996. A true love and knowledge of lighthouses showed through as she led us on the tour which made the experience that much more enjoyable.
The Hook Head Light was built in the 13th century and is the oldest working lighthouse in the world. There seems to be some disagreement about this statement but Nave assured us that this has now been verified. The light started its life as a coal fired light on an open platform that was tended by monks from a nearby monastery. This meant the monks constantly would carry numerous bags of coal on their shoulders up the 115 steps (36 meters or about 120 feet high) every night for hundreds of years. The light was changed to a lantern style light in the 17th century and then to a coal gas lantern in the 19th century. In 1911 the fuel was changed to paraffin which was pumped about 2/3 of the way up and then hand carried the rest of the way to the light mechanism. The light was converted to electricity in 1972. The lighthouse is unique in that it has three floors which the first two were used for the keeper’s quarters and the storage of fuel. One floor has cells which were used by the monks as their quarters and Nave told us that when she was little and visited the light the first floor was plastered and painted. At that time it contained furniture and a kitchen for the keeper and his family. Now all the walls are back to the bare stone. The walk on the platform was breezy and anything not securely attached to you was lost in a hurry. Small steps and tight grips on the railings kept us from being blown away and the walk outside was of short duration.
After our tour Nave kindly gave me a copy of the training sheets they use for the new guides for use in writing this blog. She is a very nice young lady and a credit to her profession.
One other note; There is another headland not far from Hook Head that was called Crooke Head. The ships would come in and pass either of the headlands so the expression “by Hook or by Crooke” began to be used.
After leaving the light we drove west crossing the Waterford Harbor on a small car ferry before continuing on toward Dungarvan looking all the while for a place to stay the night. We had decided to wing it for a few nights because of the flexibility the car affords us. We ended up driving to a small seaside village named Ardmore and the Round Tower Hotel. Ardmore is the oldest Christian settlement in Ireland and was founded by St. Declan in the 4th century. The round tower, similar to the tower at Glendolough, was built in the 12th century and overlooked the convent which is now the Round Tower Hotel. The rooms, although dated, are comfortable and with he rain starting again after a brief break this afternoon we are glad to be warm and dry inside.
posted by Gary and Holly Davis @ 3:41 AM
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