Major event planned to mark 160th anniversary of Mayo landmark
The history-making Blacksod Lighthouse.
The 160th anniversary of the iconic Blacksod Lighthouse will be celebrated this June.
Planning is underway for the event which will mark 160 years since the light was first lit on June 30, 1866.
A commemorative programme is currently in development, including a series of events planned for the weekend of June 27 and 28, and a special event on the anniversary date itself, Tuesday, June 30.
From the early 1940s, Blacksod was used as a weather station, measuring atmospheric conditions and making regular reports to faraway forecasting facilities in Britain and the USA. The famous report made by Maureen Sweeney, prior to the D-Day landings in World War II, influenced General Dwight Eisenhower and changed the course of history forever.
Blacksod continues to serve the community, acting as a base for search and rescue operations. The helipad allows for swift evacuation in emergencies. Since May 2021, the lighthouse has been open to the public.
Fergus Sweeney, whose family manned the lighthouse for generations, is the Tourism Officer for SOLAS Visitor Centre and Blacksod Lighthouse Tours.
“It’s a real milestone for Blacksod Lighthouse”, Fergus told the Western People.
An open day is being planned and archive material relating to the lighthouse is being pulled together. It is hoped that some of the other Great Lighthouses of Ireland will be represented during the celebrations.
Further details of events will be released in the coming months as planning progresses.
