Ballycotton Lighthouse

About

Ballycotton Lighthouse is an active 19th century lighthouse positioned on Ballycotton Island, east of Ballycotton, County Cork, on the south coast of Ireland. The lighthouse, which is maintained by the Commissioners of Irish Lights, is described by the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage as "a significant addition to the historical record and maritime heritage of Ireland". It is one of only a handful of lighthouses in the world painted black, which was chosen to distinguish it from Capel Island's (unlit) beacon. Capel Island is where the lighthouse was initially to be located, but ultimately a decision was made to build it on Ballycotton Island. It is also one of few examples of lighthouses featuring some of the lower panes made of red glass with the consequence that ships approaching too close to land may be warned by an apparent change of colour.

Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Photography via Wikimedia Commons.