Balbriggan Lighthouse Finds Benefactor
By Sue Clark on Jan 27, 2009 in News 
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But Fingal County Council Loses Him
Balbriggan Lighthouse in Balbriggan Harbor, near Dublin, Ireland, has been without its lantern room since sometime in the 1960s. The second oldest working lighthouse in Ireland, it sits on the east end of two limestone piers, still guarding watch over the entrance to the harbor, although with a much smaller light. It has been undergoing a push by the local residents and Trevor Sargent, the local T.D., to put a new dome on the top, but so far without any luck. Until recently. Just before Christmas, an anonymous benefactor stepped forward and offered to pay for the restoration in full. Except now he can’t be found.
According to a story at the Fingal Independent, the Fingal County Council says it has been unable to make contact with this generous person for quite some time, so the future of the lighthouse replacement done is in darkness. They told the Independent that they’d love to have him come forward again so they can meet with him to discuss the plans.
How Do You Lose Someone?
I can certainly understand the desire for someone to remain anonymous, but it would also seem the council would have gotten some kind of contact information. Just because he wanted to remain anonymous to the public, doesn’t mean that his name and contact information couldn’t have been given privately.
So in the meantime, while the council puts out feelers in the local newspaper, the lighthouse is due to get a paint job. And there are plans to remove the sunken boat for safety reasons. If you look closely in the photo above (click to enlarge), you can see the partly submerged wreck to the right.
About Balbriggan
The lighthouse was built in 1761, of tapered profile on a circular plan. It has a cast-iron railed walkway supported by console surrounding lantern. Access is through an adjoining single-bay single-story building with steps up to entrance level. It is flanked by rubble stone walls.
The lighhouse has two plaques reading “This pier was built by the Honourable George Hamilton of Hampton in the county of Dublin Third Baron of His Majesty’s count of the Exchequer in Ireland whose great object in life was to promote the trade and prosperity in His country ann.dom.1761″
“Erected by people of Balbriggan in proud & loving memory of their townsman Patrick Joseph Hanley aged 29 years who from near this spot on the night of August 24th 1957 at the height of a violent storm set out, alone, in a sam boat to the rescue of two friends whom he believed in peril in the outer sea and in this endeavour lost his own life.”Greater love than this, no man hath/that a man lay down his life for his friends John 15,13.”
And if you’re wondering what a T.D. is, here’s an explanation from the Citizens Information Board in Ireland:
A TD (Teachta Dála) can be a member of a Government party, the Opposition or may sit as an independent TD. A TD represents everyone who is entitled to vote within his or her constituency. In other words, a Representative.
Anyway, I certainly hope the benefactor comes forth. Perhaps he’ll read it in the news and remember what he promised. Of course, he may have been celebrating Christmas a little early and was just a little more generous than he intended. Or woke up the next morning and completely forgot about it.
And if not him, perhaps some other will step forward.
Photo Credit: Balbriggan Lighthouse by Leo980. Some rights reserved.
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