Hook Lighthouse

The hooklighthouse is over 800 years old and the oldest intact operational lighthouse in the world.

“Fresh air and great sea views”. “On a recent 2 week holiday in Fethard we went to hook lighthouse. Wow……… the scenery is fab from the drive out right up to the top of the lighthouse. We went for a lovely walk along the cliff, Oh how i would to be able to do that walk daily. The tour was great, informative and not rushed”

Open to the public since 2001 the Hook Lighthouse and vistor centre are one of the premier visitor attractions in the south east. The Hook Lighthouse and vistor center are open all year round offering guided tours, the former lighthouse keepers hose now play’s host to the visitor facilities. Gift shop selling gifts of a nautical nature, Cafe serving homemade soup, sandwiches, various seafood options and fresh scones and cakes from our bakery, art workshops for adults and children are held at the Lighthouse all year round with resident artist Rose, Art exhibits and maritime displays, and Free WiFi available in the café area. Many festivals, events and family fun days take place at Hook Lighthouse which include our main Maritime Matters Festival held over the May bank holiday weekend, our Pirate Festival in July, our series of Summer Lectures, Heritage week Vintage Day, Ghostly Guided Tours, themed cookery demonstrations, historical re-enactments, charity fundraisers, themed art workshops and much more.

Relax by the Sea and keep an eye out for seals, dolphins and whales.

Click here to see reviews of Hook Lighthouse on Tripadvisor by previous visitors.

Located on the tip of the Hook Peninsula standing 35 meters high and keeping saliors safe since its creation in 1245, The light house was built on order of William marshal. The orginal size of hook lighthouse was 8 meters high and roughly 8.5 meters in diameter, with an open fire at the top serving as the beacon. The tower and its grounds was entrusted to the monks, who by then were associated with the Priory of Saint Augustine in Ross. By 1665 the rehabilitation of the light at Hook Head was ordered by King Charles II and the lighthouse was enlarged; an addition incorporating a spiral staircase had been added surrounding the old tower, and the height of the whole structure raised to 24m. By 1871 the source of the light had changed from oil lamps to coal gas then having vaporized paraffin taking over in 1911, and electricity in 1972. In 2001 the light was opened to the public as a tourist attraction after construction of an attached visitors’ center. In January 2011 The Hooks fog horn was heard for the last time as all the fog horns were turned off. It was felt that seeing that the technology on modern ships were so advanced that the fog horn was no longer required. In June 2011 the structure was placed first by Lonely Planet in its list of “Top 10 Flashiest Lighthouses”; the guide described Hook as “The great granddaddy of lighthouses”.