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Ireland’s Hook Lighthouse is the oldest continuously operating lighthouse in the world. The tapering headland of Hook Head is in the southwestern part of County Wexford, on the southeast coast of Ireland below Dublin. In the fifth century, a monastery was established on the peninsula. According to tradition, the early monks from the monastery erected a beacon that burned fire to warn mariners away from the dangerous rocks on the Hook peninsula. A more substantial lighthouse tower was built around the year 1200. The tower was constructed of local limestone and it stands four stories high with walls up to 13 feet thick.

The light was automated in 1996 and the last light keepers were removed. The old keepers’ houses were turned into a visitor center and the light station was opened to the public in 2001. There’s also a café on the site.

Noel Lynch is a tour guide and entertainer at the Hook Lighthouse.

We’re posting both the usual audio version of this episode and also video of the interview.

The video version of the interview is below.

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