Blacksod Lighthouse

14/06/2026

Blue skies are back at Blacksod point...tour anyone ?

13/06/2026

🌊 Discover the Story of Blacksod Lighthouse – One of North Mayo’s Must-Visit Attractions! 🏛️⚓

Standing proudly on the rugged Atlantic coast, Blacksod Lighthouse is much more than a beacon for mariners – it is a gateway to the rich history, heritage, and stories of one of Ireland’s most remarkable coastal communities.

Join our guided tours and step inside this historic lighthouse, where our experienced guides bring the past to life. Hear fascinating tales of lighthouse keepers, maritime history, dramatic weather events, and the important role Blacksod played in local, national, and international history.

Your visit also offers a unique opportunity to discover the story of Blacksod village and the wider Erris region, from its resilient coastal community and rich cultural traditions to the people and events that helped shape this special corner of North Mayo.

Whether you're a history enthusiast, a lover of the sea, or simply looking for an unforgettable experience along the Wild Atlantic Way, Blacksod Lighthouse offers a journey through time in a spectacular coastal setting.

📍 Located at the edge of the Mullet Peninsula
🌊 Stunning Atlantic views
🏛️ Guided heritage tours
📖 Stories, history, and local culture brought to life

Come and experience one of North Mayo’s most iconic visitor attractions and discover why the story of Blacksod Lighthouse continues to captivate visitors from around the world.



Great Lighthouses of Ireland fans

13/06/2026

Its a busy month at the lighthouse with more to come

RTÉ Radio 1 is to partner with maritime organisation Irish Lights for a unique series of live broadcasts celebrating RTÉ 100 and the enduring power of late night radio.

09/06/2026

🌊✨ 160 YEARS OF BLACKSOD LIGHTHOUSE ✨🌊

Join us on Tuesday June 30th as we celebrate the 160th Anniversary of Blacksod Lighthouse — a landmark that has stood watch over the bay since 1866.

📍 Event Schedule

🕛 12pm – 4pm
Open Day at Blacksod Lighthouse

🎬 8:30pm
Film Screening at the SOLAS Centre

🕯 9:30pm – 10:30pm
“Carry the Light” Ceremony
Blacksod Lighthouse

Come and be part of a very special day of heritage, community, storytelling and remembrance as we honour 160 years of maritime history on the Erris coast.


Great Lighthouses of Ireland

06/06/2026

Did you know?
Blacksod Lighthouse resident keepers the Sweeney family were responsible for the delaying of the D-day landings due to weather observations sent from the nearby weather station in June 1944.What an amazing piece of history for Ireland never mind the world. In fact, the Erris Peninsula had a few war-related instances despite Ireland’s neutrality.
Find out more - https://bit.ly/BlacksodLH

06/06/2026

Today marks the 82nd anniversary of D-Day.

On June 6th 1944, thousands of Allied soldiers landed on the beaches of Normandy in one of the largest military operations in history. Many were very young men facing unimaginable conditions as they came ashore.

Today we remember those who lost their lives, those who were wounded, and all who took part in the Normandy landings.

At Blacksod Lighthouse, we also reflect on the role that weather observations from Blacksod played in the days leading up to D-Day.

04/06/2026

Once a weather station, always a weather station

This letter from 1922 is a fascinating reminder of the importance of Blacksod Point as a weather observation station.

At that time, Blacksod Lighthouse and its keeper were still expected to continue taking and recording weather observations. Even after major political change in Ireland, the value of Blacksod as a weather station clearly remained.

The station appears to have later moved from the lighthouse to the Post Office at Blacksod, probably sometime in the late 1920s or early 1930s, where it remained until the late 1940s. It was then moved back to Blacksod Lighthouse, where weather observations continued until 1956.

This long connection shows just how important Blacksod was in the eyes of the British authorities as a weather observation point. Its strategic position on the north-western edge of Ireland, facing directly into the Atlantic, made it an ideal location for monitoring incoming weather systems before they reached Britain and mainland Europe.

Today, weather information is still observed at Blacksod Lighthouse, although now it relates only to local conditions. These observations allow ground personnel to inform helicopter crews intending to land at the helipads at Blacksod Lighthouse.

Blacksod’s role in weather observation is one of the many remarkable chapters in the history of the lighthouse, its keepers, and the wider community.

With sincere thanks to the Commissioners of Irish Lights and their Archive Department for kindly providing access to these historic documents.


Great Lighthouses of Ireland

03/06/2026

Today, June 3rd, marks the 82nd anniversary of one of the most important weather observations ever recorded at Blacksod Weather Station.

On the morning of June 3rd 1944, Maureen Sweeney's 21st birthday, working as a weather observer at Blacksod Weather Station, transmitted a weather report from the edge of the Atlantic that would help alter the course of history.

Her observations showed that, rather than improving, atmospheric pressure was continuing to fall and a major storm system was deepening across the North Atlantic. These crucial reports were passed to Group Captain James Stagg, chief meteorological adviser to General Eisenhower and the Allied command.

As a result, the planned D-Day invasion of Normandy, scheduled for June 5th, was postponed. Further observations from Blacksod Weather Station on June 4th revealed that a short break in the storm would occur on the morning of June 6th, providing the narrow weather window needed for the invasion to proceed.

From the remote west coast of Mayo, Maureen Sweeney’s careful observations at Blacksod Weather Station played a small but significant role in one of the defining moments of the 20th century.

Today we remember her remarkable contribution and the vital role played by weather observers along Ireland’s Atlantic coast during World War II.

29/05/2026

To our American followers: the new film Pressure, which tells the story of the weather forecasting behind D-Day, has gone on general release in the United States as of yesterday.

The task facing the forecasters in June 1944 was almost impossible, and from what we are hearing, Blacksod — and Maureen Sweeney’s vital role in the final decision to launch the invasion on 6 June — does feature in the movie.

It is wonderful to see this remarkable Mayo story reaching a wider international audience.