Fanad Head

Fanad Head is an Irish lighthouse located on the Fanad Peninsula in County Donegal. It was built in 1818 in response to the sinking of the frigate at Lough Swillly Saldanah in 1804. It is situated on a green spit of land, facing the fury of the ocean. A magnificent site, well worth a little stop!

Visit Fanad Head Lighthouse

An Irish lighthouse lost in the middle of the wild coast!

Situated 22 metres above the sea, Fanad Head Lighthouse is an imposing lighthouse, impossible to miss with its white facades, which contrast superbly with the lush green expanses around it, the rock of the cliffs and the dark blue of the sea in the distance.

Fanad Head is set in a dramatically romantic, storm-ravaged setting, living in harmony with the climate, wind, Irish wilderness, and the repeated assaults of the swell.

The lighthouse has the peculiarity of being equipped with 9 lamps lighting a deep red light towards the sea, and a fixed bright light towards the lake or on the harbour. It can be seen on a clear day at a distance of more than 14 nautical miles, and helps to guide thousands of boats each year trying to reach the Irish coast.

Still in operation, the lighthouse is inhabited full time by a lighthouse keeper. It is possible to admire it from the outside, but not to visit its rooms.

But don’t be disappointed: the outside alone is really worth the detour. It must be said that the coastal landscape is sublime with this lighthouse, and offers a typically Irish view!

So much more to discover...