Baily Lighthouse, Howth, County Dublin, Ireland

A longstanding light

The Irish Sea just off of Howth Head in County Dublin has long been notorious for shipwrecks, and a beacon has been planted on this promontory since the 17th century. Charles II commissioned the first, a simple square tower and coal-fired lamp. The next was built in 1814, a bit further south and set lower to avoid being obscured by fog. This is the lighthouse that still stands today, though with many improvements added over the years – it’s especially notable for being the first in Ireland to use a gas-powered beacon in the mid-19th century, and the last in the country to be automated, in 1996.