Ardglass Pier Lighthouse

Ardglass is a coastal fishing village in Northern Ireland. It has eight archaeological sites. Ardglass which in ancient Irish Gaelic dialect is “Ard Ghlais” means “green heigh.” Its name hails from a time when the sea surrounded the green marshes of the ancient city. It once had a monastery founded by St. Patrick. In 1813, William Ogilvie established a harbor and built a lighthouse in Ardglass. A great storm destroyed the lighthouse in 1838. The current Ardglass Pier Lighthouse was constructed between 1885-1886 and became operational in 1887. Ardglass is now a popular seaside resort and commuter center for Belfast. I visited Ardglass during a tour of Ireland Lighthouses with John Eagle. When I booked my tour, I told John that I would like to sketch lighthouses. He graciously adapted the tour to include lighthouses that weren’t on his original itinerary to help me reach my goal. After having lunch in Ardglass, we were given a few minutes to view the lighthouse. Ardglass Pier Lighthouse stands at the end of a long winding pier. I quickly walked along the fortified pier to reach Ardglass Pier Lighthouse. The red door, steps and broad base of the lighthouse immediately captured my imagination.