The Baily Lighthouse was built in 1814 on a rocky promontory on Howth overlooking Dublin Bay. It was at this location that the Norse Vikings fled to regroup after the Battle of Clontarf in 1014 and was also the point where they boarded their longboats and left Howth for the last time after the Normans invasion in 1177. The lighthouse looks out over the main shipping channel between Dublin to Britain. Over the years hundreds of ships and thousands of lives have been lost to the sea, including The Dublin Packet Steamer in 1846 which ran into nearby cliffs. In 1667 it was decided to build a light signal here to warn ships of the danger at night. The Bailey Lighthouse as you see it today was built in 1814 and its tower stands 134 feet above the sea. A fog bell was later added in 1853 as a result of the Queen Victoria shipwreck where over 80 lives were lost. In 1996, the lighthouse was converted to automatic operation, and the last of ‘The Keepers’ left in 1997, making The Baily the last Irish lighthouse to go automatic.

This is a nice place to watch the sunrise or alternatively have an evening stroll around sunset or blue hour. My recommendation is to go via car and park directly here: at the The Summit Car Park 53°22'15.2"N 6°03'19.6"W