The Irish village of Howth (Co. Dublin) boasts a major historical monument. The MartelloTower dates back to 1805. Built to watch over the village port, Ireland’s Eye and the open sea, it is a vestige of the conflict between Great Britain and Napoleon Bonaparte.
Howth Martello Tower – landhere – cc
Howth’s Martello Tower is just a stone’s throw from the village harbour, near St Mary’s church. It takes the form of a wide, round tower, and was once used by the British to post guards to keep watch over the surrounding area. At the time, the British feared a possible Napoleonic invasion of Ireland: that’s why the Irish island has many similar Martello towers, scattered all over its coastline. There are 21 such towers in the Dublin area, some of them in a sorry state of disrepair.)
This is not the case with Howth’s Martello Tower, which has been carefully preserved. Very imposing, it is in perfect condition, with excellent build quality.
The tower was built from local stone. The door was built 3 meters above the ground, a decision taken to make it difficult for would-be attackers to gain access to the tower (defenders simply had to remove the ladder to make their tower impregnable).
It offers breathtaking views of the sea and Ireland’s Eye, an island opposite Howth, which itself boasts another Martello tower.
Today, the tower has been converted into a museum dedicated to the history of radio. The venue features a fine exhibition of vintage radios, dating from the 1900s to the present day. A fascinating museum for lovers of Irish history and technology!
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