The Old Head Lighthouse
Site touristique

The Old Head Lighthouse

Irish lighthouses
Le phare de Old Head - ©Tourism Ireland photgraphed by John Miskelly

The Old Head Lighthouse is a 17th-century Irish lighthouse based on the Old Head peninsula in Kinsale. This magnificent lighthouse overlooks the Atlantic Ocean, offering a sumptuous panorama of the surrounding cliffs!

Visit the Old Head Lighthouse

A lighthouse lost in a postcard landscape!

Old Head Lighthouse - © makasana photo

Old Head Lighthouse – © makasana photo

The Old Head lighthouse is easy to recognize: it’s the only easily distinguishable point that stands out from the rest of the peninsula. With its white and black rings, it was automated in the late 1990s, and is still in operation today.

The lighthouse also boasts a number of outbuildings below, once used as living quarters by the lighthouse keepers. Nowadays, these are no longer in use, but can be visited by the general public (only during the summer months). A guide will introduce you to the history of the lighthouse and its patron, Robert Reading, who had it built in the 17th century.

One of the Old Head Lighthouse’s most interesting anecdotes is that it was the closest point to the RMS Lusitania liner as it sank in 1915.


Practical Guide

The Old Head Lighthouse

Essential information to help you plan your visit, including key landmarks, access information, and booking options.

Address

at the southern tip of Old Head, Kinsale (County Cork) - Republic of Ireland

GPS coordinates

51.604665, -8.533875

Opening hours

  • daily from 10.00 am to 5.00 pm

Check the opening hours and admission requirements before you leave, especially during peak season or on Irish public holidays.
Prices

  • 7€ per person

Location

The Old Head Lighthouse on the map

Where to stay?

Hotels and B&Bs nearby

Quelques adresses pratiques pour prolonger votre séjour et dormir près des sites à visiter.

Planning a trip? Download our free guide!

Free Ebook

Subscribe to our newsletter and receive our free ebook!

Discover the essentials of the country, its culture, history and must-see sights!