Description
Fanad Peninsula, County Donegal, Ireland
For every new camera I’ve bought over the years ‘Fanad Head Lighthouse’ is my chosen spot for the first tester shots. Keeping with personal tradition I arrived with my new Nikon D850’ buzzing with excitement. Instead of going straight for the famous postcard scene photograph of this lighthouse, I climbed down to the lower rock face to this little rock pool oasis. It always makes me visualise a scene from a distant planet because of its colours & the high jagged rocks surrounding it. As you now know I’m “over the moon” with my new camera & cannot wait to get around all the new locations, in which I plan to bring you fresh scenes from throughout 2020 & beyond ☘️
Fanad Head Lighthouse was conceived as essential to seafarers following a tragedy which happened over 200 years ago. In December 1811 the frigate ‘Saldanha’ sought shelter from a storm. Sailing towards ‘Fanad’ as she frantically fought the raging wind and waves. Sadly, reaching the shore safely never happened and the ship was wrecked off the northern coast with all 250+ men on board.
Believe it or not the ship’s captain ‘William Pakenham’ & his pet parrot made it safely to shore! But reportedly he died soon afterwards by the shock of ‘Poitin’ (Alcohol) poisoning which given to him by helpful locals. The poor parrot also met a sad end a week later when a local gamekeeper seen it in his garden. Unfortunately he didn’t know what it was so he panicked & shot it ? Some people only think they have bad luck….
Soon after this tragedy the ‘Fanad Head Lighthouse’ was built to help guide ships and sailors safely on their journeys. Still in operation to this day, standing on a rocky outcrop on north Donegal’s Wild Atlantic Way blinking its guiding light out to sea to aid ships past its inviting yet deceiving rocky waters.
