Christmas opening for €2m lighthouse bridge

A €2 MILLION footbridge connecting Mizen Head to the most south-westerly lighthouse in Ireland is likely to be completed by Christmas.

County engineer Noel O’Keeffe, who visited the area yesterday, said he was very happy with progress achieved by contractor Irish Enco, despite the fact they lost 13 days due to bad weather earlier in the year.

“We started construction last November and it was envisaged the new bridge would be ready by next January. But now we are hopeful it will be completed by Christmas,” Mr O’Keeffe said.

He described the project as 60% complete and it is being funded by Fáilte Ireland, Cork County Council and the Commissioners for Irish Lights.

The new structure will replace the existing arched foot bridge linking the Cork mainland to Mizen Head Lighthouse on Cloghane Island.

The lighthouse hit the headlines in 1986 when former taoiseach Charlie Haughey was rescued by Baltimore Lifeboat after his yacht Celtic Mist hit the treacherous rocks around the head on a passage from Dingle to Dublin.

The old bridge was deemed unsafe in 2005 by the Commissioners for Irish Lights, which has responsibility for the coastal landmark.

Temporary works costing €100,000 were carried out at the time by Cork County Council to extend the life of the bridge by a further five years.

Mr O’Keeffe said until the work was complete the public wouldn’t be able to use the bridge.

“Only construction staff can go on the bridge. It would be too dangerous for the public,” he said.

Close to 60,000 tourists visit the nearby Mizen Head Signal Station Centre every year.