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Portsalon
(Port an Salainn)
Co Donegal
(A village in neighbouring Republic Of Ireland)
Fanad Head Lighthouse
A little history
The frigate "Saldana" was wrecked close to the area where the lighthouse was afterwards built. The only survivor was the ships parrot that apparently wore a silver collar with the ships name inscribed. Soon after the loss, Captain Hill of the Royal Navy in Derry, whose knowledge of these waters from Blacksod to Lough Foyle was second to none, wrote to one of the members of the Corporation's Board suggesting that a lighthouse should be placed on Fannet Point, as it was then called, and stressed that the sinking of the Saldana would never have happened if there had been a light at Fannet . With no hesitation the board approved Captain Hill's request and approached Trinity House, who gave the go-ahead for the lighthouse to be built in July 1814
Don't know what happened to the Parrot or his silver collar!
Light:
Fl (5) WR 20s. Nominal Range: White = 18 nautical miles, Red = 14 nautical miles.
Height of
Tower:
22 metres.
Height of
light above mean high water springs:
39 metres.
Page created,21, September, 2002
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