Ireland is an island, and lighthouses were once essential in preventing shipwrecks along the rocky coast, The New York Times reminds us in a beautiful Travel piece.

“The golden age of lighthouse construction in the country was in the mid-19th century; between the 1830s and 1860s alone over 40 lighthouses were built. They thrived for more than a century, but technology changed and automation spread. In 1997, the Baily in Howth Head, in County Dublin, was the final lighthouse to be automated.”

The story explores how these historic landmarks are finding new life with the help of the Great Lighthouses of Ireland, a tourism trail introduced in 2015 that highlights 12 exceptional examples from all around the island, both sides of the border. Watch their video:

https://youtu.be/C1rVBnDe4u4