Category: IH News 2025

Per the Belfast Telegraph, the on off saga of the Commissioners of Irish Lights proposals to modernise the lighting arrangements in St. John’s Point Lighthouse in Co. Down continues, with local residents objecting to the replacement of the fundamentally unsafe mercury based rotation mechanism and light with LED lights and a ball bearing based rotation mechanism, citing a range of spurious arguments against this.

There are many examples of former lighthouse lights preserved as static exhibits in adjacent (and non adjacent) areas and I would suggest that if the local community wish to have a known toxin in their community, they should be facilitated to have the mechanism preserved at a site in the community in the community/council ownership, with all the associated civil liability for same on the community/council if the mercury leaks.

Armaghi.com reports on a refusal to grant planning permission to convert a former reservoir in Banbridge into a house.

The applicant had sought to construct a new build house above ground and incorporate the former reservoir into the structure as a basement.

Storm Éowyn has taken a toll on the Elphin Windmill in Co. Roscommon.

The Roscommon Herald reports that the storm has ripped the wooden sails off the windmill.

No, not an evening in a rural Irish pub (I am teetotal).

RTE (and others) are reporting that Diageo, owners of the Guinness brand since 1997, are exploring a spin off of the iconic Irish brand as a stand alone entity.

After a false start in October 2024, when the parent company of H&W was placed into administration (but not the Belfast shipyard nor its 3 sister companies), the BBC reports that H&W has now been placed into administration as part of the process of the companies being taken over.

The Waterford News website reports on the creation of a mural in Portlaw, Co. Waterford, which celebrates the industrial heritage past of the town, which was a mill town associated with the cotton mill of the Malcomson family.