Work Information

A book that portrays the lighthouses guarding Ireland's coast, together with the histories and memories of their places.

Lighthouses of Ireland is a large-format illustrated book devoted to the lighthouses of the Irish coast. It describes their history, location, elevation, signals, and range while presenting the beauty of structures built to protect maritime travel. Shaped by the author's affection for lighthouses, it functions as both a reference work and a visually engaging guide.

Book Information

Publisher

The Collins Press

Published

2018-09-16

Pages

224 pages

Language

英語

Size

21.9 x 2 x 27.7 cm

ISBN-13

9781848893535

ISBN-10

1848893531

Price

7994 JPY

Category

洋書/Arts & Photography/Graphic Design/Commercial/Illustration

`I can think of no other edifice constructed by man as altruistic as a lighthouse. They were built only to serve.’ George Bernard Shaw Since ancient times, long before GPS, radio transmission or radar, lighthouses have served as beacons helping ships to navigate Ireland’s sometimes treacherous waters. The earliest lights were simply bonfires built on hillsides; in the fifth century, St Dúbhan established a brazier of burning wood or turf on the headland of Hy Kinsellagh (now known as Hook Head). Today, despite technological advances, these coastal icons continue to serve as crucial navigational aids for the maritime traffic of our island nation, from the smallest leisure crafts to cargo ships and trawlers. By day, they mark the way with their instantly recognisable appearances; at night, by the character of their signals. One flash every two seconds tells a sailor that they are near Valentia Island off the coast of Kerry. Four flashes every twenty seconds means that they are further north, approaching Loop Head in County Clare. As well as representing a unique part of our maritime history and built heritage, lighthouses are a powerful symbol of strength and resilience in times of darkness. This evokes an irresistible fascination with them in many people. Artist Roger O’Reilly grew up near the Boyne Estuary lighthouse in County Meath and ever since has associated a sense of peace and reassurance with the warm glow of lighthouse beacons. He has spent two years criss-crossing the country to draw dramatic portraits of these sentinels of our shores. Gathered in this extraordinary collection, each beloved landmark is accompanied by a wealth of practical and insightful information: history, location, elevation, signal and range. This spectacularly illustrated celebration of these architectural gems will be treasured by anyone who finds comfort, intrigue or excitement in the glimmer of a lighthouse through the darkness.

Roger O’Reilly grew up near the coast of Meath at Bettystown. He has worked in the media and movie business since the 1980s, producing illustrations and storyboards for advertisements and film productions such as Vikings , among others. In 2016, he started a new illustrative project, Irelandposters.ie, designing retro posters of Ireland in the style of the interwar railway advertisements. During this time, he started to illustrate some of Ireland’s south-eastern lighthouses as a side project. Once they were out in the public eye, he realized from the response that there is a tangible connection among people to these sentinels that guard our shores and before he knew it, he was off on a journey that had him criss-crossing the country illustrating the myriad lighthouses that dot our coastline.

Related Literary Awards

• Irish Book Awards Edition 16 (2018) ・Excellence Award