Mizen Head Signal Station

The Mizen Head Signal Station sits at the end of the Mizen peninsula near Goleen in County Cork and is regarded as the most south-westerly point of Ireland; the southernmost point of the mainland is nearby Brow Head. The Irish Lights signal station opened in 1906 and was automated in 1933, though three keepers stayed on rotation until 1993. Today it is a museum on the site's role in shipping and communications, including Guglielmo Marconi. On the mainland there is a visitor centre with exhibitions on local history, ecology and the building of the Fastnet lighthouse, plus a café and ample parking.

A bridge crosses the deep chasm to the station; it is 45 m high and was extensively restored in 2005. The original access route has 99 steps, now supplemented by paths and viewing platforms. To get there, take the N71 from Bantry or Skibbereen, then the R591 to Goleen and follow Mizen Head Drive to the end of the peninsula. Without your own vehicle the place is hard to reach. It is open daily from April to October and on some weekends outside those months; check the times in advance.