We are an experienced and enthusiastic team local to Ballycotton.
Our skippers are very seasoned sailors and our guides passionately invested in sharing the legacy of the lighthouse and its narrative in Ballycotton.
It is our mission to share the rich history of the area, so join us and discover the past as we bring it alive for you through an enchanting retelling.
Very proud to be a lighthouse guide since the venture began in 2014. Its wonderful to be part of a great crew when each one is equally passionate on sharing the history of the island and lighthouse and protecting and improving it into the future. Always interested in promoting Ballycotton and the many great things it has to offer visitors. I volunteer with a very active local Tidy Town group and also join beach cleanups with Cleancoast Ballynamona when time allows. Sea swimming with a great bunch of pals is very important part of coastal life too. Looking forward to welcoming visitors when new season begins in spring….
Derry has been guiding visits to Ballycotton Lighhouse since the beginning. He has a had a fascination with the Lighthouse for many years. He has built up a store of knowledge on the Lighthouse, its keepers and their families over many years and is delighted to share his passion with visitors.
Growing up on the edge of Ballycotton Bay, looking out over the blue water to the green Island, with the Black Lighthouse on top and always wondering what went on out there.
Many Years later I found out what went on out there as I joined the Lighthouse service as a Lightkeeper and was posted to Baily Lighthouse on Howth head as a young SAK learning all about Lighthouse keeping. I was lucky enough during that time to be sent to Ballycotton.
Working on Ballycotton Lighthouse was so exciting as I was a local and I have fond memories of my time there. Now of course there are no longer any Lighthouse Keepers on the Lighthouse but Ballycotton Lighthouse is one of the Great lighthouses of Ireland open to the public and I am honored to be a Lighthouse guide there.
We have a wonderful team of people at Ballycotton who have a passion and knowledge of all things connected to the Lighthouse and we look forward to passing on all the information to our visitors.
Hello! My name is Hazel and I have been lucky enough to be a guide for Ballycotton Lighthouse since 2014, when the tours began.
It is the perfect job for me as it contains some of the things I enjoy most in life, namely, meeting new people, working outside, being in nature, and being on the ocean.
I am also very lucky to be working with an amazing team of guides who, like me are all so dedicated and who love the job just as much as I do. It means we are there for each other and we know we always have back up if its needed.
The last couple of years have been difficult for everyone, but for us it meant that more Irish people came to visit us on their staycations. It was especially nice to be able to share our beautiful village and Lighthouse with folks from inland counties, and to see the joy on their faces as we headed out on our beloved YASSY!
So I am really looking forward to seeing you all this summer, when hopefully we will be back on duty again.
I am John Ballycotton born and reared, being a tour guide allows me to share my passion for our iconic lighthouse and my beloved Ballycotton.
Iwona is a Pole who came to Ireland in 2021 and fell in love with the Ballycotton lighthouse. Iwona not only organized trips, but also became a guide for Polish groups. She is fascinated by sea adventures, not only lighthouse tours, but also fishing trips and excursions overlooking the bay. You can enjoy a tour in polish language every Saturday and Sunday at 4:30 pm
My infatuation with Ballycotton Lighthouse began when I was a child. My family would visit East Cork for the summer holidays each year. I have fond memories of spending long periods of time each night watching the beam from the lighthouse and counting the seconds until the light was visible on the sea again. I recall the excitement of seeing the lighthouse up close when we visited the village each day. Even though many years have passed since those wonderful summer holidays, I am still in awe of this beautiful structure each time I see it. After working as a teacher and a curriculum developer, I retired and moved to East Cork. I subsequently earned my National Tour Guide badge and I am very fortunate to work in a place that I have loved for so long. Being able to share the beauty and the history of Ballycotton Lighthouse with others really is a dream come true for me.
