History - Lightships
The Gannet
The ship on No 4 berth is the
Lightvessel Gannet, which is owned by
The Commissioners of Irish Lights.
This is the last of three automated Lightships, (officially referred to as lightfloats since they are automated), which were rotated between two lightfloat stations South Rock and Coningbeg while the third was a spare awaiting or undergoing refit.
The other two vessels were Kittiwake and Skua which have since been retired.
Gannet was last placed on the South Rock station; which is why the name of that
station is painted on the vessel's side. She has now been permanently withdrawn and has been replaced with a Superbuoy:
www.cil.ie/sh615x4036.html
In the 1960s The Commissioners of Irish Lights had a fleet of 15 lightvessels. Each vessel had to be dry-docked, refitted and overhauled every two years so they were rotated between stations as refitting was due. This means a succession of different lightvessels would have been placed on each station.
The Gannet is now for sale
You will find more details on the Commissioners of Irish Lights Service on website www.cil.ie
Published: 25 February 2009
South Rock Lightfloat
The South Rock Lightfloat was permanently withdrawn from station and replaced by a port-hand lateral superbuoy at 1130 today, 25 February 2009. A lightship was first established at the South Rock on the 1st April 1877, replacing the lighthouse which had been established in 1797. The lightship was automated and redesignated as a lightfloat, and the crew was withdrawn on 31 March 1982. The South Rock Lightfloat is the last lightfloat in the Service. You can read about the South Rock Lighthouse at http://www.cil.ie/sh615x4036.html
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