Lighthouse keepers from across the world assemble at Hook Head in County Wexford.
Former lighthouse custodians, their families and lighthouse enthusiasts gather at Hook Lighthouse in County Wexford for a three day programme commemorating the toils and tribulations of lighthouse keepers. The Hook Lighthouse is reputedly the world's oldest operational lighthouse.
For over 800 years Hook Lighthouse has been a beacon for fishing and sailing boats in notoriously treacherous waters.
But the job of a lighthouse keeper has become a thing of the past as,
All 75 lighthouses along our coast are now operated remotely.
Former lighthouse keepers, brothers Thomas (Tux) Tweedy and Nicholas Tweedy are keen to keep the memories alive.
As lighthouse keepers worked on different parts of the Irish coast, Tux Tweedy has colleagues he never met. For Nicholas Tweedy the gathering is a wonderful opportunity to,
Remember the keepers that have served in these lighthouses and that have passed away and to remember all the people who lost their lives in the waters around this peninsula.
Former keeper with the Northern Lighthouse Board Ian Duff served at 13 Scottish lighthouses. For him it was a way of life,
It’s just unfortunate that robots or robotic lifestyle, computer lifestyle overtook the way we lived or the way we worked.
Also attending the gathering is Chief Executive Officer of the Commissioners of Irish Lights Yvonne Shields O'Connor. She explains how the organisation was established under an act of the Grattan Parliament in 1786 and,
Continuity, reliability, quality is the very essence of what we do.
The Lighthouse Keepers' Global Gathering is at Hook Lighthouse, County Wexford from 13 - 15 September 2013.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 13 September 2013. The reporter is Damien Tiernan.
