HRH The Princess Royal visits The Commissioners of Irish Lights
The Commissioners of Irish Lights was delighted to welcome HRH The Princess Royal to its Dun Laoghaire headquarters, the ILV Granuaile and to tour some of its lighthouses including the Baily Lighthouse, Rockabill and Kish Lighthouse.
The visit by The Princess Royal, in her role as Master of Trinity House marks the important, historic and ongoing relationships between the Lighthouse Authorities of Great Britain and Ireland. For over 150 years the Commissioners of Irish Lights has worked in an integrated partnership with Trinity House and the Northern Lighthouse Board. This active partnership sees the three authorities co-operating on a daily basis to deliver a range of services to ensure safe navigation around the Irish and UK coasts, meeting the Irish and UK governments’ obligations under the Safety of Life at Sea Convention.
Yvonne Shields O’Connor, Chief Executive, Irish Lights said: “It is a great privilege to welcome HRH The Princess Royal to Irish Lights. Not only have we a strong historical relationship with Trinity House and Northern Lighthouse Board, we have an essential day to day working relationship and warm ties of friendship. I am honoured to have this opportunity to showcase the vital work Irish Lights does, in particular with regard to providing essential safety services through the use of modern technology in visual and electronic navigation aids, as well as our Met and Coastal Data services. While our work is progressive and forward-focused, we are also immeasurably proud of our rich heritage and we are delighted that The Princess Royal’s visit has also included a trip to one of the very first lighthouses built by Irish Lights in 1814, the Baily Lighthouse. The Princess Royal is a great champion of the maritime sector and we appreciate her visit as a source of encouragement to our own work and in terms of strengthening the bonds between the three lighthouse authorities.”
During the visit, The Princess Royal met employees to learn more about Irish Lights’ operations and future plans at the Irish Lights headquarters in Dun Laoghaire. The Princess Royal was also shown the critical sea going activities of Irish Lights with a visit to the Granuaile, Irish Lights multi-functional vessel. In addition the Princess Royal visited some of Irish Lights’ most famous lighthouses including the Baily, Rockabill and Kish.
