Mizen Head: Fog Signal Explosives and Irish Independence

At the extreme southwest corner of Ireland, Mizen Head is a wild and exposed place. It's home to a signal station and lighthouse, although the light is not housed in a tower but is merely a freestanding pillar at the western end of the buildings.

Mizen was originally established in 1909 as a fog signal station only. At the time, fog signals were made by detonating explosives at regular intervals. In 1920, the IRA raided the station and stole the explosives. As a result, all fog signals around the coast were stopped for four years because their safety could not be guaranteed.

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