Brow Head and How it Seduced Star Wars and Marconi

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Many visit Mizen Head down the southerly reaches of Ireland but don’t realise that the nearby headland, Brow Head is 9 m further south! We explored this dramatic headland,wild seas and sky. Its beauty and majesty were filmed earlier this year to be featured in the upcoming Star Wars movie.

brow-head

This area can easily outclass its rival of Mizen Head which sits across the water from Brow Head. The sheer chasm of cliff and coastline below with the jagged rocks are vertigo inducing, but wildly beautiful.This area was pivotal in the birth of 21st century telecommunication. Marconi came here in 1901 and used the derelict signal tower to experiment with radio communication across the Atlantic. He was successful in his endeavours, sending the first message to St John’s, Newfoundland in Dec 1901.

Walking on the stunning Barleycove beach.
Walking on the stunning Barleycove beach.

The area was also manned by British forces from Napoleonic era through to the late 19th century. They had a system of flags and boat signals to communicate with any potential French or Spanish who they deemed as a threat. The views from the headland span from Mizen to Cape Clear and also Fastnet lighthouse, dubbed the ‘Teardrop of Ireland’ as it was often the last place Irish emigrants saw before leaving for America.

The fancy bridge at Barleycove.
The fancy bridge at Barleycove.

Our day was far from done after this epic walk. We sunned ourselves on the glorious Barleycove Beach. This beach was formed after a tidal wave hit the coast in 1755. It was the result of a tsunami caused after an earthquake in Lisbon. The area is also notable for its Special Area of Conservation as the dunes are important habita for nesting birds and insects.

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