Howth in County Fingal, Leinster, Ireland — Mid-East (and Dublin)
Howth The Village / Binn Éadair ______
The Fingal Way / Sli Fhine Gall
A Fishing Village
References to the fishing industry in Howth can be found from the twelfth century, although in the seventeenth century the port was also known in the area as a base for pirates roaming Dublin Bay. In Elizabethan times a wooden quay was built but as vessel size increased the importance of Howth for goods and passenger traffic declined. In the nineteenth century various plans were put forward for a harbour at Howth and in 1807 construction commenced using stone quarried locally at Kilrock. In 1818 Howth became the mail station for Dublin and offered the shortest journey to Holyhead in Wales by steam packet boat.
At the peak of the fishing industry in the 1970s, there were over 200 full-time fishermen based at Howth Harbour. Important species in recent decades have included cod, whiting, herring and Dublin Bay prawns. The lighthouse at the end of the pier was built in 1817-1818. Howth Harbour was the site of the landing of the Asgard in 1914, which brought arms to aid in the 1916 Rising.
Ireland's Eye
Ireland's Eye is home to gannets, puffins, peregrine falcons and cormorants. A seal colony with as many as fifty grey seals breed on ‘Thulla’ the small island southeast of Ireland's Eye and common seals can often be seen in Howth Harbour. A small group of harbour porpoises can be seen in the shallow waters between the east pier and Ireland's Eye. Minke whales are also seen occasionally.
[Gaelic transcription follows]
Sráidbhaile lascaigh
Déantar tagairt do thionscal an iascaigh i mBinn Éadair ón dara haois déag ar aghaidh, cé go raibh cáil ar an gcalafort sa cheantar sin mar bhunáit i gcomhair foghlaithe mara ag dul thart faoi Chuan Átha Cliath. In aimsir Bhanríon Éilis, tógadh cé adhmaid ann, ach, de réir mar d'éirigh árthaigh níos mó, mhaolaigh ar thábhacht Bhinn Éadair maidir le trácht earraí agus paisinéirí. Sa naoú haois déag, cuireadh chun tosaigh pleananna éagsúla maidir le port i mBinn Éadair agus cuireadh tús lena thógáil i 1807, inar úsáideadh cloch bainte as cairéal Chill Chloch, atá in aice láimhe. Sa bhliain 1818, rinneadh priomhstáisiún poist Átha Cliath de Bhinn Éadair agus í ag tairiscint an bealach ba ghiorra le galbhád poist chuig Holyhead na Breataine Bige.
Agus tionscal an iascaigh i mbarr a réime sna 1970í, bhí os cionn 200 iascaire lánaimseartha bunaithe i bPort Bhinn Éadair. I measc na spéiceas tábhachtacha atá á dtabhairt i dtír ann le blianta beaga anuas tá, trosc, faoitín, scadán agus piardán Chuan Átha Cliath. Tógadh an teach solais ag ceann na cé i 1817-1818. Ba i bPort Bhinn Éadair a tháinig an tAsgard i dtír i 1914, a thug airm isteach chun cabhrú le hÉirí Amach na Cásca i 1916.
Inis Mac Neasáin
Ionad cónaithe i gcomhair gainéad, puifíní, fabhcún agus cailleacha dubha. Tá pobal rón glas ara thart faoi leathchéad a líon ag pórú ar Thulla, an t-oileáinín beag thoir theas ó Inis Mac Neasáin agus is minic róin bheaga le feiscint i bPort Bhinn Éadair. Bíonn radharc ar phobal beag de mhuca mara san uisce éadomhain idir an ché thoir agus Inis Mac Neasáin. Uaireanta, bíonn radharc ar dhroimeitigh bheaga, chomh maith.
————
“Aoibhinn bheith i mBinn Éadair,
fírbhinn bheith ós a bánmhuir,
cnoc lánmhar longmhar líonmhar,
beann fhíonmhar fhonnmhar ághmar.”
Dán ó thús Ré na Criostaiochta, a leagtar ar Naomh Colm Cille.
Poem from the Early Christian period attributed to St Colmcille.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Communications • Environment • Industry & Commerce • Man-Made Features • Patriots & Patriotism • Settlements & Settlers • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1807.
Location. 53° 23.33′ N, 6° 4.325′ W. Marker is in Howth, Leinster, in County Fingal. Marker is at the intersection of Harbour Road (Road 105) and West Pier Entrance, on the left when traveling east on Harbour Road. Touch for map. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 6 kilometers of this marker, measured as the crow flies. The Ready Boat Pillar (within shouting distance of this marker); Lost At Sea (about 210 meters away, measured in a direct line); Howth Abbey, St. Marys / "Mainistir" Bhinn Éadair (approx. 0.4 kilometers away); St Mary's Church / Eaglais Mhuire (approx. 0.4 kilometers away); The Lord Killanin (approx. half a kilometer away); Balscadden House (approx. one kilometer away); The Southern Cross Monument (approx. 6 kilometers away); The Velvet Strand / An Trá Chaoin (approx. 6 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Howth.
Also see . . . Howth Harbour Panorama. (Submitted on February 1, 2010.)
Credits. This page was last revised on January 2, 2020. It was originally submitted on January 31, 2010, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 1,826 times since then and 15 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. submitted on February 1, 2010.