The history of Ballygillane Little can be traced through several distinct buildings: a lighthouse, a coastguard station, a lighthouse keeper’s residence, a lifeboat house and a farmhouse. The dates range from the building on Ballygillane Lane, which was already there in 1840, to the lifeboat house, which was still standing in 1911. In between are Tuskar Dwellings, dating from 1890, and the Rosslare Harbour Coastguard Station, built in 1892; 1906 is the year the lighthouse was commissioned. Anyone interested in coastal and architectural history will find several concrete points of interest in Ballygillane Little.
Lighthouse and Coastal Buildings
The Ballygillane Little lighthouse was commissioned in 1906 and built by the Fishguard and Rosslare Railways and Harbours Company. Architecturally, it is a detached, single-storey lighthouse with a shaft in two sections on a circular plan. The year of commissioning and the building’s form answer different questions: 1906 dates the commission, while the two sections and circular plan describe the structure’s shape.
The Rosslare Harbour Coastguard Station was built in 1892. It is a detached, six-bay, two-storey building with an L-shaped plan, overlooking Rosslare Harbour. In plan, the L makes a clear contrast with the lighthouse’s circular form. The station is also an important part of the late nineteenth-century built heritage in the south of County Wexford.
Residential and Everyday Buildings
Tuskar Dwellings was built in 1890 as a residence for lighthouse keepers and is now disused. It was designed by William Douglass (1831–1923), engineer to the Commissioners of Irish Lights. Tuskar Dwellings is one of four houses in a continuous row. Its former residential use, credited designer and place within a row of four houses are all part of its story.
The lifeboat house on Saint Martin's Road was still standing in 1911. It is described as a detached, single-storey, gable-fronted building with one bay. It is an important part of the early twentieth-century built heritage in the south of County Wexford.
A building on Ballygillane Lane was already there in 1840. It is a detached, four-bay, single-storey, thatched farmhouse with a lobby-entry plan and half-dormer. As an important example of vernacular heritage in the south of County Wexford, it differs from the coastal buildings in its function as a farmhouse. The technical terms complement each other: the lobby-entry plan describes the layout, while the half-dormer describes the roof section.
County Wexford as a Wider Travel Destination
County Wexford offers other distinctive cultural attractions. The Irish National Heritage Park is a 35-acre open-air museum with 16 reconstructed sites. It offers activities, reconstructions, workshops and courses for visitors of all ages.
Hook Lighthouse stands at the tip of the Hook Peninsula in County Wexford. Guided tours there tell 800 years of lighthouse history. If you plan to take a tour, check the current booking details in advance, as requirements may change. Tintern Cistercian Abbey offers a different historical perspective: it was founded around 1200 by William, Earl Marshal, is situated in a special area of conservation and is surrounded by woodland with walking trails.
Ferns Castle stands in Ferns, County Wexford, and was built around 1200 by William, Earl Marshall. The Ferns Tapestry is another form of cultural heritage: it is 15 metres long and consists of 25 panels. These two examples illustrate different ways of engaging with history, from a building to a visual depiction.
Discover more destinations: Enniscorthy, Duncormick, Carne, Gorey, Saint Helen's, Wexford, Newbawn, Kilmuckridge.
For the broader travel overview: County Wexford.
