Return to Saint John's Point - Ireland's Unusual Lighthouse
The distinctive yellow and black painted lighthouse is situated on the eastern end of Dundrum Bay in County Down, Northern Ireland and differentiated from most lighthouses that are decorated in the usual black and white or just white.
Not to be confused with Saint John's Point lighthouse in County Donegal; the unusually-coloured County Down lighthouse is one of the finest in Ireland with rocky foreshore, the Mourne Mountains in the distance and its bright colour adding to the appeal of the long drive into the peninsula on which it sits.
Saint John's Point has been in operation since 1844 and the light sits 37 metres above high water line, while the tower reaches 40 metres - although it doesn't feel too large with the expanse of Dundrum Bay, the Irish Sea and the characterful Mourne Mountains in the distance it is actually Ireland's tallest lighthouse.
I have made a few visits to the lighthouse this year and it is always a great location in good weather and bad. Now that's the secret of a good travel photographer, making the most of the weather.
The last visit I posted about on my Facebook page, see the post below, on the return visit I had a beautifully-bright September morning to deal with, calm conditions and I quickly set about scrambling over the inclined shaly and sandstone rocks to find an angle to photograph the lighthouse making use of the incoming tide. It is a longer trek than it looks when the ground underfoot is so difficult to walk over but always enjoyable!
Setting up the tripod with haste I had a few moments to get an image from the water's edge before five feet were soaked - that's my two feet and the Manfrotto tripod's three feet!
Saint John's Point recently featured in the last episode of BBC's Bloodlands, Series 2 starring local actor James Nesbitt.
In 2026 Saint John's Point Lighthouse has featured also on screen again, in Netflix's How To Get To Heaven From Belfast from Derry Girls writer Lisa McGee.
And here, from my latest visit with its light lit against the morning sky.
Panoramic Ireland create private photography experiences in County Down and throughout Ireland, for more information contact Darren here or have a look at the photography workshops page here.
Don't forget to stop by the Facebook page and say hello!
