Barrack Point Lighthouse, County Cork

Sherkin Island, or Inis Arcáin is a small island sitting in Roaringwater Bay off Ireland’s southwest coast. The island guards one side of the entrance to Baltimore harbour. The diminutive lighthouse was built in 1885 and is maintained by the Baltimore harbour Commissioners. On the opposite shore is the Baltimore beacon or “Lot’s wife” as it’s locally known, resembling as it does a pillar of salt. The two markers help mariners avoid shoals, rocks and obstacles that sound like they come from an old book about pirates – Lousy rock, Toe Head, Loo rock and Ransome point among others.

Of course Baltimore famously was sacked by Barbary pirates back in the 17^th Century. The attack was led by a Dutch captain, known as Murad Reis. The corsairs struck the remote village on the night of June 20, 1631. Their raid took 109 villagers, half of them children, and transported them in chains to far-away Algiers. It was the largest ever attack by Barbary pirates on Ireland or Great Britain. Many of the prisoners were destined to live out their days as galley slaves, while others would spend long years in harems or as laborers. At most three of them ever saw Ireland again.

In the aftermath of the raid, the remaining settlers moved to Skibbereen, and Baltimore remained virtually deserted for generations.

Location:     51 28.3542 North, 9 23.6855 West.

Elevation:    40 m

Character:   Gr Fl, 6s, 2 flashes, 0.3s flash, 1.4s eclipse,

Range:          R: 6 km, W: 11 km