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Hook Lighthouse – Festivals & Events 2022
January 2022
New Year Sunrise Breakfast
January 1 – 7.30 am
Enjoy the first Sunrise of the year from the tip of the Hook Peninsula on a special Sunrise breakfast at Hook Lighthouse. Visitors will be welcomed to the Lightkeepers Café where a special breakfast menu will be on offer – with a fresh bucks fizz to celebrate and you enjoy the spectacular views of the rolling seas stretching before you.
You can pre-book by calling 051 397055
Tours of the Tower will also be on offer from 9.30am
February 2022
Imbolc Festival
Sat 5th & 6th
Hook Lighthouse will celebrate Imbolc, a traditional Gaelic festival marking the beginning of spring, also the feast of St. Bridget, a fire goddess & the patron saint of boatmen, sailors, and mariners. The weekend’s festivities will include outdoor games, storytelling sessions, a wishing tree Imbolc ceremony and seed planting for families (don’t forget to bring some old egg cartons!) Family fun and entertainment and of course Art with Rose.
On Saturday evening an exclusive ticketed Sunset Tour and Food Experience will also be on offer. Advance booking essential, tickets €60.
Pre-book at www.hookheritage.ie or call 051 397055
Valentine’s at Hook Lighthouse
February 13th & 14th
Sitting at the tip of breathtaking Hook Head in County Wexford the world’s oldest intact working lighthouse is offering couples the chance for seaside romance this Valentine’s Day with a tour for €10, a family tour ticket is also on offer for the same fee for Feb 13th and 14th
Delicious dessert sharing platters will also be on offer at the café.
The guided your will focus on the greatest love story of Medieval times featuring Isabel de Clare and William Marshal.
March 2022
St. Patrick’s Day at Hook Lighthouse
March 17th
Celebrate all that is uniquely Irish at hook Lighthouse this St. Patrick’s Day … from a green theme in the café and the celebration of Paddy’s… yes, that’s right, if your name is Patrick, Pat, Paddy or Patricia you can enjoy access to a free Lighthouse tour on St. Patrick’s Day and enjoy snake hunts at 2 pm and 3 pm on the lighthouse lawns!
Mother’s Day at Hook Lighthouse
Sunday March 27th
We know how hard all you wonderful mums work day in and day out and to honour you we are delighted to welcome all mammies on Mother’s Day and offer you access to a free tour on the day and we have some delicious dessert platters on offer on the day plus a free mini dessert for mum with any hot beverage purchased!
April 2022
Easter Sunday & Easter Monday
April 17th & 18th
Hook Lighthouse presents family fun games and entertainment this Easter Bank Holiday weekend ….arghhhh and of course lots of chocolatey treats. Enjoy fun and games on the lawns with the Pirate Princess and her pirate crew – a Treasure Quest will be the order of the day and if the kids get it wrong – mum has to walk the plank! Easter arts and craft sessions with our resident artist Rose will also be on offer.
May 2022
Shine A Light Festival – May Bank Holiday in association with Great Lighthouses of Ireland
Apr 30th May 2nd
Celebrating all things nautical on the grounds of Hook Lighthouse the festival showcases the work of the Irish Coast Services with fun family games, lots of activities and great food.
An action-packed weekend of festivities will be on offer daily from 12 to 4 pm join in the fun and games for all the family with the Pirate Princess and her pirate crew
On Sunday evening an exclusive ticketed Sunset Tour and Food Experience will also be on offer. Advance booking essential, tickets €60.
Pre-book at www.hookheritage.ie or call 051 397055
June 2022
Hooked On The Sea Festival – June Bank Holiday in association with Hook Peninsula Tourism
June 4th to June 6th 2022
The BBQ will be fired up at Hook Lighthouse, there will be games on the lawns and there are reports of Pirates on the horizon…. For World Environment Day on June 5th and World Oceans Day on June 8th, Hook Lighthouse will be hosting talks on sustainability and environmental living.
On Sunday evening at 7.30pm a delicious FISH & CHIP SUPPER will also be on offer. Advance booking essential, tickets €45 including drinks reception in Watchtower and Wine or Craft Beer during Dinner and a guided tour of the lighthouse tower.
Pre-book at www.hookheritage.ie or call 051 397055
Solstice Weekend Sunday 19th June am
An exclusive ‘Sound of the Sea’ guided meditation will be on offer. Enjoy the solstice weekend with guided meditation followed by a healthy breakfast at the Lightkeepers Café.
Tickets: TBC
Pre-book at www.hookheritage.ie or call 051 397055
July 2022
Hook Lighthouse is open late for summer
July 1st to September 1st 2022
Hook Lighthouse will extend its summer opening hours from July 1st to Sunday, September 1st The lighthouse Visitor Centre and Café will open until 6 pm and will offer additional tours. Guided Tours will run every half hour from 9.30am with the last tour of the day on offer at 6 pm.
August 2022
August Bank Holiday Fun
Aug 3rd & 4th 2022
During the August Bank Holiday weekend, the BBQ will be fired up at Hook Lighthouse,
games on the lawns and there are reports of Pirates on the horizon…
World Lighthouse Day Celebration
August 7th Sunday
Explore the oldest original operating lighthouse in the world as you take a Fish and Chip supper Tour Experience and enjoy one of the greatest journeys through the maritime gateway of Irelands Ancient East. Following your private tour experience, you will be treated to a traditional Fish and Chip Supper. Take a seat in the Lighthouse Keepers conservatory and enjoy the magnificent views of the rolling seas as you will be served a wonderful traditional seaside supper of locally caught seasonal fish in a beer batter with a glass of local craft beer PLUS hear of the life of a lightkeeper directly from some of Hook’s former keepers during supper. Advance booking essential, tickets €45
Includes Drinks reception in Watchtower, and Wine or Beer during Dinner
Pre-book at www.hookheritage.ie or call 051 397055
Heritage Week at Hook Lighthouse
August 14th – 22nd
A variety of events will take place as part of the many happenings at Hook Lighthouse for National Heritage Week. Free guided tours will be on offer on Fri 19th Aug. from 9.30am to 10.30am – Pre-book at www.hookheritage.ie or call 051 397055
Irish Whale and Dolphin Day
Saturday, August 27th
The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group will host an information day at the Lighthouse, the group will tell visitors how best to spot the Whales which are frequently seen off the Peninsula, along with details on Dolphins, Porpoises, Seals and other sea life.
Family Fun Sunday
August 28th
And to take the Summer season to a close is a Family Fun Sunday at Hook Lighthouse. Some of those pesky Pirates will be back to take hold of the Lighthouse. Don’t miss the calamity on Sunday, September 1st as Captain Hook and his cronies host their final Pirate Fling, all of their usual antics and mischief will be par for the course.
September 2022
Harvest Moon Celebration
Saturday September 10th
Hook Lighthouse is set to host its fifth annual Harvest Moon celebration. Visitors can enjoy watching the sunset and the Harvest moon rise over Hook Peninsula beneath the protective beam of the world’s oldest intact operational lighthouse during the Harvest Moon Fish and Chip Supper at 7.30 pm. After a Welcome Drink in the Watchroom, Explore the oldest original operating lighthouse in the world as you take a Fish and Chip supper Tour Experience. Following your private tour experience take a seat in the Lighthouse Keepers conservatory and enjoy the magnificent views of the rolling seas as you will be served a wonderful Traditional Seaside Supper of locally caught seasonal fish in a beer batter with served with wine or craft beer. Tickets are €45
Pre-book at www.hookheritage.ie or call 051 397055
National Culture Night
Friday, September 23rd
Hook Lighthouse celebrates its ancient maritime heritage and culture and will throw the doors open for free on National Culture Night. Come and enjoy a free guided tour experience. A Free Guided Tour will run at 5pm Pre-book at www.hookheritage.ie or call 051 397055 to avoid disappointment.
October 2022
Feile Samhain Family Weekend
October 30th and October 31st
Discover the history and mystery of Samhain from October 30th and 31st. At 1 pm and at 3pm daily, a free Féile Samhain ritual will be showcased at Hook where age-old tales of Samhain will be shared by ‘Druids’ in the graveyard of one thousand ships, along with children’s entertainment from the Pirate Princess and her crew.
A Halloween Fancy dress competition will see prizes awarded to the be individual and family.
Ogham writing workshop will bel on offer along with Samhain Art with the resident artist at Hook Lighthouse, Rose.
The Lighthouse café will serve traditional fare and special Samhain platters.
Spooky Tours:
October Fri 28th, 29th and 30th
Special ghastly lantern-lead Halloween tours only for those who like the ghoulish and ‘sphooky’ will be on offer at 5.30pm, 6pm, 6.30pm, and 7pm. Venture into darkness as you ascend the 115 steps of Lighthouse amid the graveyard of 1,000 ships, explore the original keepers’ quarters and learn about the Ghostly tales behind the Lighthouse and its grounds including the paranormal experiences of previous guests and staff. NOT for the faint-hearted.
Pre-book tickets: €10 per person.
Pre-book at www.hookheritage.ie or call 051 397055
Winter At Hook
Winter at Hook is always spectacular, amazing sunsets, crisp clear days where the views stretch along the Coast and Stormy days where you can watch the rolling Seas from the Comfort of the Conservatory.
Whale Watching Season
During Winter in particular between November and February, The waters around Hook Peninsula are frequently visited by majestic whales, such as Humpback, Fin and Minke, along with Harbour Porpoise, Common Dolphins and Seals. The Humpback has become particularly associated with the Hook Peninsula.
December 2022
Hook Lighthouse is closed from 5 pm December 20thd and re-opens on December 26th (St. Stephen’s Day at 11 am).
Daisy Day
December 26th
A day of fun with a free ‘Daisy Hunt’ and games from 2 pm to 4 pm. Local history records show the old New Year custom of ‘penny for a daisy’ was carried out by children and large numbers of children collected the first flower and received pennies for them. Come and find a Daisy at Hook Lighthouse and enjoy a chocolate coin reward this St. Stephen’s Day.
January 2023
New Year Sunrise Tour & Food Experience
January 1, 2023
Enjoy the first Sunrise of the year from the tip of the Hook Peninsula on a special Sunrise Tour and Food Experience. Visitors will be welcomed with a fresh bucks fizz and delicious breakfast buffet and then taken on a bespoke guided tour experience. Tours culminate in the enclosed glass watch-room with spectacular panoramic views of the rolling seas stretching before you. Pre-booking essential, tickets are €45 per person.
New Year’s Day Arrow Ceremony
January 1, 2023
A centuries-old tradition will take place on New Year’s Day at the 800-year-old Hook Lighthouse as the Dunbrody archers, will take part in a traditional “arrow ceremony”.
The Dunbrody Archers and the Chairman of New Ross Council will participate in the ceremony. The age-old tradition dates back to 1687 when the Mayor and the corporation of New Ross Town Council claimed their authority over the Tower and waters by travelling to the point of the Hook and shooting an arrow into the sea from Hook Head Lighthouse. On New Year’s Day 2022 The Dunbrody Archers will assist the Mayor of New Ross in an ‘arrow ceremony’. The Mayor will cast an arrow into the sea symbolising the Ports authority over the estuary.
Members of the public are invited to come and watch the free historical event on New Year’s Day.
