In early 2009, the Commissioners of Irish lights decided to upgrade the lighthouse at Buncrana Pier and replace the original cast iron structure with a modern fibreglass structure.

The original lighthouse had been in operation there since it was first established on 15th Jan 1876. It was converted to an acetylene powered lamp on 4th Nov 1916 and later converted to electricity on 10th April 1951.

The structure of the old lighthouse was as cast iron tapered tower with a steel platform and lamp housing. Crana Engineering was approached by the late Mr.Peter Gurrie of the West Inishowen Historical Society with a view to salvaging the lighthouse from being scrapped and restoring the tower to form a historical municipal art piece to be placed on Buncrana’s seafront.

The Lighthouse was taken to our workshop and was shot-blasted back to bare steel. The steelwork at the lamp housing was in poor condition and was repaired with any defective components replaced. Under the guidance of Foyle Consulting Engineers a base fixing flange was constructed and bolted to the lighthouse column.

The finished structure was then given a surface protective treatment of numerous layers of corrosion resistant paint and had the glass refitted. The newly restored lighthouse was erected by Crana Engineering onto a concrete base prepared by Buncrana Town Council in 2010.

The lighthouse has proven to be a very popular piece and enabled the West Inishowen Historical Society to win a national heritage award in 2012.