We were greeted by stunning blue skies for our day at Old Head, however with these skies came strong winds. Really strong winds. Brutally strong in fact.
Old Head was one of the first areas of Ireland settled by the Celts (the Eirinn clan), approximately 6000 years ago. The first Norman invasion occurred in 1169. It was this assault that lead to the headland passing directly into the control of the de Courcey family. The family built their castle at the narrowest point of the headland in the 12th century. The ruins of the de Courcey tower house, and medieval walls, form the entrance to Old Head.
History suggests that navigational fires, lit by the Eirinn clan, were never permitted to go out. Over the centuries primitive lighthouses were built to assist navigation, and to warn against invasion.
The current lighthouse was built in 1853, and is located at the southern tip of the headland, just behind the 18th tees. This is the incredible view down the par four 4th.
When you turn around you get this view back up the par three 3rd.
Looking back to the lighthouse from behind the par four 5th.
The green of the par five 6th hole. It is here that you see the ruins of the two previous lighthouses. The closest to the green is the Beacon Lighthouse, built in 1814. It had a permanent 42 foot high tower, with the light being 294 feet above the high water mark. Unfortunately the height of this light, that shone 23 miles into the distance, left it susceptible to being blocked by fog, and instigated the creation of the current lighthouse. Behind that you can see the Cottage Lighthouse.
Some of the ruins of the Beacon Lighthouse tower.
The Cottage Lighthouse was built in 1610. It had an open coal fire, set in a brazier upon it's roof. It remains one of the oldest surviving lighthouses in Ireland.
The view looking back down the par three 7th hole, toward the ruins of the lighthouses.
Linton Hayres read to fire at the par five 10th hole.
The headland was farmed by local farmers during the 19th and 20th centuries, before the 220 acres was purchased in 1989 by John and Patrick O'Connor. The course, designed by the team of Ron Kirby, Eddie Hackett, Dr. Joe Carr, Paddy Merrigan and Liam Higgins, commenced construction in 1993, and opened for play in 1997.
The par five 12th hole would have to be one of the most spectacular, and treacherous holes in all of golf. The hole follows the contour of the coastline, with a 200 plus foot drop to the sea below. Geoffrey Knight rips a drive into play.
Once you have negotiated your way onto the fairway, the approach to the green is incredibly tight, with danger all around.
Once you have completed that challenge, you cross the driveway and are now faced with this. The par three 13th.
Looking down the driveable par four 15th. The chopper above was not our mode of transport, it was dropping off some American guests. I don't think I would have like being in it anyway, as it really had to fight the strong winds, working it's way through the sky like a crab.
The par three 16th hole. Yet another coastline challenge.
The view from behind the 16th green, on the way to the 17th tee.
Behind the green of the par five 17th.
The final hole. It commences near the current lighthouse, and works it's way up the right, to just below the clubhouse.
The lighthouse as seen from the 18th tee.
A tremendous experience, but very, very hard work in the wind. Not only was it hard to play, on occasions, it was hard to just stand up.
Bernard Cassell coped really well, his 31 points a really impressive score in the conditions.
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