Tuskar Rock, Ireland facts for kids
| Location | County Wexford |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 52°12.175′N 6°12.445′W / 52.202917°N 6.207417°W |
| Year first constructed | 1812–1815 |
| Year first lit | 1815 |
| Automated | 31 March 1993 |
| Construction | granite tower |
| Tower shape | cylindrical tower with balcony and lantern |
| Markings / pattern | white tower and lantern, red lantern rail |
| Height | 34 metres (112 ft) |
| Focal height | 33 metres (108 ft) |
| Original lens | Catoptric light (original), Chance Brothers 500-millimetre (20-inch) annular lens (current) |
| Intensity | 1 kilowatt lamp |
| Range | 24 nmi (44 km) |
| Characteristic | Q (2) W 7.5s |
| Ireland number | CIL-0470 |
Tuskar Rock (Irish: An Tuscar) is a group of rocks off the southeast coast of County Wexford, Ireland. It is about 11 kilometers (7 miles) from the shore. A tall lighthouse stands on top of these rocks.
Tuskar Rock has likely caused more shipwrecks than any other place on the Irish coast. Records show 176 shipwrecks in this area.
The rock is even mentioned in an old Irish song called Tales of Loch Achray. The song tells how a ship named Loch Achray left its tugboat near Tuskar Rock. The ship then sailed to the South Atlantic, where it later sank.
Contents
Building the Tuskar Rock Lighthouse
The Tuskar Rock lighthouse is made of strong granite. It stands 37 meters (120 feet) tall. Building this lighthouse took several years, starting in 1812.
In October 1812, a big storm hit the area. It washed away the temporary homes built for the workers on the island. Sadly, fourteen workers died in this disaster. It was the worst accident in Ireland's history of building lighthouses. The workers who survived held onto the slippery rocks for two full days. They were finally found and rescued.
Work on the lighthouse continued after the storm. It was finished and started working on June 4, 1815.
The Tuskar Rock Air Disaster
A sad event happened near Tuskar Rock on March 24, 1968. This was the Tuskar Rock air disaster. An Aer Lingus plane, flight 712, was flying from Cork to London. It crashed into the sea, and all 61 people on board were lost.
What Does "Tuskar" Mean?
The name "Tuskar Rock" does not come from the Irish language. It actually came from the Vikings. The Vikings were explorers and settlers who came to Ireland long ago. Many places in the south of Wexford have Viking names.
In the old Viking language, called Old Norse, "tu" means "large" and "skar" means "rock". So, Tuskar Rock simply means "large rock."
See also
In Spanish: Roca Tuskar para niños
