About Mizen Head

One Destination, Multiple Experiences

Perched on the edge of the north east Atlantic, Mizen Head is one of the most spectacular headlands on Ireland's Atlantic seaboard. Standing on Mizen, surrounded by the pounding waves, it's impossible not to feel humbled by the raw power of nature.

Yet Mizen's natural grandeur is only a part of what makes your visit to this iconic headland special. Here you'll also find an abundance of history, and an intriguing human story. Mizen's strategic geography made it a significant site for transatlantic shipping and communication, and afforded many an Irish emigrant their final glimpse of home as they departed for a new life half a world away.

That story is eloquently told through the many high-quality exhibits and displays at Mizen Head Visitor Centre and Mizen Head Signal Station.

Mizenhead, Ireland's most southerly point

Discover more about the history of Mizen, get a sneak peak at the various exhibits on display and browse through the archives on the Mizen Guide website.

MIZEN HEAD ONLINE GUIDE

Mizen Head, Ireland’s Most South-westerly Point on the Wild Atlantic Way

The facilities at Mizen, including Mizen Head Visitor Centre, Mizen Shop, Mizen Cafe, Mizen Head Signal Station/Mizen Vision, Mizen Information & e-Centre (Goleen) and associated websites, are managed and operated by Mizen Tourism Co-operative Society Ltd.

Mizen Tourism Co-operative was registered in 1992 as a community Rural Development initiative. The Commissioners of Irish Lights gave the Co-op a lease on the path down over the Bridge and the Signal Station to coincide with the automation and de-manning of Mizen Head Signal on April 1, 1993 and West Cork LEADER Co-op gave EU ‘bottom-up’ funding to develop a visitor attraction.

Since then Mizen Tourism Co-operative has developed a full range of facilities at Mizen Head with funding from LEADER, ERDF, Cork County Council, Millennium Funds, CIL, West Cork Bottling, Murphy’s Brewery, Ford, Phil and Sherri Donovan and the shareholders. Mizen Head has taken its place as a successful visitor attraction and an established Irish tourism destination . Mizen Head is a Key Discovery Point on the Wild Atlantic Way.

Mizen Through the Years

Key moments in the evolution of Mizen Tourism Co-operative Society and the Mizen Head Visitor Centre

FIRST BRIDGE COMMISSIONED

18 October 1907

Reinforced concrete bridge to connect the island to the mainland commissioned and built by at a cost of £1,272

FOG SIGNAL STATION ESTABLISHED

03 May 1909

An explosive fog signal station was established on Cloghane Island, Mizen Head formally sanctioned along with keepers' dwellings

IRELAND'S FIRST RADIO BEACON

01 January 1931

The first Radio Beacon on the Irish Coast was installed was installed at Mizen Head, at a cost of £10,017

MIZEN SIGNAL STATION AUTOMATED

March 1993

Mizen Head was converted to automatic operation in April 1, 1993. Mizen Tourism Co-operative Society Ltd. leased the path across the Bridge and the Signal Station from the Commissioner of Irish Lights

Mizen Vision! opened in June 1994.

NEW VISITOR CENTRE OPENS

2001

With the aid of funding from BordFáilte/ERDF (European Rural Development Fund), West Cork LEADER, the National Millennium Fund (Exchequer funding), Cork County Council and a large loan from AIB the facilities and display building at Mizen Head Visitor Centre opened to the public

NEW BRIDGE COMPLETED

March 2011

In 2005 engineers declared the existing bridge non-viable. A temporary footway was put in place while a more permanent solution was planned. In October 2009 Mizen Bridge was closed for demolition and reconstruction. 18 months later the current, award-winning bridge was completed

RECORD VISITOR NUMBERS ANNUALLY

Present

Today, more visitors than ever before flock to Ireland's extreme southwest every year to experience one of the most iconic locations on Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way

Discover more about the history of Mizen, get a sneak peek at the various exhibits on display and browse through the archives on the Mizen Guide website.

MIZEN HEAD ONLINE GUIDE

Contact Us

Mizen Head Signal Station
Mizen Tourism Co-operative Society Ltd.
Harbour Road
Goleen
West Cork
Ireland
Tel: +353 28 35000 or + 353 28 35115 (Summer Only)
E: info@mizenhead.ie

Opening Times

November 1st – March 16th: 11am-4pm (Weekends Only)
March 17th – May 31st: 10.30am – 5pm
June 1st – August 31st: 10am – 6pm
September 1st – October 31st: 10.30 – 5pm

July and August
Daily 10am-6pm
September, October
April, May, June
Daily 10.30am -5pm
November - March
Weekends 11am-4pm