Fanad Lighthouse 'anchor for tourism economy' welcoming 65,704 visitors last year

Fanad Lighthouse welcomed 65,704 visitors last year, including 1,330 overnight guests and over 22,500 guided tours

The Great Lighthouses of Ireland (GLI) initiative is marking 10 years at the International Marine, Lighthouse Tourism and Maritime Heritage Conference held in Dublin Castle. The network, led by Irish Lights, celebrates a decade of growth, with 350,000 annual visits now recorded across Ireland’s lighthouse sites for 2024. 

Eimear Ní Mathúna, Manager of Fanad Lighthouse – Teach Solais Fhánada – addressed the global gathering, sharing the story behind one of Ireland’s most successful lighthouse destinations.

“It has been amazing to see the growth in recent years,” said Eimear Ní Mathúna. “We’ve become one of Donegal’s must-visit attractions. Our focus now is on extending the season and creating year-round opportunities.”

Fanad offers guided tours, a virtual reality and audio experience, and talks on the lives of lighthouse keepers and local shipwrecks. Three self-catering lightkeepers’ cottages offer a unique stay, while a new café and craft-focused gift shop showcase Donegal produce and creativity.

“Visitors love the stunning location and the variety in the experience,” Ní Mathúna added. “People enjoy the stories, the coffee and food, and the chance to completely switch off when they stay here.”

“We promote other local businesses and activities because we all depend on each other. Visitors often combine a trip here with kayaking, hill-walking, or a visit to Mulroy Meadows farm. We source locally whenever we can, so the benefits stay in the community.”

Ní Mathúna credits Great Lighthouses of Ireland for helping Fanad grow and thrive. “GLI has drawn national and international publicity that benefits us all,” she said. “There’s also a memorandum of understanding between Fáilte Ireland, Údarás na Gaeltachta and GLI, which gives Gaeltacht projects like ours new opportunities. And within the network, we’re all friends—we share ideas and support each other constantly.”

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Irish Lights Chief Executive Yvonne Shields O’Connor said Fanad Lighthouse is a model for sustainable tourism and community partnership. 

“Fanad shows how heritage, community enterprise and the Irish language can combine to create sustainable local impact,” she said.“It has become an anchor for Donegal’s tourism economy, supporting jobs, local producers and small businesses across the region.” She added that the GLI Strategy 2025–2030 will build on this success. “Our goal is to increase lighthouse tourism revenues by 25% by 2030,” Shields O’Connor said.

“We’ll invest in lighthouse buildings as living heritage, enhance maritime storytelling, and strengthen the link between people and our coastal communities. Fanad Lighthouse is a shining example of what that vision looks like in action.”

Previously voted as one of the most beautiful in the world, it is an 1817 working lighthouse at the mouth of Lough Swilly, which opened to the public as a visitor attraction in 2016.