Anniversary of vital weather report from Mayo that changed course of World War II

By Tom Gillespie

ON this day 80 years ago a vital weather forecast from the isolated Blacksod Lighthouse on the tip of the Mullet Peninsula changed the course of World War II.

Lighthouse keeper Ted Sweeney and his later to be wife Maureen were charged with submitting weather reports and a report from Blacksod on June 4, 1944, influenced the British and Americans proceeding with the D-Day landings.

Maureen was to become known as the woman who saved D-Day after her weather recording warning of bad conditions delayed the landings, scheduled for June 5.

A break came in the weather on June 6, as she indicated, and ‘Operation Overlord’ proceeded.

An 80th anniversary commemoration is planned in Blacksod later this week: https://www.con-telegraph.ie/2024/05/27/80th-anniversary-d-day-commemoration-in-north-mayo/

Plans for the design of Blacksod Lighthouse were submitted in September 1863 to the Ballast Board by John Sloane, the board’s superintendent of works and foreman.

It was to be built as a castellated single storey building with a two-storey tower at the centre. The granite used was sourced from an excellent quarry located directly behind where the lighthouse is now situated.

The contractor was Byran Carey of Belmullet, for a cost of £2,440. Construction began in the autumn of 1864.

Blacksod Lighthouse was subsequently completed in 1865. The light was first exhibited on the evening of June 30, 1866. Just over 100 years later the light was electrified in May 1967.

In November 1933 Ted Sweeney was made attendant at Blacksod and became the second longest serving keeper on the coast. Ted was also postmaster from 1969 to 1972. While the new post office was being built, permission was given that the lower room under the square lighthouse tower could be used as the post office.

So the lighthouse was also the local post office - the only time that a working lighthouse and post office were housed in the same building.

Until 1957, when the new meteorological station was built in Carne, Blacksod Lighthouse was also a weather station.

According to the Commissioners of Irish Lights website, a lighthouse at the southern extremity of the Mullet was first mentioned in 1841, the result of a letter from Lieutenant Nugent of the Coast Guard stationed in Belmullet and forwarded to the board by Mr. James Dombrain, Inspector General of the Coast Guard.

James Dombrain was later to be knighted and also became a member of the Ballast Board from 1848 to 1867 and of the Commissioners of Irish Lights board from 1867 to 1871.

The letter from Lieutenant Nugent requested a lighthouse to be placed on Blackrock but in Inspector George Halpin's report to the board, he disapproved of a light on Blackrock as a general sea light but stated that it would be a useful light to lead vessels into Blacksod Bay with a light also on Blacksod Point, the Mullet's southern extremity.

The subject was postponed until 1857 when it was brought up again by the Inspecting Committee. Blackrock received sanction this time to go ahead but Blacksod Point was not mentioned and had to wait a further four years.

In June 1861 the Inspecting Committee recommended placing a light on Blacksod Point which would, in conjunction with Blackrock, make Blacksod Bay a safe anchorage, a navigational aid which 273 years earlier would have been appreciated by one of the Spanish Armada commanders, Martin de Berthendona of the ill-fated La Sancta Maria Rata Encoronda, when he turned into Blacksod Bay, only to run aground the following day near Doona, or Fahy Castle as it is called today.

Four tenders were received for building the lighthouse dwelling, which was opened in June 1864, and considered by the board who selected Mr. Carey's tender, as above. With the Board of Trade's sanction, which was received in late July, Carey must have commenced building in August or September, because payment of the first instalment was made in October and the contract was sealed in November.

By the summer of 1865 Bryan Carey had completed his building contract and the Inspecting Committee expressed their satisfaction with the work, recommending that the tower was ready for the lantern.

In March 1866 a Notice to Mariners was issued stating that the fixed light showing white from 210º to 018º (168º) and red over Ardelly Point 189º to 210º (21º) would be exhibited on the night of 30th June 1866.

During the Second World War American and British meteorologists used to look out of their respective windows and very rarely came up with the same weather forecast. Obviously, an accurate forecast was essential for the D-Day landings in France in 1944.

The Americans predicted bad weather for the whole week, the British agreed, with a break for the better mid-week. The Allies also listened to the German forecast - that lined up with the American prediction, so much so that Field Marshal Rommel left the front to visit Berlin.

The weather report which made up the minds of the British to prove they were correct and recommend invading came from Blacksod.