Mizen Head

Mizen Head marks the end of a rocky peninsula on Ireland's southwestern coast. Cliffs rise above Atlantic waters, and the headland offers a conspicuous landmark for ships approaching from the west or rounding the coast toward Cork. The exposed shore is subject to heavy seas and Atlantic storms. In 1804 a signal tower was built on the Mizen as part of a coastal chain intended to give warning of a feared French invasion, linking this remote headland to the defence of Ireland during the Napoleonic wars.