Rathlee Signal Tower

Local History in 5th & 6th class

In response to the 1798 Irish Rebellion and the threat of invasion from the French during the Napoleonic wars, many signal towers were built by the British at many remote coastal sites in Ireland from 1804 to 1806.

Each signalling station was visible to its counterparts on each side. With the threat of invasion significantly diminished after the defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo in 1815, most of these stations were eventually abandoned to become ruins like this example at Rathlee.

Using clay we built our own signal towers.