The EIRE 80 sign
Just past the tower, large letters laid out in white stones mark neutral Ireland for WWII pilots. The EIRE 80 sign has been restored and you can walk right up to it.
Lloyds Signal Tower- Malin Head
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About
A derelict 1805 Napoleonic signal tower on Banba's Crown, the sheer northern tip of mainland Ireland, where you can walk past a WWII EIRE ground sign and stare straight across the Atlantic toward Iceland.
Things to Do
Hell's Hole
A deep sea cave on the coast where the tide surges through a narrow gap, you hear it before you see it. Stay back from the unfenced edges and check the tide before approaching.
Wildlife and sea views
The cliffs draw gannets, shearwaters, skuas and choughs, while bottlenose dolphins, porpoises and basking sharks work the water offshore. Inishtrahull Island and its lighthouse sit visible to the north.
Lloyds Signal Tower (Banba's Crown)
The three-storey stone tower was raised by the British Admiralty in 1805 as one of 81 coastal signal towers, then served Lloyd's of London and Marconi's wireless station. Its interior is closed and it stands derelict, but the cliff-top setting over the Atlantic is the classic photograph.
Walk the Malin Head loop
The main trail is a 2.5km loop from the car park taking about an hour, linking the tower, the EIRE sign, Hell's Hole, the Scheildren stacks, the Cliff of Pracha and the final viewpoint. Gravel at first, rockier near Hell's Hole, and fully exposed to wind.
Caffe Banba and Farren's Bar
Ireland's most northerly café pours coffee and home baking from a converted horsebox by the upper car park, running Easter to September. For a pint afterwards, Farren's in Malin village is the most northerly pub, where Mark Hamill drank during filming.
Plan Your Visit
- Hours: Open 24 hours, year-round. The tower interior stays closed.
- Admission: Free to visit; parking is also free
- Parking: Two free car parks serve the headland: an upper one closest to the tower and a lower one near the start of the walking trails. The space is small and fills on summer days, so arrive early.
- Food: Caffe Banba, Ireland's most northerly café, serves coffee, tea and home baking from a converted horsebox near the upper car park, open Easter to September (weather dependent). Nearby, Farren's Bar in Malin village is Ireland's most northerly pub.
Getting Around
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