Lookout Buildings
Eighty-two LOPs (Lookout Posts) were built or reconditioned between 1939
and 1942 and each was built in situ to an identical design shown above
using 137 pre-cast concrete blocks.
This design was done by Howard Cooke RIBA in 1939. Cooke was an
English-born architect with the Irish Office of Public Works.
Their construction was one of the most widely spread engineering
exercises undertaken by the Irish Defence Forces during the Second World
War and, located at intervals of five to fifteen miles, the network
stretched the entire coastline from Ballagan Point in County Louth to
Malin Head.
The lookout post at Malin Head overlooking the sea
with its many lookout windows was carted in prefabricated sections from
the bottom of the Tower road by Tom Houton of Ballyhillion.
After
the outbreak of war Ireland was determined to keep its neutral status
therefore the “coast watching service” was set up comprising of army
personnel and local militia. The Department of Defence designated 83
Look-Out Post Stations mostly on former Napoleonic signal tower sites.
Many of the smaller buildings (mostly soldier’s quarters, storage and
animal shelter areas) at the tower date from this era.
The 83 lookout posts were positioned around
the coast beginning at Ballaghan Point in Co Louth (No. 1) and ending up
with Inishowen Head. No. 82. and 83 was in Kerry.
Malin Head was No.80.
Each LOP was assigned a unique identifying number starting with "LOP 1"
in County Louth and finishing with "LOP 82" in County Donegal.
The personnel at Malin Head Look Out Post 80 were “Corporal C.
Houstan, with volunteers Tom and Eddie Doherty (Jack), Arty O’
Connor, D.G.Glackin, Thomas Glackin, H.Mc Laughlin and P.Mc
Laughlin.