History

Three Rock Mountain is one of four sites within the Irish Republic but which appear on Post Office/BT microwave site lists. They formed a link from Belfast to Dublin which was subsequently extended from Dublin to Holyhead.

There are several masts and towers at Three Rock but a planning application in 1998, relating to the "new" RTE mast, confirms the history and location of the SHF link to Holyhead. The Irish Department of Posts & Telegraphs constructed a 54 m tower in 1977 - this corresponds to the date of the link from Holyhead to Manchester - to which RTE's broadcast antennas were added in 1982. The two organisations had separate buildings adjacent to the tower. It is understood the P&T (later Telecom Eireann/Eircom) operated an SHF network within the Republic and photos suggest Three Rock may have been used for links to other sites as well as to Dublin and Holyhead.

Although the UK section of the link appears to have closed by 2005 the large dishes facing Holyhead were still in place in 2011 - they have since been removed. Any additional information or photos of the sites in the Irish Republic would be welcome. There is more general information about the Belfast to Dublin link in the entry for Standing Stones.

Planning reference (Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council) D98A/0565.

Photos

2011

Copyright Barry O'Donovan

Viewed from the north: the large dishes facing Holyhead remained in place at this stage (left hand side). Two of the lower dishes are of the open type and possibly the originals from the late 1970s. Dishes linking to Dame Court would have faced the camera but would not need to be large, may have been removed, or possibly the sites were connected by cable. The large dishes "behind" the tower are assumed to have been part of the P&T/Eircom network - distination(s) unknown.

The antennas for RTE were carried on the small section of lattice above the main tower (and another "spine" above) but were re-located to the adjacent mast.