The tower was constructed in 1781 and served as a functioning lighthouse until it was struck by lightning in October 1836. The ensuing fire destroyed the lamphouse and caused significant damage to the interior of the building, but given its status as a useful landmark, the structure was retained and its distinctive domed roof was added in 1866.

Since 1996, the property has been owned by The Irish Landmark Trust. The trust oversee the restoration of unique heritage buildings such as this and them make them available for hire as self-catering accommodation. This generates funds that will enable their ongoing preservation.

Lighthouses are often associated with legends of shipwrecks and restless mariners, but at Wicklow Head, it’s not a sailor who haunts the cliffs — it’s a woman. A headless woman. According to local lore, she was a young bride-to-be, cruelly murdered by a jealous former lover. The weapon was said to be a scythe. Her head was never recovered. And as the story goes… neither was her spirit.

In 2003, a travel writer and his wife stayed overnight at the lighthouse. As evening fell, they flipped through the guestbook, expecting the usual light-hearted travel notes. Instead, they discovered something far stranger. Among the cheerful stories from American tourists tracing their roots and wind-battered guests joking about gales, a darker thread emerged. Several entries referenced ghostly encounters—particularly sightings of a headless woman in white. One note recounted how six guests claimed to see her at once, watching in disbelief as she slowly approached the tower and began to climb the steps.

Another entry mentioned a child who refused to sleep alone, convinced the lady might appear by their bed. One guest described hearing whistling at the window. And inevitably, in a moment of dark humour, one guest joked about a sighting of a headless—and topless—woman with a ‘nice figure.’