PICK OF THE DAY

GREAT LIGHTHOUSES OF IRELAND, 6.30PM, RTÉ ONE

A NEW run of the series that shares the stories of Ireland’s lighthouses begins with the structure at Fastnet, off the Co. Cork coast. William Douglass designed the lighthouse, made from more than 2,000 individually carved, interlocking granite blocks, which continue to withstand the most ferocious storms today.

Back in 1979, Fastnet hit the headlines when the yacht race of the same name was hit by an unexpected hurricane-level storm. Retired lighthousekeeper Gerald Butler (pictured) describes the role the lighthouse staff played in assisting the rescue services, while John O’Donnell, a crew member on the yacht Sundowner, recounts the terrifying experience.