Mizen Head is the most south-westerly point on mainland Ireland. It's strategic location, close to a main trans-Atlantic shipping route, made it a natural place for a fog signal station, which became operational in 1909. The fog signal was an explosive charge fired at intervals by resident lighthouse keepers.

In 1931, Ireland's first radio beacon was erected to aid seafarers with direction finding. A light was added in 1959, followed by a radar transponder beacon in 1968. Mizen Head light was converted to automatic operation in 1993. The headland and its buildings are now a popular tourist attraction on the Wild Atlantic Way.