Tilley Lamp
One of the most famous lights in Ireland is the light that shines from an upstairs window at Áras an Uachtaráin.
Visible from the main road through the Phoenix Park, the light is a symbolic beacon, lighting the way for Irish emigrants and their descendants, welcoming them to their homeland.
First placed there by President Mary Robinson, the light builds on an old Irish tradition of placing a light in the window to guide the way of strangers in the night.
The original light now shines in the library in Ballina, Mrs. Robinson's home town, and was replaced by a Tilley lamp donated to President McAleese on the day of her inauguration. President Michael D. Higgins decided to continue the tradition, and the light still shines.
President Higgins has put the theme of Migration at the heart of his work and many of his speeches, and the events he has hosted or attended focus on issues related to the topics of the Diaspora, Homelessness, Refugees and Solidarity.