planned to seek ways to conduct archaeological research, near the buildings and on potential promontory fort locations. Access and leisure Tourist and private boats Ireland's Eye has been served by various tourist boat companies over decades, at least, all running from Howth Harbour. As of 2020, access to the island has never been restricted and there is no admission charge. Both tours around the island and landings on it are offered, subject to weather conditions, though the island has no running water or sanitary facilities. One company, Ireland's Eye Ferries, dates from 1947; another is Island Ferries. Services generally run in the summer months, and in the daytime, though evening services have also been offered. The two companies named held exclusive licences from the Howth Estate for landing of passengers, as of 2018, and operated four boats between them. The island is also used as a landing place for kayakers and other leisure boaters. There are no piers or other substantial landing aids, but there are two established landing points at the northwest of the island, either side of the Martello tower, the one to the east featuring basic steps. Carrigeen Bay is the only other safe landing location on the island, and only if the weather is not unsettled. Guidance on landing is published, and there is one anchorage designated, northwest of the island, southeast of the submarine cable from Baldoyle to Southport (there are two other submarine cables, no longer in use, south of the island). Aids to navigation include two buoys on the Rowan Rocks on the eastern side of Ireland's Eye, as well as the Howth buoy and the modern Howth light tower, which replaced the now-disused Howth Lighthouse. Waters to the north and east are 8 metres or more in depth 0.1 kilometres out from the island, while in Howth Sound reach only a little over 2.5 metres even a couple of hundred metres out. Walking There are a number of informal pathways, none surfaced, and a circular path, designed to help walkers avoid nesting birds, was added in 2017. Rock-climbing The island has long been established as a minor rock-climbing location. At least 28 routes have been recorded since the 1940s, though it seems that climbers have operated on the island since the 1910s or before, with some routes – a ridge and the "inner stack", facing the Steer – believed to have been