Zinc　oxide　(ZnO)　nanowires　play　a　pivotal　role　in　the　nanoworld　due　to　their　broad　range　of　characteristics　and　applications.　In　this　work,　structural　and　optical　properties　of　ZnO　nanowires　grown　on　indium　doped　tin　oxide　(ITO)　coated　glass　have　been　modified　by　copper　(Cu++)　ions　irradiation　at　constant　energy　of　0.7　MeV.　The　X-ray　diffraction　(XRD),　photoluminescence　(PL),　and　field　emission　scanning　electron　microscope　(FESEM)　are　used　to　examine　changes　in　the　nanowires.　XRD　results　show　that　the　crystallite　size　first　decreases　and　then　increases　with　high　ion　dose　while　peaks＇　intensity　decreases　continuously　with　increasing　the　dose.　The　absence　of　(102)　plane　after　irradiation　depicts　the　defects　formation.　FESEM　clearly　shows　the　damage　that　occurred　in　the　density　of　nanowires　and　also　depicts　the　reduced　charging　effect　with　increasing　dose.　The　PL　spectra　indicate　the　strong　near-band　edge　peak　and　green　luminescence　enhancement　has　been　recorded　due　to　low　dose　ion　irradiation.