Class.
Throughout the heatwave that has scorched Ireland for the past few months, we experienced weather that we’re unaccustomed to in this country.
Gorse fires ravaged many areas of the country side and Gardaí revealed that the fire uncovered a coastal sign in Bray from World War II which was meant to communicate to potential Nazi bombers that they were flying over neutral Ireland.
A Garda Air Support Unit crew spotted that the fire on Bray Head has revealed an “EIRE” sign dating from the Second World War.
We see these around the coastline but haven’t seen this before. pic.twitter.com/I6cwIrIori
— An Garda Síochána (@GardaTraffic) August 4, 2018
In the uncertain early days of the Second World War the Irish government sought to take action to protect the neutrality it had declared in September 1939. It was decided that a series of lookout posts [“LOPs”] would be built at strategic points along the Irish coastline to monitor belligerent activity at sea. The above sign is one of 82 of these LOPs built.
The sign was made out of rocks placed in order to spell the word ‘EIRE’ on the headland.
Now, the sign has been restored to its former glory thanks to the help of local volunteers Michael Larkin, Aidan O’Toole, Declan Carroll and Declan Hogan and sponsors Sika and Pizza Shack.
Have a look below…
Some have complained about the lack of a fada on the ‘EIRE’ but the volunteers explained, “There was no fada on the original sign. We are just trying to restore the original.”
They also said there was a number eight on the original sign (marking which outpost it was) as well as a border around it which they also plan to restore.
Fair play lads.
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
