Irish neutrality during the Second World War involved some hasty preparations being made around the island of Ireland. One of the more unlikely measures taken was to have the word 'Eire' written into the coastal landscape at 32 points around the country.
In a recent newsletter I received, they had an interesting piece about Ireland during WWII.
I1938 the Irish Coast Watching Service set up 82 look-out posts (LOPs) that were permanently manned stations. In realit,y they were little more than concrete sheds (akin to pill-box structures) but served a vital purpose. From these modest buildings, all activity around the coast of Ireland was carefully noted and reported to the Dublin authorities.
Often the installation of a LOP would be accompanied by the creation of a huge 'EIRE' sign, etched into the landscape. Éireis the Gaelic word for Ireland. The signs were constructed so as to be visible from the air. Allied aircraft would recognize them as indicating Irish soil and be aware that they were over a neutral country. Of course, the signs were also very useful land markers for the pilots who could use them to pinpoint their exact location.
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