A cliffside World War II Éire sign in Dalkey has been restored to its original condition.
The sign’s restoration was part of a massive group effort including the Dalkey Tidy Towns Committee, who met once a week for almost six months to complete it.
Up to 35 volunteers would get involved during each clean-up, which involved clearing up the site around the Éire sign, and cleaning and painting 100 tonnes of stones.
#WW2 Éire’ Sign 7 rescued from Dublin cliffside. Michael helped #Dalkey Tidy Towns restore part of Ireland's Second World War heritage. Docs in DIFP vol 7 explain why Éire signs were needed; it's at https://t.co/J1giu7vWC7 to browse for free https://t.co/j8guHrTIWA pic.twitter.com/NK03Tf0c3L
— Documents on Irish Foreign Policy (@DIFP_RIA) May 4, 2019
It’s now one of only five that are still visible from above, though more than 80 of them were originally created along the Irish coastline.
BIG DAY AT HAWK Cliff – Dalkey Tidy Towns finished the EIRE sign hidden underground since 1943 – built as a navigational aid for USAF Planes pic.twitter.com/0IUkcvHbjW
— Des Burke-Kennedy (@desburkekennedy) May 4, 2019
Another Éire sign up on Bray head was given a makeover last summer after it was rediscovered 70 years on.
A group of local volunteers repainted the stones on the World War II sign, originally used to notify German soldiers that they were flying over neutral country, which was revealed after heavy rain and wildfires hit the area over the summer.
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