Amazing what can be found with a Drone!

County Mayo in Ireland is a magical place. If you are ever lucky enough to visit and have a few days, make sure you take the trip. It is just over a four hour drive from Dublin Airport but well worth the journey. Words can’t describe the epic scenery you will experience but I’ll try!

We stayed in a quaint B&B on the side of a mountain in a village called Portcloy Co. Mayo. Freida the homeowner was extremely welcoming and was great for the old chat. A wealth of knowledge of the local area too.

We only booked in for one night and on the morning of our departure we went for a walk along the cliffs. What we ended up seeing was such a surprise and has actually turned into a hobby.

So we walked for about 40 min, a little bit further than the beach in the background. I had just purchased my Mavic Pro Drone and was eager to get it up for it inaugural flight. All systems good – Check!
Up she goes and WOW!!!! What we saw was just magical. Included in this was what transpired to be an “Eire” marking. Eire 63 to be exact. The minute the drone went up it was visible.

A few more snaps and I’ll explain what the Eire marking is.

So while sitting on the grass taking it all in, Aine, my wife was busy trying to find out what this marking was. Google told us -

“In 1942-43, close to the locations of the coastal watch huts, signs were placed on the Irish coast to identify the land below as Eire, and not, for example, Great Britain or Northern Ireland. Shortly after the EIRE signs were constructed, mostly by the volunteers of the local Look Out Post (known in the documentation as LOPs), the identifying number of the relevant LOP was added, enhancing the signs’ value as a navigational aid. A list of LOPs, their locations and numbers were given to allied pilots thus allowing themselves to reduce the risk of crashing in the Republic of Ireland, and also, giving them greater detail on where they were”. Source: eiremarkings.org

So it was to stop us getting bombed during the war. We just stumbled across this, WHAT A FIND! :)

We also found out there was another one just up the road in Downpatrick Head. Didn’t need to tell me twice. An excuse to get the drone up again.

There is 85 of these markings around the country, some in disrepair but I'm on a mission to find as many as I can. Good times!

Have you ever visited one of the markings?
I'll keep you posted...