Give us a sign: Wartime signal revealed by gorse fire…

A World War Two sign warning aircraft not to drop bombs on neutral Ireland has been exposed by a fire.

The sign reading EIRE was spotted by a Garda Air Support Unit crew in Co Wicklow.

It was one of many made with stones to tell World War Two planes they were above Ireland.

This helped American aircraft navigate to Britain and also warned Britain’s enemies not to drop their bombs on a neutral country. 

The signs helped American planes navigate on their way over Ireland to the UK

The sign in Bray Head is made entirely of stone, and was made visible due to a large gorse fire that took place on the headland two weeks ago.

The Defence Forces Air Corps were helping emergency services extinguish the fire when they noticed the sign from above. 

A Gardai spokesman said: ‘The signs themselves are quite common on the west coast but unusual on the east.

‘The Air Corps helped put the fire out and then the Garda helicopter, which we fly, noticed the sign emerging from the past.’

The sign reading EIRE – which means Ireland – was spotted by a Garda Air Support Unit crew in Co Wicklow

It was one of many made with stones to tell World War Two planes they were above Ireland

Up to 150 tonnes of stone were used in some of the 83 signs dotted around the coast of Ireland.

At the request of the United States air force a nearby lookout post was added, turning the signs into air navigation aids.

This helped American bomber pilots navigate across the Atlantic.

The sign in Bray Head is made entirely of stone, and was made visible due to a large gorse fire that took place on the headland two weeks ago