An archaeological study of the

Lookout Posts of the Irish Coastwatching Service 1939-1945

Author : Glynis Ryan

The thesis is submitted to University College Dublin in part

fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of

archaeology.

School of Archaeology

Supervisor : Dr. Graeme Warren

August 2014

i

Table of Contents Appendices ......................................................................................................................................... ii

List of Abreviations ............................................................................................................................ iii

Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................... iv

Abstract: ............................................................................................................................................. v

Chapter 1. Introduction: .................................................................................................................... 1

1.1 The Defence of Britain Project and associated research. ........................................................ 2

1.1.2 Schofield’s Research Agenda for Britains Military Heritage.............................................. 3

1.2 This Project ............................................................................................................................... 4

1.2.1 Methodology ..................................................................................................................... 4

1.3 The potential within the archaeology: ..................................................................................... 5

Chapter 2 Historical Background ...................................................................................................... 7

2.1 The establishment of Ireland’s “Marine and Coast-Watching Service” ................................... 9

2.2. Lookout Post Hut Construction ............................................................................................. 11

2.3 Aerial EIRE Signs ..................................................................................................................... 15

Chapter 3. The archaeology ........................................................................................................... 17

3.1. Field Surveys .......................................................................................................................... 17

3.3. Analysis of data generated by field survey. .......................................................................... 20

3.3.1. Conservation .................................................................................................................. 21

3.3.2 Orientation and fields of vision ...................................................................................... 21

Chapter 4 :Discussion ....................................................................................................................... 23

4.1 Lookout Post huts .................................................................................................................. 23

4.2. Aerial EIRE signs .................................................................................................................... 28

4.3. Other buildings of the Emergency Defence Plan. ................................................................ 32

4.3.1 Pillbox and LOP Comparison ........................................................................................... 33

C hapter 5 – Wicklow Head Case Study ........................................................................................... 37

5.1. The aerial EIRE sign at Wicklow Head. .................................................................................. 42

5.2. Wicklow Town’s Heritage ...................................................................................................... 44

Chapter 6 - Conclusion: .................................................................................................................... 47

Bibliography ..................................................................................................................................... 51

ii

Appendices

Appendix 1 Letter from Office of Research Ethics re: HS-14-Ryan-Warren 53

Appendix 2 Record Sheet - LOP 6 - Howth, Co. Dublin 55

Appendix 3 Record Sheet – LOP 7- Dalkey, Co. Dublin 57

Appendix 4 Record Sheet – LOP 8- Bray, Co. Wicklow 59

Appendix 5 Record Sheet – LOP 9- Wicklow Head, Co. Wicklow 62

Appendix 6 Record Sheet – LOP 10- Kilmichael, Co. Wexford 64

Appendix 7 Record Sheet – LOP 11- Cahore, Co. Wexford 67

Appendix 8 Record Sheet – LOP 12- Ballyconnigar Hill, Co. Wexford 69

Appendix 9 Record Sheet- LOP 13- Greenore Point, Co. Wexford 71

Appendix 10 Record Sheet- LOP 14- Carnsore Point, Co. Wexford 73

Appendix 11 Record Sheet-LOP 15- Forlorn Point, Co. Wexford 75

Appendix 12 Record Sheet-LOP 63- Benwee Head, Co. Mayo 77

Appendix 13 Record Sheet-LOP 64- Downpatrick Head, Co. Mayo 79

Appendix 14 Record Sheet-LOP 65- Kilcummen, Co. Mayo 81

Appendix 15 Record Sheet-LOP 66- Lenadoon, Co. Sligo 83

Appendix 16 Record Sheet-LOP 67- Aughris, Co. Sligo 85

Appendix 17 Record Sheet-LOP 68- Rosskeeragh, Co. Sligo 87

Appendix 18 Record Sheet-LOP 69- Mullaghmore, Co. Sligo 89

Appendix 19 Record Sheet-LOP 70- St. Johns Point, Co. Donegal 92

Appendix 20 Record Sheet-LOP 71- Carrigan Head, Co. Donegal 94

Appendix 21 Record Sheet-LOP72- Rossan Point, Co. Donegal 96

iii

List of Abreviations

LOP Lookout Post

MA Military Archives

G2 Irish Military Intelligence

LDF Local Defence Force

LSF Local Security Force

CBA Council For British Archaeology

EDP Emergency Defence Plan

iv

Acknowledgements

Sincere thanks to my ever-patient supervisor, Dr. Graeme Warren for everything. For

initially agreeing to “take me on”, for his encouragement, support, guidance and most of

all, his all-round pleasantness in helping me produce this thesis.

I am also greatly indebted to Dr. Robert Sands for providing technical expertise in the

production of this thesis.

Thanks also to Professor Seamus Caulfield for his comments on the Downpatrick Lookout

and for sharing his experience of excavating the Downpatrick EIRE sign. Also my

Wicklow Town informant who unfortunately must remain anonymous.

My heartfelt thanks also to my husband John for accompanying me on so many field trips,

for battling the nettles, carrying the ranging rods and making me smile.

Thanks also to my son Conor for proof-reading, editing and providing the missing word

that was always on the tip of my tongue!

Finally thanks also to my many other field trip companions, my daughter Jennifer, my

friends Joan and Marion and my cousin Sheila. Last but not least thanks to my sister

Patricia who welcomed me into her home for my West Coast surveys and tackled the wild

west coastline with me in the name of archaeology. Thanks to you all!

v

Abstract:

The outbreak of World War 2 occurred at a pivotal time in Ireland’s transition from

dominion state to autonomous nation. As an emerging nation which for hundreds of years

had been reliant (albeit reluctantly) on a world super-power for protection, Ireland found

herself politically isolated and geographically situated in the middle of what was to

become a world-wide conflict.

In a highly controversial decision, Head of Government Eamonn DeValera opted to remain

neutral, a decision which was to govern the foreign and domestic policies of Ireland for the

duration of the war.

This thesis is an investigation into one aspect of the physical manifestation of this

decision. As part of the Emergency Defence Plan, “The Irish Marine and Coastwatching

Service” was founded. This service operated from 82 hastily constructed Lookout huts

constructed 5 to 15 miles apart along 1,970 miles of coastline. They were manned by

Defence personnel and volunteers from the local communities 24 hours a day, seven days a

week for the duration of the war, their purpose being to observe and report to army district

command headquarters on the aerial and shipping activity on the State’s coastline and

provide advance warning of any threatened incursion of Irish neutrality.

They were Ireland’s first line of defence in what became a monumental world-wide

conflict and as such are an important part of Irelands built heritage, however they remain

largely ignored and unappreciated; their contribution to Ireland’s narrative in the most part

unknown. They enjoy no protection from the State and are slowly disappearing from our

landscape. The aim of this project is to create an archaeological photographic record of a

sample of these buildings and their associated features. It will record their position and

orientation, assess their current state of preservation and in combination with an interview

with a person who has first hand memories of these buildings (from the community of

Wicklow Town), it will seek to compare these memories with both the archaeological

evidence and the historical record. Finally a discussion of the project findings will

highlight the urgent need for recognition of these buildings by the state heritage sector and

vi

an even greater need for more archaeological investigation which includes accessing and

recording the thoughts of the war-time generation, a now time-sensitive resource.

1

Chapter 1. Introduction:

During the six years it unfolded, World War 2 killed in excess of 60 million people. It

wiped cities and towns off the face of the earth, changed country’s boundaries and caused

the voluntary and involuntary displacement of entire populations (Moshenska 2012,1). As

may be expected, much has been written and continues to be written on the why, how,

where and when of such a conflict and historians have a vast array of archival evidence

from which to form an opinion. However, there is another perspective that must be

considered if future generations are to be presented with a more rounded account. The

physical remnants of structures or artefacts from the era tell their own story and an

archaeological approach to their interpretation holds the potential of revealing to a much

greater extent, the human experience of involvement in this conflict. ‘Involvement’ took

many forms and whilst for some countries this meant that their armed forces were engaged

in overt combat and their territories were turned into battlefields, for others it meant

providing manpower and resources from afar to support their chosen side.

The belligerent camps were represented by the Allies on one side and the Axis forces on

the other. For obvious reasons historians of this time have concentrated on these two

groups however there was a third group whose involvement, while passive, ultimately

proved substantial. This group consisted of five countries who declared their ‘neutrality’ –

Ireland, Sweden, Switzerland, Portugal and Spain. ‘Neutrality’ was not “non-

involvement’ but rather a form of involvement which, in trying to protect and preserve its

own structural integrity, strove to be of no help or hindrance to either side in the conflict.

The reasons behind the ‘neutrality’ decision differed for each country and ranged from

geographical location to a historic tradition of non-alignment, however in each case this

passive involvement took both effort and resources. Clair Wills, exploring the social

experience of being a ‘neutral’ state describes it as “a ghostly existence” being both in and

outside the war, of being on “the edge of total war and responding to chains of events

outside its control”(2008,11). This thesis will seek to reveal, through the discipline of

archaeology, one such response.

Focusing on the extensive network of 82 Coast-Watching Lookout Posts (LOPs) that were

hurriedly constructed at the beginning of the war, the structures will initially be sited

2

within their historic context, their role elucidated and their success or otherwise in

fulfilling this role outlined.

Schofield maintains that “the immediacy and the relevance of twentieth century war” has

fuelled a public desire for more information on the “impact of warfare and militarisation

on society” and that furthermore “People want to visit the remaining structures, they have

an interest and that interest is burgeoning” (2004, 2). The Lookout Post sites of the Irish

Marine and Coastwatching Service are a physical example of Ireland’s political ideology

during the wartime years however to a large extent they have been allowed to disappear

from the historical narrative. They are not protected and so do not benefit from the public

exposure such protection brings and their function and history exists only in the awareness

of a few.

Schofield says of military sites that they are important “for reasons of memory,

commemoration and sense of place” and that both archaeology and historical research “can

contribute much to understanding – and thus to commemorating and remembering –

twentieth century warfare, and hopefully learning lessons from it” (2004, 2). Ireland’s

LOP sites hold just such a possibility. Given the widespread nature of their locations, their

potential for contributing to local cultural heritages is substantial. The LOP huts were

manned by local people with local lives, agendas and beliefs and the record of how they

experienced the war, what they thought important enough to report and how they engaged

with their role of ‘national frontline defender’ is arguably reflective of wider societal

ideology. However they are becoming an endangered resource, vulnerable to both the

passage of time and the march of progress and thus a pro-active conservation and/or

recording agenda is now urgently required.

1.1 The Defence of Britain Project and associated research.

Recognising the need to record the 20th

century militarised landscape in Britain, the

Council for British Archaeology (CBA) spearheaded a drive to record all military sites

built around Britain during the 20th

century. The research was carried out between April

1995 and December 2001 and resulted in a database that consisted of more than 20,000

records collected by a volunteer force of 600 people undertaking field and documentary

work. This database formed the basis of what became The Defence of Britain Project, the

3

purpose of which was to “inform the responsible heritage agencies at both local and

national level with a view to the future preservation of surviving structures” (Defence of

Britain Project).

In 2002, using the records generated by this project, English Heritage went on to undertake

a specific study of the anti-invasion defence structures that were built in England during

World War 2, maintaining that “these places have particular relevance for understanding

the logic of defence and its impact upon the pre-war landscape” (www.english-

heritage.org.uk) and two years later Schofield suggested the agenda hereunder as a

continuing strategy to “priorities and focus research into recent military heritage” (2004,

37).

1.1.2 Schofield’s Research Agenda for Britains Military Heritage

a) Improve understanding of built resource: To continue to investigate what was

built, where and when, and what form the sites took, using appropriate sources (eg

documents, field remains, aerial photography).

b) Improve understanding of the surviving resources: To continue the process of

researching and documenting the surviving remains of sites and monuments of this

period, whether through aerial, geophysical, remote sensing or field survey

(including submerged environments), and at a national, regional or local scale.

c) Pressures and Perceptions: Determining and assessing the various pressures that

affect twentieth-century military remains, and changing perceptions of them.

d) Methodologies : to explore new approaches to modern military heritage and to

ensure its integration with other related agenda, such as sustainability, social

inclusion and the related fields of philosophy, sociology, geography and

archaeology.

e) Management principles and frameworks: Ensuring appropriate and effective

measures and procedures are in place to preserve and manage twentieth century

military resources alongside those of the more distant past.

f) Articulation, co-ordination and publication: Co-ordinating the objectives and

aspirations of the many groups, individuals and specialised archaeological

organisations and agencies who seek to develop an understanding of the scale and

logic of militarisation in Britain throughout the twentieth century, for the purposes

4

of better working practices, and improved understanding and awareness. This

should be achieved through cooperation and networking, the university sector and

voluntary and local organisation being key players.

Ireland to-date, has had limited archaeological research work carried out into it’s World

War 2 built military heritage (Geraldine Stout’s work on the WW2 pillboxes of the Boyne

Valley a notable exception (Stout 2002)) and whilst the history of the Irish Marine and

Coast-watching Service has been explored by Michael Kennedy in his book “Guarding

Neutral Ireland: The Coast Watching Service and Military Intelligence 1939-1945”

(Kennedy 2008), the LOP sites have not been investigated archaeologically,despite the fact

that they date to the very birth of the nation and are connected to the first major

‘international’ decision made by the fledgling state. The multi-disciplined, integrated

approach to 20th

century military heritage, so much a feature of the British agenda (as

demonstrated above) is arguably lacking in the Irish context.

Thus though the scale of this current project is but a fraction of the Defence of Britain

Project, it is envisioned as a very early step into the eventual recording of independent

Irelands’ entire 20th

century militarised landscape which should then be brought to the

attention of those charged with protection of the State’s cultural heritage.

1.2 This Project

The main objective of this thesis is to produce a baseline, point-in-time record of the

aspect, orientation and level of conservation of twenty of the subject sites and a framework

for the future recording of the remaining 62.

1.2.1 Methodology

In the spirit of the methodology suggested by Schofield in his agenda above, a multi-

disciplined approach will be employed in producing the archaeological record which is the

subject of this project. It will be created by a systematic photographic and observational

survey of ten sites on the east coast and ten on the west coast, with the level of

conservation established by reference to a pre-determined scale. An important element of

the survey is the recording of the orientation of each LOP which will facilitate the creation

of a graphic showing the theoretical field of vision of the subject LOPs in unison.

5

The historic setting of the project will be established by exploring the primary source

documents from the ‘Emergency Period’ which are held within the Irish Military Archives

and include the correspondence of the Department of Defence, the correspondence of G2

(Irish Military Intelligence) and the Log books of the LOPs which are the subject of this

project.

Additionally, the findings of an in-depth case study of the post at Wicklow Head that will

include the personal memories, knowledge and folklore of a contemporary witness, will be

documented, providing a social perspective of the site and a verbal archive for comparison

with both the historic military data and the archaeological evidence.

A necessary step within this methodology, and one not usually associated with

archaeological research, concerns the protection of the material witness. For the sake of

good order, ethical clearance has been sought from the Research Ethics Department of

University College Dublin, in order to carry out the aforementioned interview. Following

a robust clearance process which included the pre-clearance of interview questions and the

written assurance that the witness should not be identified, Ethical Clearance was granted

under Reference No. HS-14-34-Ryan-Warren (appendix 1) and any contribution made by

this witness will be cited within this thesis as “Informant 1” .

An additional resource to the verbal archive will be the thoughts of Professor of

archaeology, Seamus Caulfield who at the present time is excavating the aerial EIRE sign

at Downpatrick Head and has agreed to a discussion on the project.

Analysis of the field survey data will compare the results from the east and west coasts and

offer an interpretation of any findings thus endeavouring to expose what Schofield terms

the “human condition, social context and experience” (2005,80) of those who built,

inhabited and lived with these structures and in doing so, demonstrate the hidden ideology

of these sites, above and beyond their original purpose.

1.3 The potential within the archaeology: Moshenska, commenting on the archaeology of the second world war in Britain, says “The

archaeology and the records of those remains will serve as a testimony to the wartime

generation long after they have passed; the duty of archaeologists is to bring the traces of

the Second World War to life again to illuminate the lives and experiences of the people

who worked, fought and died among them”(2012,xiii). Though thankfully the Irish Coast-

6

watching service was spared the trauma of “fighting and dying” in the course of their duty,

they were part of the Irish “wartime generation” and their work provided them with

ringside seats to the war as it unfolded in the skies and oceans surrounding Ireland

(Kennedy 2008,13). Furthermore the work that they carried out from these Lookout Post

sites, in part “underpinned the defence of neutral Ireland” (Kennedy 2008, 13) and when

considered retrospectively “shows how the parameters of neutrality were re-negotiated

during the course of the war” (Kennedy 2008, 310).

They and the accoutrements of their wartime existence are therefore, worthy

representatives of Ireland’s wartime experience.

7

Chapter 2 Historical Background

Whilst each of the neutral countries had their own reasons for declaring neutrality, in

Ireland’s case the reasons were complex and extended far beyond the concerns of political

power and government. Thus to understand ‘neutrality’ from the Irish perspective and

consequently understand the material culture of this period it is necessary to cite the

archaeology within its historic context.

The twenty three years prior to the outbreak of war had seen Ireland grapple with the

tantalisingly close but elusive concept of independence. The many centuries of resistance

to British rule which had culminated with the 1916 republican rising had been followed by

the War of Independence resulting in the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921. This treaty, apart

from partitioning the island into the Irish Free State and the six counties of Northern

Ireland under complete British rule, gave the Irish Free State ‘dominion’ status and

crucially allowed the British to retain control of the three ports of Lough Swilly,

Berehaven and Queenstown and “the right to any other Irish bases they might desire in

time of war”(Dwyer 2009,1). It also split the population into pro-treaty and anti-treaty

camps leading to the Civil war of 1922-23. Republican leader and anti-treaty proponent

Eamonn DeValera split from Sinn Fein in 1926 and formed the new Fianna Fail party

before finally coming to power in 1932. The following years saw DeValera slowly chip

away at the established norms of a dominion state by abolishing the Oath of Allegiance,

ending the payment of land annuities and instigating the Irish Nationality and Citizenship

Act of 1935 (Ferriter, 2007,123) however, it was with the ratification of Bunreacht Na

hEireann in 1937 that Ireland finally struck out as an independent country of Europe with

its own laws and institutions, independent of any other jurisdiction.

The following year DeValera finally got back the treaty ports of Loughswilly, Berehaven

and Queenstown, a move that was to prove of crucial importance to the decisions that were

to follow when War was declared, just one year later. Described by Churchill as “Sentinel

Towers of Western Approaches”(quoted in O’Carroll 1986, 10), DeValera referred to the

ports as “not only a symbol of independence but an establishment of independence”

(O’Carroll 1986,10) thus the events of the era assigned a lasting geopolitical framework

with which to interpret the wider significance of relatively simple structures. This

assignment of political significance and symbolism would prove to be as true of the

Lookout Posts sites as it was of the treaty ports.

8

Ireland’s geographic position was a concern for the Allied countries, especially Britain.

Director of Military Intelligence for Ireland Colonel Dan Bryan outlined the problem even

before the war when he wrote “Ireland by geographical position lies across and controls

the communications of Great Britain with all the outside world save only that considerable

but far more preponderant portion which borders the North Sea and Baltic” (quoted in

Kennedy 2008, 14). Furthermore the experience and extent of unrestricted submarine

warfare off the Irish Coast during the First World War made the concept of fighting an

Atlantic war without access to the Irish Ports a considerable worry (Kennedy 2008, 14).

Ireland’s geopolitical position therefore created a potential weak spot in Britain's defences,

one which Churchill was eager to plug.

It should be remembered however that given the long history of Irish-British relations,

there was within DeValera’s government a deep suspicion of Britain. Thus despite the

requests and bargaining ploys of Churchill, including an offer in principle of Irish Unity

(Wills 2007, 386), DeValera was not about to loosen his grip on such a hard won

independence and declared the country’s neutrality in what he referred to as “The

Emergency”. “Neutrality” was to be DeValera’s method of asserting Ireland’s

independence and as Dwyer (2009,1) states “...demonstrating independence became the

imperative of the country’s foreign policy in succeeding years”.

DeValera however was not alone in his pre-occupation with neutrality. In a report to the

Dominions office in 1942 Sir John Maffey, the British representative to Ireland described

the national sentiment as follows “In the country at large neutrality is no longer merely a

policy. It has become a principle, almost a faith”(quoted in Dwyer 2009,197). The

concept of ‘neutrality’ had infiltrated the popular psyche and evolved as a public

appendage incorporating an emerging cultural identity. Consequently, the accoutrements

of this neutrality, the buildings and structures put in place to defend it, also took on these

same characteristics and became the physical manifestations of these sentiments, the LOPs

of the Irish Marine and Coast Watching service being a prime example.

Notwithstanding this ‘neutral fervour’, it will be argued that the archaeological record

shows these sentiments to have altered over the course of the war supporting Maffey’s

comment that “when the principle of neutrality is not publicly and violently outraged, the

Éire authorities endeavour to solve the problems which the war brings in a manner

favourable to us” (Dwyer 2009,197) and on another occasion “ Hateful as their neutrality

9

is, it has been a neutrality friendly to our cause”(Dwyer 2009, 131). Whilst undoubtedly

the agreement to the establishment of what was known as the “Donegal Corridor”

(whereby Ireland permitted Allied planes to fly over neutral territory to reach their bases in

the counties of Northern Ireland) is the most well known example of this ‘friendly

neutrality”, the archaeological evidence of the aerial EIRE signs bears physical testament

to this neutral bias, as they included the number of the associated LOP which turned them

into ‘navigational aids’(Kennedy 2008, 244).

2.1 The establishment of Ireland’s “Marine and Coast-Watching Service”

Neutrality brought with it its own problems. Ireland’s location between Britain and the

western world and lying close to the trade routes of Europe (Kennedy 2008, 14) meant that

it held the potential to be strategically important to both Britain and Germany. It was

apparent some action would be required to guard Ireland’s neutrality. As a country

however, Ireland was virtually defenceless. It had no real navy, an underfunded and badly

equipped army and an air corps consisting of 13 planes (Kennedy 2008, 89).

As mentioned above, Colonel Dan Bryan had for the previous decade recognised Ireland’s

vulnerability in this area and had long been a proponent of establishing a coast-watching

service, but it was prior to the outbreak of war during the Munich Crisis of September

1938 that this vulnerability was finally acknowledge and the establishment of the Coast

Watching Service became a reality (Kennedy 2008,16). It was decided by the Department

of Defence, headed by Minister of Defence Frank Aiken that a network of observational

posts be established around the entire coast of the Eire to observe and report on any

violation of, or threat to, Irish neutrality (Kennedy 2008,16) . The coast-watching service

would be run by “...an officer at the rank of Commandant assisted by a civilian specialist

in nautical matters” (Kennedy 2008, 21) and it would report to the District Military

Command. By April of 1939 the service was ready to start the recruitment of 800

volunteers and advertisements were duly published in all national newspapers (see Fig.1).

10

Fig 1. Recruitment advertisement, Irish Press Saturday 29th

April 1939

http://www.irishnewsarchive.com/Default/Skins/INA/Client.asp?Skin=INA&enter=true&AppName=2&AW=1355770101461

Britain was also anxious that a comprehensive coast-watching scheme be put in place, not

only for the reasons outlined above but also because Ireland, if invaded by Germany, could

facilitate an easier invasion of Britain. It was with this motivation that at this early set-up

stage, the British Admiralty became involved in an advisory capacity and the seeds of

British-Irish intelligence co-operation were sown (Kennedy 2008, 24) a co-operation that

would continue to grow throughout the war years.

11

2.2. Lookout Post Hut Construction

On the 3rd

of September 1939, with the declaration of war on Germany by Britain and

France, DeValera passed the Emergency Powers Act and declared its commitment to

neutrality (Wills 2008,2) By this time the “Marine and Coast-Watching Service” existed

in “rudimentary form” (Kennedy 2008, 32). Recruitment had in fact outstripped the

construction of the Lookout posts and with the outbreak of war the personnel were initially

required to operate out of army tents. However by 19th

of September 1939 the design of

the lookout post huts was agreed between Office of Public Works architect,W.H. Howard

Cooke and the Director of Military Engineering (Kennedy 2008,49) and so the form of the

physical landscape of the entire coast area of Ireland was to be altered and militarised to

suit the needs of the newly formed state.

It is worthy of note that Martello Towers and Coast-watching Towers were already in

existence along the Irish coastline since the early 19th

century. The LOP building

programme was not therefore the first militarisation of the Irish landscape, however these

earlier buildings were the work of a different state with different priorities and agenda’s.

In correspondence written by Commander Seamus O’Muiris, Directory of the Irish Marine

Service, to The Chief of Staff Office, G2 Branch on 10th

February 1943, the difference

between the two different coast-watching services is proffered when he wrote..

“ The Coast Guard stations used during the last war were sited to give

accessibility by land and in many cases patrols had to go long distances before a

good view seaward could be obtained.

The system therefore supplies a much more efficient service than that provided by

the old system of Coast Guard stations since the whole coastline is kept under

continuous observation under normal conditions”

(MA/G2/X/318)

Many of the LOPs were actually built adjacent to or in close proximity to these existing

earlier structures, but there were many more located between these locations, all working

in unison. However the fact that where the chosen location of the new LOP coincided with

that of the old Coast Guard buildings, the state still chose to build their own building,

12

highlights the recognition of these differences and the underlying determination of the new

state to stamp it’s own identity on the frontiers of the country (Fig 2).

Fig 2. LOP no. 5 at Rush, Co. Dublin built adjacent to existing Martello Tower.

The construction of the LOPs represents one of the largest engineering exercises

undertaken by the Irish Defence Forces during the Second World War. It involved

planning and constructing positions at strategic locations along a 1,970 mile coastline from

Ballagan Point in Louth to Inishowen Head in Donegal (Schmelzer 2011).

Each hut was to be built from one design and constructed from 137 pre-cast 4” concrete

blocks. The huts were to be 9ft wide and 13ft long with a large bay-window made up of

six angled windows on the coast end of the building. On the right wall at the rear was the

door which opened into a porch. At the rear wall of the building there was a fireplace

(Kennedy 2008, 49), (Fig 3 refers). The archaeology however will demonstrate how some

buildings deviated from this plan.

www.lookoutpost.com

13

Fig. 3 Section drawing from architect W.H. Howard Cooke’s LOP plans.

Kennedy maintains that by 9th

March 1940 all the huts had been constructed (2008,51).

They were basic, vastly inadequate to cope with the weather given their exposed coastal

positions and poorly built given the urgency of their construction but they were also the

first nation-wide physical manifestation of the intent of the Irish people – to remain

independent and neutral. However, perhaps their biggest flaw, when they were initially

constructed, was that they had no means of communication other than by travelling,

sometimes as far as eight miles, by bike to the nearest Garda station or Post Office in order

to telephone their District Command (Kennedy 2008,45).

In 1939 the Irish telephone network was in its infancy and though there were lines in

Dublin which facilitated connection of the Lookouts at Howth, Dalkey and Wicklow quite

early on, some of the posts on the west coast remained unconnected until late in 1940 and

two located in Kerry were never connected at all (Kennedy 2008,47). Kennedy sums up

this weakness in stating “Bicycles and the local post office or Garda station telephone were

of no use for reporting a fast low-flying aircraft as the aircraft would be long gone by the

time its presence was reported up the chain of command (2008,43). He further recounts

the documented experience of Lookout personnel at Roonagh, Co. Mayo who, in

Courtesy of the National Archives of Ireland

14

attempting to phone through information to G2 in the middle of the night was informed by

the on-duty Garda that no connection was possible until the post-office opened the

following day (Kennedy 2008, 44).

However, with the fall of France on 25th

June 1940, the government prioritised the

connection of all LOPs to the telephone network “as a matter of extreme urgency” (Litton

1961,86). Over 100 miles of new pole route were erected to some of the most remote and

inaccessible locations in Ireland along with hundreds of miles of trunk lines. This

monumental task was completed within the months of June and July of 1940 (Litton 1961,

86-87).

Fig 4. LOP no. 69 at Mullaghmore with phone line still in situ, embedded in the

concrete at the top of the left hand side wall

15

Fig 5. Holes in interior left hand side wall of LOP 69 at Mullaghmore where arguably

the phone apparatus was installed. These holes are evident in all of the LOPs within

this study, where the left hand side wall exists.

2.3 Aerial EIRE Signs

The EIRE signs that were constructed in the early summer of 1943 adjacent to each LOP

around the coastline were a practical solution to an ongoing problem. Kennedy maintains

that in the eleven months from April 1943 to March 1944, 21,000 military aircraft flew

near or over Ireland. Of the 12,000 that could be identified 99.65% were allied aircrafts

and during the same period there were 40 forced landings on Irish territory (2008, 244).

The signs were primarily intended to warn aircrafts that they were flying over neutral

Ireland. It would appear however that their construction was at the behest of the United

States as documentary evidence in the form of a telegram (dated 21st December 1943)

from the US envoy to Ireland, David Gray, informs the US Secretary of State, Cordell

Hull, that they had “been erected as a result, at least partially, of the efforts of’ the

American legation in Dublin (quoted in Kennedy 2008, 244). Also in this same telegram,

Gray refers to the LOP numbers saying, “Any pilot with the aid of the key map can find

16

his location” (quoted in Kennedy 2008, 247). These numbers had been added at the request

of the US Air Force in June of 1943 (Kennedy 2008, 244). This being the case, the

construction of the numbered signs can be interpreted as a breach of neutrality by Ireland

in favour of the Allies and consequently the archaeological evidence of these signs that are

present in the landscape today are of importance as physical indicators of this neutral bias.

There were in fact two types of signs constructed. Initially in 1943 the signs were

constructed without any specific format, the coast-watching personnel merely instructed to

“collect flat stones to make letters” (Kennedy 2009, 245). However, one year later in the

summer of 1944 the signs were all replaced to a “standard format of 12 x 6m, surrounded

by a wide rectangular stone border” and whitewashed to increase visibility (Kennedy 2008,

245). The importance of these signs as navigational aids and as an indicator of Ireland’s

‘neutral’ bias is evidenced by the fact that the United States Air Force included a detailed

description of them as part of the briefings for all crews who were to fly near Ireland

(Kennedy 2009, 247).

.

17

Chapter 3. The archaeology

3.1. Field Surveys

The time constraint of this project meant that the field surveys were restricted to a total of

20 sites. This represents approximately 24% of all the sites constructed. For purposes of

comparison it was decided to select ten consecutive sites on the East coast and ten on the

west coast. (fig 6).

LOP No. Location Lop No. Location

East Coast

6 Howth 11 Cahore

7 Dalkey 12 Ballyconnigar Hill

8 Bray 13 Greenore Point

9 Wicklow Head 13 Carnsore Point

10 Kilmichael Point 14 Forlorn Point

West Coast

63 Benwee Head 68 Rosskeeragh

64 Downpatrick Head 69 Mullaghmore

65 Kilcummin 70 St. Johns Point

66 Lenadoon 71 Carrigan Head

67 Aughris 72 Rossan Point

Fig 6.

18

For ease of recording a ‘Field Survey Record Sheet” was designed and filled-in at each site

(Fig 7).

Fig 7. Sample of Field Survey Record Sheet

Lookout Post sites numbered 6 through to 15 which occurred at 5 to 10 mile intervals

between Howth Head Co. Dublin and Forlorn Point, Co. Wexford on the East coast and

sites numbered 63 through to 72 occurring at similar intervals between Benwee Head, Co

Mayo and Rossan Point in South Donegal on the West coast, were systematically recorded

by photographic survey. Where buildings existed, measurements were taken. A hand held,

digital “Irish Grid Reference Compass” was used by standing at the front of each

building/building foundation and recording the co-ordinates and the orientation of each

19

building (Irish Grid Ref Compass v1.50 - 2012-2013, app for smart phone). Levels of

conservation at each site were then assessed by means of a pre-determined scale (Fig8).

Finally an observational search of the surrounding area was conducted in an effort to

locate the aerial EIRE signs and a positive or negative result entered onto the Field Record

Sheet. A brief description of the site/building was also recorded along with the date of

survey, the weather conditions and the extent of visibility.

In the case of a building which presented with less than 50% of wall (conservation level 5)

or where an exceptional feature was in existence adjacent to the building such as a walled

entrance, pathway or other associated structure, the feature was noted on a field sketch

sheet and included in the data file for the particular site.

Scale indicating level of preservation

1 Building presents fully intact with roof

2 Building presents fully intact but has been

modified over the years

3 Building presents with all walls but roof

damaged or missing

4 Building presents with greater that 50% of walls

5 Building presents with less than 50% of walls

6 Building presents only as rubble

7 Building evidenced only by concrete

floor/foundation

8 Building and all tracer evidence not in existence.

Fig 8.

20

3.3. Analysis of data generated by field survey.

Fig 9.

40%

10% 20%

10%

20%

Percentage of East Coast LOP's at each conservation Level

40%

10% 20%

10%

10% 10%

Percentage of West Coast LOP's at each conservation Level

1- Building presents fully intact with roof 2- Building presents fully intact but has been modified over the years 3- Building presents with all walls but roof damaged or missing 4- Building presents with greater than 50% of walls 5- Building presents with less than 50% of walls 6-Building presents only as rubble 7-Building evidenced only by concrete floor/foundation 8-Building and all trace evidence not in existence.

Legend

21

3.3.1. Conservation

The survey clearly shows a difference in levels of conservation of the subject sites between

the East Coast and the West coast (fig 9). 80% of the West Coast buildings have a

conservation level in the 1-4 range (i.e. presenting with greater than 50% of walls intact)

compared to 50% on the East coast with both the subject areas presenting 4 buildings

completely intact. In most cases the field survey has shown that even the intact buildings

are beginning to show signs of becoming unstable. Only one is in present day use

(Wicklow Head) and has been maintained, though has also been modified to suit its’

current purpose.

Whilst every site on the West coast had some visible evidence of the buildings, two of the

sites on the East coast had completely disappeared. The fact that the East is more densely

populated than the west and that the sites tend to be situated closer to urban centres

facilitating a greater chance of public interaction is undoubtedly a factor though the sites

on the west coast have arguably to contend with more extreme weather, the huts at

Carrigan Head, Co. Donegal and Rosskeeragh, Co. Sligo both falling as a result of a

singular weather event (in the case of Carrigan Head, a winter storm in 1995 (local

knowledge)).

3.3.2 Orientation and fields of vision

The orientation of the bay-windowed end of each building/building floor was recorded

during the field survey in order to facilitate an approximate calculation of field of vision

for each Lookout post. Using the formula “SquareRoot(height above surface / 0.5736) =

distance to horizon” (Science, How Stuff Works) distances were calculated and entered

into the GIS software which enabled production of the graphic showing approximate fields

of vision from each post. Of course the use of binoculars would perhaps have increased

this view and these theoretically enhanced fields of vision are indicated in the graphic

below as the lighter blue extension to the distance fields (Fig.10).

22

Fig 10. Approximate field of vision from each LOP (excluding LOP No. 6 at Howth and LOP

NO.12 at Ballyconnigar Hill for which there is no physical evidence) . The ‘Donnegal

Corridor’ is also arrowed. The darker blue areas represent theoretically possible un-

enhanced views from the LOPs with the lighter blue areas showing theoretically

possible extended views given optimum conditions and powerful binoculars.

23

Chapter 4 :Discussion

4.1 Lookout Post huts

Most of the sites are located on headlands in extreme coast-edge positions. All but two of

the sites revealed easily recognisable archaeological remains, with the remaining two

presenting no evidence at all that could be recognised by a sight-only survey. In the case of

these two sites at Howth and Ballyconnigar Hill (both on the East coast) the location was

identified by reference to original grid references that were documented in correspondence

held within the Military Archives (EDP/20/5). Though these grid references referred to a

now obsolete mapping system, it was possible to convert the references to the Irish

Transverse Mercator (ITM) co-ordinate system and get an approximate location. However,

without physical evidence it was impossible to categorically indicate the exact orientation

of each of these buildings, thus the field of vision for these sites has not been incorporated

into the graphic representation above (see fig 10).

80% of the Lookout buildings surveyed as part of this project largely conformed to the

architect drawn plan mentioned earlier, though the surveys revealed slight variances in

dimensions as they ranged in length between 376 and 396cm and in width between 251

and 271cm. They had an angled bay window facing the sea, a doorway on the rear right

wall and an interior wall extending to 97cm with a width of 11cm (which created an inner

porch area). In most cases there was evidence of an inner door leading off this porch into

the main room which also had a fireplace located on the back wall. Where only the

foundations exist (i.e. Dalkey, Bray and Cahore on the east coast and Rosskeeragh and

Carrigan Head on the west coast) the shape and dimensions of the foundation floor

indicate that these building were also of standard design.

However there were exceptions found notably on the south east coast. LOP No. 14 at

Carnsore point proved to be the most dramatically different as it was located on top of

what appears to be a pre existing single storey building constructed of red brick with the

exterior plastered in a concrete and stone mix (fig 11).

24

Fig 11. LOP No.14 at Carnsore Point, Co. Wexford.

In addition to the unusual location, it differs from the architect design in so far as it has

angled observation windows located at each end of the building and the fireplace is located

in the centre of the south wall. There were only five individual windows making up each

widow-bay unlike the six which usually make up the bay window area in the huts that are

of standard design. The entrance to the structure was through the building underneath with

an access opening located in the floor of the building opposite the fireplace.

LOP no. 15 at Forlorn Point also differs from the norm. It was also located on the upper

level of another building, though it is not possible to ascertain if this was a later addition.

It is accessed via a stairway on the outside of the East wall (fig 12).

25

Fig 12. LOP No. 15 at Forlorn Point.

It has an angled bay window section spanning approximately 4m in width (twice the

normal width). The windows on each wall of the angled bay were made up of one large

window with a smaller side, sliding sash window and unusually there were windscreen-

wipers attached to the larger window pane. The depth of the room was considerably

smaller than the norm at approximately 1.67m. The fireplace was located on the western

wall. It is not possible to say from sight survey alone if the existing windows and window-

wipers date to the 1939 – 1945 period or if they were a later modification. The room

appears to be out of use for some time as the access stairway is overgrown with weeds and

brambles. Furthermore a visual inspection through the window showed it to be empty

except for some lengths of wood. There was however a modern communication aerial

attached to the roof of the lower building which also had a sign over the back door saying

“Coastguard”.

26

The variation found in Lookout hut design appears to be linked to the topography of the

coastline. Where the altitude falls below 12m, as is the case with both Carnsore Point and

Forlorn Point, which present as 6.80m and 5.48m respectively, the design has been

modified to reflect the low altitude and the buildings have been sited on top of other

buildings giving them an approximate 5 to 6m height advantage.

Evidence of a small external entrance wall located at the doorway of the Lookout huts was

present in at least two of the east coast sites at Bray and Wicklow Head (Fig 13 & 14). A

possible third site at Kilmichael Point on the east coast also had evidence of a red brick

structure at the doorway, now in ruins and mostly buried beneath the sand (Fig 15)

Fig.13 Small external wall at Wicklow Fig. 14 Small external wall at Bray LOP.

Head LOP

27

Fig 15 : Buried Red-brick feature at LOP 10 at Kilmichael Point, Co. Wicklow.

This external feature was not present on any of the west coast LOPs surveyed, however at

four of the west coast sites there was evidence of a circular pit feature in close proximity to

the buildings (Fig 16).

Fig. 16. Circular pit feature adjacent to LOP no. 69 at Mullaghmore

It is suggested that these regional similarities noted in features occurring adjacent to the

LOP buildings, the walled external entrances on the east coast and the circular pit features

28

on the west, may be indicative of building decisions made at local level by the Defence

Forces construction team and arguably indicates that some LOPs were built by the same

team. One possible interpretation of these features is that they may have provided a

sheltered area for storing fuel; coal on the east coast and turf on the west (covered in the

pit by a protective covering). Further investigation or excavation of the features may

produce evidence to support this theory.

4.2. Aerial EIRE signs

The aerial EIRE signs were most evident on the West Coast. At Downpatrick, Co. Mayo

the sign had been excavated in the week prior to field survey and had revealed some stones

still bearing traces of whitewash. The border had been detected but on grounds of health

and safety had not been included in the excavation (Caulfield 2014), (Fig 17).

Fig. 17. Recently excavated EIRE sign with stones bearing traces of whitewash.

At Carrigan Point, Co. Donegal there is evidence that perhaps two signs were constructed

in two different locations. The partial remains of a sign at 54˚37’29.94N, 8˚40’37.99W are

29

visible from a distance (Fig.18) whilst what appears to be another sign is partially visible

close by at 54˚37’36.74N, 8˚41’02.84W (Fig 19).

Fig. 18. Partial remains of EIRE sign at Carrigan Head, 54˚37’29.94N, 8˚40’37.99W)

Fig 19. Suggested partial remains of EIRE sign at Carrigan Head, 54˚37’36.74N,

8˚41’02.84W (arrowed)

At Benwee Head, Co. Mayo the EIRE sign was complete and appeared to have been

recently renovated (fig20)

www.bing.com/maps

30

Fig 20. EIRE sign at Benwee Head

On the East Coast at the site of Bray LOP a 10m row of large stones were detected in a

very overgrown, grassy area approximately 15m to the east of the LOP site. Without

further investigation and excavation it is not possible to say if they are connected with the

sign.

Photographic evidence from the 1950’s held by the Military Archives shows the EIRE sign

at Wicklow Head in situ (Fig 21). The area was overgrown at time of field survey, to the

extent that it was impossible to find any surface evidence however, current satellite images

appear to show the sign may still be there and could be revealed by excavation at a later

date (Fig 22).

31

Fig 21. Aerial photograph of Wicklow Head dated circa. 1950 (MA Vertical Negative Prints

Box/ Wicklow Folder).

Fig 22. Satellite view of EIRE sign site. “R” and “E” appear to be still visible.

From the visual evidence, the letters of the aerial EIRE signs found on the West coast

appear to be of similar design and dimensions. However, the photograph showing the sign

at Wicklow Head taken in the 1950’s (Fig 21), shows a deviation in design with the

number 9 occurring below the EIRE and cutting through the border (on the more standard

examples the number of the Lookout occurs above the bordered sign). The border and

letters also appear to be narrower than elsewhere although this can only be determined by

excavation. Kennedy maintains that there were two sets of signs built, the first an ad-hoc

attempt by the individual Lookouts and the second conforming to the dimensions of 12 x

www.Bing.com/maps

32

6m with wide rectangular border (Kennedy 2008, 244). It may therefore be the case that

the sign at Wicklow Head was the original sign which was never updated, or perhaps could

not be updated due to topography issues.

The presence of a second sign at Carrigan Head could arguably be accounted for by virtue

of the fact that there is very few flat areas of suitable dimension in the location (with the

exception of the small carpark adjacent to the sign in Fig.19 which appears to be of more

modern construction). The location of one sign on a north facing slope (as in Fig 18)

would not have been visible to planes flying in a northerly direction, however the sign in

Fig.19 is south-west facing and would have addressed this problem.

4.3. Other buildings of the Emergency Defence Plan.

The Irish Marine and Coastwatching Service was just one of a number of defence

organisations that were established under The Emergency Act of 1939. There were in fact

two invasion scenarios considered; invasion from Germany (via coast or air) and invasion

from Britain. Invasion from Britain was deemed more likely to occur along the East coast,

at the treaty ports or at the six-county Northern Ireland border (Wills 2007,88,).

Invasion fears reached an all-time high in May of 1940 with the fall of France and on the

9th

July a directive issued from Portobello Barracks in Dublin confirmed that “Provision

will be made for prompt opposition to a hostile advance including delaying action by a

small detachment between the border and a final line of defence. The final line of defence

will be the general line of the river Boyne and Blackwater from the sea to Lough Ramor.”

(quoted in Wills 2007, 89).

In addition to the LOPs observing the coast, observation groups were also to be situated at

the ports and along the border frontier. The “delaying action” by a “small detachment”

referred to above was to be made up of cyclists and cavalry squadrons whose objectives

were to report on the whereabouts of the enemy and cause the maximum amount of

obstruction and delay north of the main line of resistance which was concentrated on the

south side of the river Boyne (Stout 2002,168). This final line of resistance consisted of a

series of pillboxes, grouped together at strategic points, which would be manned by

defence personnel if and when it was thought an incursion was likely (Stout 2002, 172).

33

Though these defences were clearly planned in mid 1940 it would appear from dates and

initials found scrawled on the pillboxes that these were not built in the main until 1942

(Wills 2008, 89).

These pill-boxes were clearly defensive in their design, varying in shape and size but were

all basically concrete artillery emplacements with concealed points of entry and “internally

splayed horizontal slits” (Stout 2002,170)

Fig. 23 Pillbox at Bridge on the Boyne, Co. Meath

4.3.1 Pillbox and LOP Comparison

The Pillboxes described in the previous section stand in stark contrast to the Lookout huts

that had been built three years earlier with little or no defensive characteristics. In contrast

to the small rifle slits which were a feature of the pill-boxes, the Lookout huts had six large

windows situated in an angled bay. Additionally, their cliff-top locations, selected for

maximum visibility meant that they had maximum exposure. Although arming the LOP

personnel with rifles and sub-machine guns had been discussed, it had only been realised

at LOP no. 41 at Fenit. (Kennedy 2008, 39). A few posts such as Howth and Dalkey which

www.geograph.ie

34

were deemed ‘key positions’, benefitted from having searchlights, sound detectors and

associated additional personnel located on site (Kennedy 2008, 171). At the LOP site in

Dalkey the remnants of a concrete platform, 150 x 150cm with bolt holes can be found

located approximately 3m from the LOP base which may have been the base of the

documented searchlight (Fig. 24)

Fig 24 Concrete platform with bolt holes at LOP no.7 at Dalkey, Co. Dublin.

For the most part the Lookout volunteers and their huts were completely undefended. The

volunteers were instructed to destroy all equipment and join nearest LDF contingent if the

coast was invaded or in case of the LOP being held-up “to slip past persons engaged in the

operation and cycle to the nearest point to which phone or other contact could be made

with the nearest military posts” (Kennedy 2008, 42).

The proximity of the Lookout huts, in theory, facilitated an overlapping and contiguous

field of vision of the seas and skies adjacent to the subject stretch of coastlines (illustrated

in Fig 10). The overlapping light blue areas indicating enhanced extended view fields in

the aforementioned graphic show areas which could theoretically be observed by more

than one LOP. Of particular importance is the number of LOPs which could observe the

activity of belligerent aircraft along the Donnegal Corridor (arrowed in Fig 10).

35

Kennedy, commenting on the special arrangement that was put in place to allow this

breach of neutrality, states that the eight mile route from Belleek to the sea at

Ballyshannon and out over Donegal Bay, was agreed to in a meeting between DeValera

and Sir John Maffey in January 1941 and within a month the LOPs in Donegal Bay had

recorded a marked increase in aerial activity, “with St.Johns Point becoming the most

important LOP for the observation of flights through the air corridor” (2008, 141- 142). It

is suggested that as a stipulation of the air corridor agreement, that as flights were to fly at

a height of 1000 ft over Eire (Kennedy 2008,141), the proximity of St.Johns Point to the

start of the corridor may have given the coastwatchers at this LOP the best chance of

observing the greatest number of flights before they reached this height.

If, as seems likely, the remaining 62 LOP sites on the coastlines which are not included in

this study, were similarly located and built with consideration to the topography of each

area, it would demonstrate a comprehensive attempt at observing the Irish territory in its

entirety. Observation and fields of vision were however wholly dependent on the weather

and seasons with visibility restricted to daylight hours only during the mid-winter months.

The documentary evidence of the LOP logbooks held within the Military Archives show

however that the posts were manned twenty-four hours a day with entries for the hours of

darkness restricted to descriptions of aircraft noise and occasional visual accounts of flares

or explosions (see fig 25 & 26).

36

Fig 25. MA/LOP/09/2 – note entry at 00.20 describing visual of flashes.

Fig. 26. MA/LOP/09/2 – note entry at 06.10 describing sound of aircraft only, though

visibility good.

37

C hapter 5 – Wicklow Head Case Study

Fig 27 Lookout Post building today in use as VHF marine radio station.

NOTE : Information supplied by material witness is cited as ‘Informant 1’ in order to

ensure anonymity.

The Lookout Post at Wicklow Head is one of three Lookout Posts that have been adapted

for modern day use. It is used today to house VHF maritime radio equipment and is

protected from public interaction by the addition of a security gate protecting the doorway

and wire fencing surrounding the entire site. One of the more notable adaptations made to

the building is the blocking up of the two central windows along with the far right and left

windows within the angled bay. The two remaining windows are filled with obscured

glass, which prevents viewing from the inside out or from the outside in. These

amendments constitute a fundamental change in building use, as visibility is no longer of

any importance to the function or purpose of the structure.

38

This being said however, the building is still recognisable as a Lookout Post building,

conforming in shape and approximate dimensions to architect W.H. Cooke’s original

design. Its current function, in no way diminishes its past role as LOP no. 9 in the network

that made up the Irish Marine and Coast-watching Service.

LOP no. 9 was in fact one of many buildings that occupied the ‘Wicklow Head’ headland

over the past few centuries in order to keep watch over the adjacent coastline.

25” Ordnance Survey maps dated between 1897-1913 show the headland to have been

populated by various buildings of a maritime nature, with what is labelled ‘F.S.

Semaphore’ at the location of the present LOP building (Fig 28).

www.OSI.ie

Fig 28. 25” Ordnance Survey Map of Wicklow Head

This structure appears to be part of an installation collectively called the “Coastguard

Station” consisting of a walled enclosure containing various buildings. There are also three

lighthouses shown, two of which are disused.

Photographic evidence dated to 1910 shows the station in its landscape setting, situated

adjacent to the “middle tower”. Clearly visible on the headland is a building with a tall

mast on its northern side which presumably is the “Semaphore” structure. (arrowed in Fig

29).

N

39

Fig. 29. Photograph dated circa 1910 which shows Coastguard Station with

“Semaphore” structure at site of LOP 9 (arrowed).

The “Semaphore” (precursor to Morse Code) was a system that used flags to communicate

with ships at sea. It was used by the British Admiralty and Coastguard primarily in the

prevention of smuggling activities (The Flag Press,2010)

The archaeological evidence of these past times which are present on the headland today

consist of the three lighthouses, the radio station (ex LOP 9) and the ruins of the buildings

of the coastguard station. The station was built by the British Admiralty and the buildings

provided accommodation for the personnel of the Coastguard and their familes. In 1922

they became private houses until they were turned into a youth hostel in 1934. With the

outbreak of World War 2 and the construction of LOP no. 9 they were requisitioned by the

Government for use by the Coast-watching service (Informant 1) and although it is unclear

what kind of ‘use’ was intended, it would seem likely that the additional facilities such as

lavatories and washrooms would have been utilised

It has not been possible to ascertain if the requisitioning of additional buildings by the

Government for the personnel of the Coast-watching service was replicated in other

locations, however for the personnel of LOP no. 9 it no doubt provided welcome

40

additional facilities. Local knowledge highlights the existence of a ledge along the inside

of the garden wall of one of these buildings which gives easy access to a climbable section

of the rock face leading to the LOP site and it is known that LOP personnel used this

‘shortcut’( Informant 1).

Logbook entries made by LOP 9 personnel refer to a ‘new’ and ‘old’ building;

“9/2/1940 - Received 2 keys from contractor for new hut, gave him receipt”

And

“10/2/1940 – Board of Works measuring site of old and new hut, also wire

phaling” (MA, LOP/9/1)

Thus it would seem likely that the LOP personnel may have used this old coastguard

“Semaphore” structure at first whilst awaiting the building of the new hut.

The construction of the new LOP represented the first building on Wicklow Head to be

built by the Irish Government. To a degree its construction represents the militarisation of

the headland; the marking of a border over which no foreign army may trespass. This

militarisation extended also to the swelling of the Local Security Force. ranks and a

general increase in military presence in the area as the LOP was under army control and

subject to inspection at varying times of the day and night. Local memory recalls regular

patrols by members of the L.S.F. as well as shortages and rationing thus ensuring the war

was never too far removed from the lives of the inhabitants of Wicklow Town (Informant

1).

In 1946, with the Coast-watching service disbanded, the houses of the old Coastguard

Station were demolished, with some of the Coast-watching volunteers employed to do the

work (Informant 1).

The volunteers working in LOP 9 were recruited locally and included the following names;

Corporal P. O’Sullivan, R. Brennan, W. Goodman, J.J. Kavanagh, J. Malone, T. Malone,

P. O’Connor (from Kennedy 2008, 318) and M. Patchell , P. Flowers (MA/LOP/9/1)

41

It is interesting to note that families of the same names still live in Wicklow today and

may be related to these men who had a ringside seat for so much of the wartime activity

along the East Coast.

One of the more infamous events that occurred during the war years in neutral Ireland was

the Luftwaffe bombing of the North Strand area of Dublin on 31st May 1941. Investigation

of the logbooks for LOP no. 9 for that evening show an entry that reads “continuous sound

of aircraft going north from 00.00 to 01.45” and that this information was passed to Air

Defence Command (MA/LOP/9/2). According to Kennedy these planes flying over

Wicklow Head and the other East coast LOPs were German aircraft heading North on

what was to be an abortive raid on Belfast and that it was on their return journey that

Dublin was bombed in what was probably “a tragic accident” as “bombs were dropped by

aircraft running low on fuel seeking to reduce their weight” (Kennedy 2008, 189).

Commenting on the operational aspect of the Emergency Defence Plan that was engaged

that night Kennedy says, “Operationally, this was a successful engagement as LOPs, sound

locators, searchlights and guns all worked together to engage the target” (2008, 192).

Other entries of note in the Wicklow Head LOP Logbooks include the report of the

dropping of incendiary devices on Rathdown on 26th

October 1940. Volunteers M.

Patchell and P. Connor wrote:

25th

Oct. 23.05 “Bray LOP phoned to know if we had any knowledge of bombing of

Rathdown as they had reported same to CDO on information of

Bray Gardai.

“Gave them details of flashing lights”

25th

Oct. 23.15 W. Goodman and T Malone wrote :

“Test call from Wicklow Gardai with information regarding

bombing. Told us they had priority of Wicklow circuit for 1 hour

and fifteen minutes from time we reported incident to them.

42

26th

Oct. 00.20 “ 3 Flashed in quick succession followed by period of illuminations

lasting 20 minutes 1½ miles west of Post. Vis good.”

The following day volunteers R. Brennan and P. Connor wrote:

27th

Oct. 21.00 “ Leader of B group of Wicklow L.S.F. reported to us that

Rathdown L.S.F. [today] who were searching under Supt. Flynn

picked up cap of the delayed action bomb in stump of Castle on the

North Side of River and three unexploded incendiary bombs in the

townland of Ballyhad on the south side of river. Supt. Flynn handed

them over to the military”.

(MA/LOP/9/1)

This incident demonstrates not only the level of communication between the LOPs, the

Gardai and L.S.F. but is also a working example of the Coastal Defence Plan in action and

the level of participation of LOP 9 at Wicklow Head.

5.1. The aerial EIRE sign at Wicklow Head.

The aerial EIRE sign was located at the base of the octagonal tower located on an area

known as Long Hill (Informant 1). Log book entries at time of construction include the

following:

20th July 1943 : “Phone call from Sub depot to say that the man on 8 to 4 duty is

responsible for the “EIRE” sign and that he is to inspect it each day

at 4 O’Clock and make entry in Log about it”

17th

Aug 1943 “E.I.R completed. Work started on E”

20th

Aug 1943 “Aerial sign completed”

26th

Aug 1943 “Sighted 1 high winged fixed engine twin-rudder monoplane half a

mile west of Post moving south. Height 1,000 feet, nationality

British. Vis good.

43

26th

Aug 1943 “Comdt. McDonald phoned about EIRE sign. “Tower to be

whitened and 9 to be extended and letters EIRE to be whitened and

borders to be put around sign”.

18th

Sep 1943 “Ring from Comdt McDonald to know were the letters of sign

completed and whitened. Corporal to get as many men as available

to finish border”

27th

Sep 1943 “Lieut. McDevitte phoned to know was border complete and

everything in order. Told him it was”

Kennedy, speculating on Allied involvement in construction of the sign, says in relation to

Wicklow Head LOP and the logbook entries cited above;

“Three days after the sign was completed an RAF Coastal Command Liberator

passed south half-a-mile west of the post at 1,000 feet. Possibly this was just a

coincidence, but perhaps not: later that day Wicklow Head LOP was ordered to put

a border around the sign and to extend the size of the number ‘9’ next to the sign”

(2008, 245).

It’s of interest to note that local knowledge, from an age appropriate witness, maintains

that the octagonal tower adjacent to the sign was never white-washed however the

“middle-tower” appears white in the 1910 photo (fig29) and indeed white paint was

evident on the middle tower at time of the field survey carried out in respect of this project.

Comparison of the 1950’s photograph and the 6” Ordnance Survey Map dated between

1829-1841 (see Figs. 30 & 31 below) show the shape of the sign border to be the same as a

feature recorded on the earlier map. It therefore seems likely that the sign was sited on a

pre-existing structure of some kind though it is of interest to note that this same feature is

not recorded on the later 25” map (Fig.28). It may be that it was overgrown at that time

due to the ‘disused’ status of the lighthouse but had been discovered and cleared at the

time of construction of the sign.

44

Fig 30. 6” historic map, feature circled and arrowed. Fig 31. Photo circa 1950,

5.2. Wicklow Town’s Heritage

The National Sites and Monuments service records 33 archaeological/historical sites at

Wicklow Town. Amongst them is evidence of very early settlement in the Wicklow Town

location with a Prehistoric site located at what is called Corporation Land, North west of

Wicklow Head (National Sites and Monuments website). Also recorded are a Souterrain

and Holy Well at Dunbar Head, a Promotory Fort on the headland South-east of Wicklow

Harbour and of course the ruins of the ‘Black Castle’ also on this same headland.

Though the town itself dates back to Viking times, it’s name Wicklow deriving from the

Norse name Wykinglo, Clarke says that the date of construction of the castle is unknown

but that the first reference to it dates to 1174 (Clarke 1944,1) coinciding with the arrival of

the Normans. It appears to have been in the primary possession of Baron Maurice

Fitzgerald but in following years was subjected to various attacks by the Irish O’Byrne and

O’Toole clans, finally being burnt to ground in 1301(Visit Wicklow website).

Also of note within the town is the ruin of a Franciscan abbey which is located at the

north-western end of Wicklow Town. It dates to the early 13th

century and is believed to

have been built by the Fitzgerald family (mentioned above). It was confiscated during the

www.OSI.ie

45

reign of King Edward VI, 1547-1553 and was subsequently turned into an armoury and a

courthouse (Parish of Wicklow website).

Another example of Wicklow’s built heritage is the Wicklow Gaol which was in use from

1702 to 1924. Built to deal with prisoners sentenced under the penal laws, it was

notorious in its depravation. With a history spanning over 200 years it housed it’s last

prisoners during the War of Independence, 1920-21. It has become a popular tourist

attraction in present times (Wicklows Historic Gaol 1702-1924)

Wicklow Town presents today as a place with a proud appreciation of it’s local heritage

both built and documented and there are plenty of concerned and interested community

groups who recognise the need to promote and protect this aspect of their town’s identity.

Of note is the vibrant and active Historical Society which has been publishing journals

since 1988 and who admit to be “skimming the surface of Wicklow’s long and varied

history to bring the fruits of our research to the inquisitive people of the town and its

environs” (Finlay 2014, 1) and The Wicklow Peace and Rememberance Memorial Group

who are dedicated to memorialising Wicklow’s war dead (Wicklows Peace and

Remberance Memorial Group website).

Online, there is the interactive County Wicklow Heritage website which is a “community

heritage archive, set up to store and showcase Wicklow’s rich natural, built and cultural

heritage” and which has open access “whereby anybody with an interest in encouraged to

browse and to contribute” (County Wicklow Heritage website).

The built heritage of the Wicklow Headland however is largely missing from the local

historical narrative. Though the headland is a popular walking destination and the

Lighthouses feature on many a postcard, the history and archaeology of the Lookout Post

building and it’s associated aerial EIRE sign remains undocumented.

However interaction with the local community in the course of researching this case study

has revealed an interest in this aspect of Wicklow Town’s heritage and an appetite for both

conservation and memorialisation of the people and events associated with these World

War 2 sites.

Professor of archaeology Seamus Caulfield who has been excavating the EIRE sign at

Downpatrick Head speaks of the interest in the sign shown by tourists and locals alike

46

(Caulfield 2014) and it is suggested that the sign at Wicklow Head could prove to be of

equal interest both locally and indeed to a much wider national and international audience.

47

Chapter 6 - Conclusion:

Central to the construction of the Lookout posts was the defence of Ireland’s neutral status.

That the concept of Irish neutrality was “seen as a core attribute of Irish national identity, a

central value associated with nationalism” (Girvan 2006,145) was verbalised by J.J. Walsh

(businessman, former government minister and pro-German advocate) in 1940 in a

memorandum to DeValera in which he stated “Neutrality was not entered upon for the

purpose of being used as a bargaining factor. It represented and does represent, the

fundamental attitude of the entire people. It is just as much a part of the national position

as the desire to remain Irish, and we can no more abandon it than we can renounce

everything that constitutes our national distinctiveness” (Girvan 2006, 145). The

verbalisation of this sentiment shows that the Coast-watching service was as much about

displaying independence as it was about providing military defence. The Lookout posts

became the theatres of nationalistic display and as such have a value as part of our cultural

heritage. They are the places where the ethereal notion of political automony became a

physical manifestation and portrayed to the wider world the changed status of this one time

colonised nation.

Bolton states that “In evoking a vanished order – and thereby, in some sense, sustaining it

– ruins help us pose questions of how, and whether, the past should be remembered and

preserved” (2010,118).

The buildings of the Irish Marine and Coastwatching Service pose just such questions. In

2004 Schofield, commenting on the importance of maintaining and managing military

heritage in the environment, recognised the need to” maintain physical links for future

generations to make fresh sense of their own past” (2004, 49). Ferriter says that DeValera

was renowned for his preference of minimising written records thus ensuring that there

was little paper evidence of any sensitive material (2007, 10). Consequently there are

archival gaps in the documented historical record particularly with regard to decisions

made for co-operative concessions made by Ireland to the Allies throughout the war. This

being the case, the archaeological record becomes all the more important. The “Donegal

Corridor” is not a physical structure and the true nature of its function can be lost with the

48

passage of time, but the aerial EIRE signs with their associated LOP numbers are

structures which, if preserved, can be interpreted for generations to come.

The preservation of these sites is therefore of the utmost importance. The National

Monument Service which operates under the aegis of the Department of Arts, Heritage and

the Gaeltacht defines a national monument as a monument ‘the preservation of which is a

matter of national importance by reason of the historical, architectural, traditional, artistic

or archaeological interest attaching thereto…’(National Sites and Monuments website).

The LOP sites of war-time Ireland have been argued within this thesis to satisfy that

criteria and are therefore worthy potential recipients of state protection – something they

have heretofore lacked.

The aim of this project was to highlight the relevance of the LOP sites as part of Ireland’s

cultural heritage and the need for more archaeological investigation which includes

accessing and recording the thoughts of the war-time generation. This latter point

(amongst others) was touched upon by Schofield in his document “Modern Military

Matters” which advised on the study and management of twentieth-century defence

heritage in Britain when he states “... our study demands a multi-disciplinary approach,

drawing upon documents, building analysis, archaeology, oral history and other sources to

draw a rounded picture of our military past, and the fabric it has left behind” (2004,1).

This author would suggest that a similar approach could and should be taken to the

militarised landscape of Ireland.

The archaeological exploration of these sites has in part commenced. The aerial EIRE sign

at Downpatrick Head was the focus of an excavation by architectural students at

Downpatrick this year, and have proven to be very popular with cultural tourists (Caulfield

2004).

The sites at Benwee, Malin Head and Loop Head have also been the focus of excavation

and conservation procedures by presumably well-intentioned local amateurs. However, it

is suggested that without the establishment of a professional agenda, governed by good

archaeological and conservational practice as proposed by Schofield and discussed earlier,

the integrity of the archaeology is open to the possibility of environmental risk. With that

said it does provide a positive barometer for interest in the field and it is therefore the

archaeological process that needs to catch up with local enthusiasm.

49

The investigation of material held by the Military Archives has proved to be essential to

this study. Correspondence from Colonel Dan Bryan to the Director of Marine Service on

the 12th

June 1945 concerning the future of the LOP Logbooks following the

demobilisation of the Irish Marine and Coast-watching Service states “ I think it is highly

desirable that some complete logs from the LOPs should be available in the future for

specimen study and historical purposes” (MA/G2/X/0318). This shows great foresight on

the part of Colonel Bryan and it would be to our nation’s detriment if we failed to apply

the same foresight to the wider material evidence, for the benefit of future enquiry into the

country’s understated involvement in the Second World War.

Written by varying hands with all the human foibles ( the crossing out, the careless

spelling, the smudge of a teacup) incorporated therein, we grasp the “everydayness” of the

experience of these men and yet the content and context of these books depicts an entire

world in turmoil. From accounts of mutilated bodies washing up along the shore, the

sound of gunfire and the spectacle of explosions in the skies and oceans surrounding their

little huts, these men recorded it all.

The prevalence of reports on shipping activity in the early war years of 1939-1942 which

was then superseded by reports of aerial activity show how the nature of the war changed

over the duration.

From an archaeological perspective, the accounts of the construction of the EIRE signs

which spanned days and weeks in some cases, show just how substantial they were. This

suggests that though there may be little or no surface evidence, they may still exist and

could be revealed by archaeological excavation, the site at Wicklow Head a prime

example.

The value of the Wicklow Head case-study has proved substantial. The study of the

landscape of the headland over the centuries was informative indicating, as it did, the

geographical importance of the location to maritime traffic with both the abundance of

lighthouses that were built there and the semaphore station that once occupied the site of

what became LOP no. 9. It is interesting to note how the same landmass came to be of

importance to airline traffic in this later stage of occupation with the addition of the EIRE

sign.

50

Perhaps the most important aspect of the case-study though was the interview with the

contemporary witness. His account of the use of the adjacent buildings by coast-watching

personnel and the short-cut they used to reach the LOP, demonstrated that there were

variances in the Coast-watching experience, these apparent extra facilities juxtaposed with

the isolation and bleakness of the locations of other LOPs, such as the one at Benwee

Head or Downpatrick Head in Co. Mayo. Of value also was his description of Wicklow

Town during the war years with army personnel a regular sight and shortages and rationing

a feature of everyday life.

The contribution that could be made to the study of the built heritage of this period by this

demographic cannot be over-estimated but they are a time-sensitive resource which should

be utilised.

The LOPs were buildings of their time. They give us a glimpse of a world without the

technologies we take so much for granted today. They were the satellite, GPS, Radar and

weather stations of their day and they communicated their information via stone made

aerial signs and messages delivered by bicycle (in the early days). They were responsible

for bringing telephone trunk lines to the most rural areas in Ireland (Litton 1961,86).

History has revealed that in “securing the Irish maritime perimeter against information on

Overlord [operational code name for the D-Day landings] leaking through Ireland”

(Kennedy 286), they played a role in the D-Day Landings, a turning point for the Allies in

their war against Germany, and they did so under the guise of neutrality.

Lambrick describes military remains as “tangible testimonies to past conflict” and that

they “have gaunt aesthetic qualities that have come to be appreciated because they are

recognised as history, not eyesores” (2004,xiii). This thesis has argued that the same is true

of the buildings of the Irish Marine and Coast-watching Service and that they stand as

contemporary memorials to Ireland’s unique wartime experience.

51

Bibliography Anon., 2010. The Flag Press, the real WORD of Flags. [Online]

Available at: http://flagexpressions.wordpress.com/2010/03/23/history-behind-semaphore-flags/

[Accessed 10th August 2014].

Anon., 2014. County Wicklow Heritage. [Online]

Available at: http://www.countywicklowheritage.org/

[Accessed 17TH JULY 2014].

Anon., 2014. Defence of Britain Project. [Online]

Available at: http://www.archaeologyuk.org/cba/projects/DOB

[Accessed 7th August 2014].

Anon., 2014. English Heritage. [Online]

Available at: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/professional/research/landscapes-and-

areas/characterisation/military-heritage/anti-invasion/

[Accessed 16th August 2014].

Anon., 2014. National Sites and Monuments. [Online]

Available at: www.archaeology.ie

[Accessed 16th August 2014].

Anon., 2014. Parish of Wicklow. [Online]

Available at: www.wicklowparish.ie

[Accessed 16th August 2014].

Anon., 2014. Science, How Stuff Works. [Online]

Available at: www.science.howstuffworks.com

[Accessed 16th August 2014].

Anon., 2014. Visit Wicklow. [Online]

Available at: www.visitwicklow.ie

[Accessed 6th August 2014].

Anon., 2014. Wicklow Peace and Rememberance Memorial Group. [Online]

Available at: http://www.wicklowpeaceremem.com/

[Accessed 9th August 2014].

Anon., 2014. Wicklows Historic Gaol 1702-1924. [Online]

Available at: www.wicklowshistoricgaol.ie

[Accessed 16th August 2014].

Bolton, J., 2010. The ruins of a republic. In: J. Hell & A. Schonle, eds. Ruins of Modernity. Michigan:

Duke University Press, pp. 118-132.

Caulfield, S., 2014. Professor [Interview] (29th July 2014).

52

Clarke, M., 1944. The Black Castle, Wicklow. The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of

Ireland Seventh Series, 14(1), pp. 1-22.

Dwyer, T. R., 2009. Behind the Green Curtain, Ireland's Phoney Neutrality During World War II.

Dublin: Gill and Macmillan Ltd..

Ferriter, D., 2007. Judging DEV. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy.

Finlay, J., 2014. Chairperson. Wicklow Historical Society, 5(1), p. 1.

Girvan, B., 2006. The Emergency, Neutral Ireland 1939-45. London: Macmillan.

Kennedy, M., 2008. Guarding Neutral Ireland, The Coast Watching Service and Military

Intelligence, 1939-1945. Dublin: Four Courts Press Ltd..

Lambrick, G., 2004. Director CBA. In: J. Schofield, ed. Modern Military Matters. York: Council for

British Archaeology, p. Xiii.

Litton, A., 1964. The growth and developement of the Irish Telephone System. [Online]

Available at: <www.tara.tcd.ie/bitstream/2262/4617/1/jssisiVolXXPart5_79115.pdf>

[Accessed 7th August 2014].

Moshenska, G., 2012. The archaeology of the Second World War: Uncovering Britains's Wartime

Heritage. Barnsley: Pen and Sword Archaeology.

O'Carroll, D., 1986. The Guns of Dunree. Buncrana: Department of community, Rural and

Gaeltacht Affairs.

Schmelzer, T., 2011. Lookout Post. [Online]

Available at: www.Lookoutpost.com

[Accessed 2nd March 2014].

Schofield, J., 20004. Modern Military Matters, York: York Publishing Services Ltd.

Schofield, J., 2005. Combat Archaeology, Material Culture and Modern Conflict. London: Gerald

Duckworth and Co. Ltd..

Stout, G., 2002. Newgrange and the Bend of the Boyne. Cork: Cork University Press.

Wills, C., 2008. That Neutral Island. London: Faber and Faber.

53

Appendix 1

54

55

World War 2 Coast-Watching Lookout Hut

LOP No.6 - Howth, Co. Dublin

Record Sheet

www. Googlearth.com

Aerial view of site of Lookout Hut No. 6 Howth, Co. Dublin.

Level of Preservation 8

Irish Grid Reference O 29448, 37408 Accurate +/- 5.00m

GPS 53˚22’16.446N, 6˚3’21.132W

Orientation

Evidence of Eire Sign No

Date of Field Survey 13/05/2014

Appendix 2.

Scale indicating level of preservation

1 Building presents fully intact with roof

2 modified over the years

3 Building presents with all walls but roof

damaged or missing

4 Building presents with greater that 50% of

walls

5 Building presents with less than 50% of walls

6 Building presents only as rubble

7 Building evidenced only by concrete

floor/foundation

8 Building and all tracer evidence not in

existence.

56

Description:

Building does not exist. A carpark now occupies the site.

There is no evidence of Eire sign.

Field trip occurred on bright sunny day. Visibility was excellent and ocean sea

views extended approximately 180˚ degrees.

N

57

World War 2 Coast-Watching Lookout Hut

LOP No.7 - Dalkey, Co. Dublin

Record Sheet

East facing view of LOP foundation/floor Concrete area approx 3m to north of building

with bolt holes.

South facing view of LOP foundation with viewing bench North-West facing view of LOP foundation/floor

Level of Preservation 7

Irish Grid Reference O 27168, 26280 +/-5m

GPS 53˚16’17.47N, 6˚5’3679W

Orientation 76˚E

Evidence of Eire Sign No

Date of Field Survey 12/06/2014

Appendix 3.

Scale indicating level of preservation

1 Building presents fully intact with roof

2 modified over the years

3 Building presents with all walls but roof

damaged or missing

4 Building presents with greater that 50% of

walls

5 Building presents with less than 50% of walls

6 Building presents only as rubble

7 Building evidenced only by concrete

floor/foundation

8 Building and all tracer evidence not in

existence.

58

www.Googlearth.com

Aerial view of LOP No. 7 site at Dalkey, Co. Dublin

Description

Floor of building is evident and presents with customary rectangular shape

with a bay angled section at East end.

Markings on West end of concrete floor are consistent with the presence of a

fire-place (as is seen on other intact buildings)

Foundation/floor currently supports a public viewing bench.

Weather was sunny and bright on day of survey and sea views extended

approximately 180˚.

Approximately 3m to north of LOP site is a small concrete area approximately

150 x 150cm which contains bolt holes.

N

59

World War 2 Coast-Watching Lookout Hut

LOP No.8 - Bray , Co. WicklowRecord Sheet

North-east facing view of wall adjacent South facing of view walls adjacent to south to south side of building foundation side of building foundation on which is rubble from LOP building

South facing view of site in its wider landscape East facing view of walls adjacent to setting Foundation.

Level of Preservation 6

Irish Grid Reference O 28794E, 15663N +/-5m

GPS 53˚10’33.05N, 6˚4’28.71W

Orientation 195˚, S.

Evidence of Eire Sign Potentially

Date of Field Survey 18th May 2014

Appendix 4

Scale indicating level of preservation

1 Building presents fully intact with roof

2 modified over the years

3 Building presents with all walls but roof

damaged or missing

4 Building presents with greater that 50% of

walls

5 Building presents with less than 50% of walls

6 Building presents only as rubble

7 Building evidenced only by concrete

floor/foundation

8 Building and all tracer evidence not in

existence.

60

www.Googlearth.com

Aerial view of site of Lookout Post at Bray, Co. Wicklow.

Building presents only as rubble spread across foundation floor which appears to be

intact. There is evidence on the foundation of a fireplace on the western wall.

Rubble extends to the north and east of foundation.

On the south side of foundation /floor there remains three walls which appear to

have been located adjacent to the doorway, possibly a porch.

Some 15 meters eastwards, downhill there is evidence of a row of large stones

extending 10meters in length which may possibly have been connected to the

documented aerial EIRE sign.

N

N

61

62

World War 2 Coast-Watching Lookout Hut

LOP No.9 -Wicklow Head , Co. Wicklow

Record Sheet

West facing view of LOP North facing view of LOP

East facing view of LOP showing exterior Location of aerial EIRE sign( arrowed) walled entrance (arrowed)

Level of Preservation 2

Irish Grid Reference T33196, 93030 +/-666.39m

GPS 52˚ 57’54.43N, 5˚59’58.52W.

Orientation 90˚E +/- 666.39m

Evidence of Eire Sign Yes

Date of Field Survey 6th July 2014

Appendix 5

Scale indicating level of preservation

1 Building presents fully intact with roof

2 modified over the years

3 Building presents with all walls but roof

damaged or missing

4 Building presents with greater that 50% of

walls

5 Building presents with less than 50% of walls

6 Building presents only as rubble

7 Building evidenced only by concrete

floor/foundation

8 Building and all tracer evidence not in

existence.

63

www.Googlearth.com

Aerial view of Lookout Post at Wicklow Head, Co. Wicklow.

LOP is in current day use as a VHF Marine Service Radio Station. It has been

extensively altered over the years. The two front bay windows have been blocked up

and the chimney has been removed. There is a mast attached to the front of the

building and another in close proximity. There is a metal grill security door on

outside of door.

Building is enclosed by a high security wire fence.

On the southern side of the building there is a walled entrance way leading to the

door.

Entire site is accessed via a stone stairway on southern side with a metal handrail.

The weather was cloudy on day of field survey but the site still had extensive sea

views to the north, east and south.

There is evidence of the “R” and “E” from the aerial EIRE sign at east side of old

lighthouse. It is covered in grass but can still be deciphered.

N

N

64

World War 2 Coast-Watching Lookout Hut

LOP No.10 - Kilmichael Point, Co. Wexford

Record Sheet

West facing view of front of building East facing view of back of building

South facing view of side of building Interior of building showing fireplace filled with

sand and rubbish..

Level of Preservation 1

Irish Grid Reference T25356, 66169 Accurate +/- 5m

GPS 52˚43’55.86M, 6˚08’38.79W

Orientation 128˚, SE

Evidence of Eire Sign No

Date of Field Survey 02/06/2014

Appendix 6

Scale indicating level of preservation

1 Building presents fully intact with roof

2 modified over the years

3 Building presents with all walls but roof

damaged or missing

4 Building presents with greater that 50% of

walls

5 Building presents with less than 50% of walls

6 Building presents only as rubble

7 Building evidenced only by concrete

floor/foundation

8 Building and all tracer evidence not in

existence.

65

Description:

Basic structure presents fully intact. Missing door and window glass. Evidence of

cracking and structural deterioration on walls at front and back of building.

Fire-place in situ but filled with sand and rubbish.

Holes on north facing interior wall consistent with supports for shelving and/or

telephone apparatus. One hole containing evidence of wood within.

On south wall of building beside doorway evidence of an irregular shaped concrete

covered area approximately 1 x 0.75m. To right of this area evidence of a red

bricked feature buried for the most part by approximately 20-30cm of sand.

On the day of survey, weather was clear and sunny and there was extensive views

from the bay window area of the building for 180˚.

The surrounding landscape is covered in sand which supports a dense grassy

foliage. There was no obvious evidence of the aerial “EIRE” SIGN.

www. Googlearth.com

Aerial view of Lookout Hut No. 10 (arrowed) at Kilmichael Point, Co. Wexford.

N

52˚43’55.86N, 6˚08’38.79W

66

67

World War 2 Coast-Watching Lookout Hut

LOP No.11 -Cahore , Co. Wexford

Record Sheet

View of concrete blocks lying in situ at site of Lookout Post. Foundation floor appears to be

beneath rubble. Entire site is covered in dense foliage.

View of site position within wider landscape Sea view from East end of debris site setting

Level of Preservation 6

Irish Grid Reference T22393, 47273 +/-5m

GPS 52˚33’96.44N, 6˚11.41.48W

Orientation 137˚SE

Evidence of Eire Sign No

Date of Field Survey 12th June 2014

Appendix 7

Scale indicating level of preservation

1 Building presents fully intact with roof

2 modified over the years

3 Building presents with all walls but roof

damaged or missing

4 Building presents with greater that 50% of

walls

5 Building presents with less than 50% of walls

6 Building presents only as rubble

7 Building evidenced only by concrete

floor/foundation

8 Building and all tracer evidence not in

existence.

68

www.Googlearth.com

Aerial view of site of Lookout Post at Cahore Co. Wexford.

Building presents as rubble lying within dense foliage/scrub. Concrete

foundation/floor appears to lie beneath rubble.

Debris field extended approximately 4 x 3.8m.

Weather on day of field survey was sunny and bright and there were extensive sea

views from LOP position to the North, East and South.

N

N

69

World War 2 Coast-Watching Lookout Hut

LOP No.12 – Ballyconnigar Hill, Co. Wexford

Record Sheet

South facing view of eroded area of LOP site North facing view of eroded area of LOP site

West facing view of eroded LOP site from beach Letter to chief of Staff, Dept of Defence showing grid reference for LOP at Ballyconnigar Hill

Level of Preservation 8

Irish Grid Reference T14433, 33538 approx

GPS 53˚10’33.05N, 6˚4’28.71W approx

Orientation 146˚SE approx.

Evidence of Eire Sign No

Date of Field Survey 19th June 2014

Appendix 8

Scale indicating level of preservation

1 Building presents fully intact with roof

2 modified over the years

3 Building presents with all walls but roof

damaged or missing

4 Building presents with greater that 50% of

walls

5 Building presents with less than 50% of walls

6 Building presents only as rubble

7 Building evidenced only by concrete

floor/foundation

8 Building and all tracer evidence not in

existence.

70

www.Googlearth.com

Aerial view of site of Lookout Post at Ballyconnigar Hill, Co. Wexford with possible hut location

Extensive coastal erosion of the area has eradicated all trace of the LOP building and

its site. Site is only evidenced by documentary evidence within the Military Archives

which gives the grid reference as “3240-1345” (old Irish Military Refs), (IA/MA

EDP/30)

Weather was sunny and bright on day of field survey and sea views were extensive to

the North, East and South.

N

N

71

World War 2 Coast-Watching Lookout Hut

LOP No.13 - Greenore Point , Co. Wexford

Record Sheet

South West facing view of LOP North facing view of LOP building

View of interior of building showing fireplace Greenore Lop in wider landscape setting and interior wall. Also note cut-out mark arrowed at entrance.

Level of Preservation 1

Irish Grid Reference T15118, 11192+/-5m

GPS 52˚14’26.00N, 6˚ 18’52.60W

Orientation 59˚NE

Evidence of Eire Sign No

Date of Field Survey 18th June 2014

Appendix 9

Scale indicating level of preservation

1 Building presents fully intact with roof

2 modified over the years

3 Building presents with all walls but roof

damaged or missing

4 Building presents with greater that 50% of

walls

5 Building presents with less than 50% of walls

6 Building presents only as rubble

7 Building evidenced only by concrete

floor/foundation

8 Building and all tracer evidence not in

existence.

72

www.Googlearth.com

Aerial view of site of Lookout Post at Greenore, Co. Wexford

Building presents as fully intact and in very good condition.

There is a square section marked out by indentation of concrete at doorway, perhaps

to collect water.

Weather was fine and sunny on day of field survey and visibility of the sea to the

north, east and south was exceptionally good.

N

N

73

World War 2 Coast-Watching Lookout Hut

LOP No.14, Carnsore Point, Co. Wexford

Record Sheet

North facing view of LOP sitting South-east view of LOP building showing bay on top of older building. window on western end.

East facing view of LOP on top of North facing view of building in its wider Older building landscape setting .

Level of Preservation 1

Irish Grid Reference T11952, 03929 +/- 5m

GPS 52˚10’33.55N, 6˚21’49.57W

Orientation 93˚E . and also 273˚W

Evidence of Eire Sign No

Date of Field Survey 18th June 2014

Appendix 10

Scale indicating level of preservation

1 Building presents fully intact with roof

2 modified over the years

3 Building presents with all walls but roof

damaged or missing

4 Building presents with greater that 50% of

walls

5 Building presents with less than 50% of walls

6 Building presents only as rubble

7 Building evidenced only by concrete

floor/foundation

8 Building and all tracer evidence not in

existence.

74

www.Googlearth.com

Aerial view of Lookout Post at Carnsore Point, Co. Wexford.

This building is very unusual and a deviation from the LOP architect design. It

appears to have been placed on top of an existing building and has two angled bay

window areas, one on the eastern end and one on the western end. The chimney is

situated at the midway point of the southern wall and access is through the original

building and via an opening in the floor on the northern side of the building. The

stairway is not in existence.

The original ground level building which supports this lookout is built of red brick

whilst the lookout hut is of 4” sold concrete blocks.

The bay windows number five at each end (the more usual LOP buildings have 6 at

one end only).

The weather on the day of field survey was sunny and bright and there were

exceptionally long ranging sea views to the East, South and West.

N

N

75

World War 2 Coast-Watching Lookout Hut

LOP No.15 - Forlorn Point, Co. Wexford

Record Sheet

North facing view of front of building West facing view of side of building

South facing view of back of building South facing view of Lop access stairway and

handrail

Level of Preservation 1

Irish Grid Reference S 96267, 03255 Accurate +/- 5m

GPS 52˚10’22.55N, 6˚35’33.39W

Orientation 195˚, S.

Evidence of Eire Sign No

Date of Field Survey 18/06/2014

Appendix 11

Scale indicating level of preservation

1 Building presents fully intact with roof

2 modified over the years

3 Building presents with all walls but roof

damaged or missing

4 Building presents with greater that 50% of

walls

5 Building presents with less than 50% of walls

6 Building presents only as rubble

7 Building evidenced only by concrete

floor/foundation

8 Building and all tracer evidence not in

existence.

76

Description:

Building is unusual as it does not conform to the standard architect design of the

majority of other Lookout Buildings.

Entire building measures 783 x 610cm.

It is a single storey building with a double storey extension located at southern

end. The Lookout “ Hut”/ room is located on the higher level of this extension and

is accessed via 13 steps on East wall of building. There is a gate located at end of

stairway which also has a metal hand rail, badly rusted. Three of the windows of

Lookout area have automobile-type windscreen washers attached.

Area surrounding building is covered by approximately 2ft of vegetation.

Building is still in use to-date as Coast-guard station.

www. Googlearth.com

Aerial view of Lookout Hut No. 15 (arrowed) at Forlorn Point, Co. Wexford.

N

77

World War 2 Coast-Watching Lookout Hut

LOP No.63 - Benwee Head, Co. Mayo

Record Sheet

South-west facing view of LOP Building North-East facing view of Back of building

South-west facing view of Interior of South-west facing view of LOP in its landscape building. Setting.

Level of Preservation 3

Irish Grid Reference F84244, 45301 +/-5m

GPS 54˚20’37.61N, 9˚46’48.20W

Orientation 45˚NE

Evidence of Eire Sign Yes

Date of Field Survey 28th June 2014

Appendix 12

Scale indicating level of preservation

1 Building presents fully intact with roof

2 modified over the years

3 Building presents with all walls but roof

damaged or missing

4 Building presents with greater that 50% of

walls

5 Building presents with less than 50% of walls

6 Building presents only as rubble

7 Building evidenced only by concrete

floor/foundation

8 Building and all tracer evidence not in

existence.

78

Building presents with all walls but roof has fallen into interior of building. There is a

large crack on rear wall of building. Interior wall adjacent to fireplace is missing

except for one 20cm high slab.

There is a stone built wall adjacent to the western side of the building, close to cliff

edge.

EIRE sign bears evidence of recent upkeep and maintenance.

Weather was bright and sunny on day of field survey and visibility was extensive.

www.googlearth.com Aerial view of LOP at Benwee Head, Co. Mayo. EIRE sign arrowed.

Partial view of aerial EIRE sign

N

79

World War 2 Coast-Watching Lookout Hut

LOP No.64 – Downpatrick, Co. Mayo

Record Sheet

South facing view of LOP building North facing view of back of building

West facing view of LOP Building Interior view of building

Level of Preservation 2

Irish Grid Reference G12353, 42872+/-5m

GPS 54˚19’36.90N, 9˚20’49.69W

Orientation 2˚N

Evidence of Eire Sign Yes

Date of Field Survey 28th June 2014

Appendix 13

Scale indicating level of preservation

1 Building presents fully intact with roof

2 modified over the years

3 Building presents with all walls but roof

damaged or missing

4 Building presents with greater that 50% of

walls

5 Building presents with less than 50% of walls

6 Building presents only as rubble

7 Building evidenced only by concrete

floor/foundation

8 Building and all tracer evidence not in

existence.

80

Partial view of excavated aerial “EIRE” sign Excavated “no.6” from aerial sig

Building presents fully intact having been recently refurbished. New double-glaze

pvc wood effect windows have been fitted along with a new self-closing door. The

large crack on the back wall of the building has been repaired but there still remains

two large cracks in East wall.

Building dimensions : 370 x 271cm. There is also a box-shaped concrete structure

attached to outside of back wall at location of interior fireplace.

The aerial “EIRE” sign has been recently excavated, however the stone built border

remains un-excavated. Ecavated stones making up sign are set in concrete.

N

www.googlearth.com Aerial view of LOP at Downpatrick Head, Co. Mayo

81

World War 2 Coast-Watching Lookout Hut

LOP No.65 -Kilcummin, Co. Mayo

Record Sheet

South facing view of LOP Building View of interior of building

Close-up of window containing wood South facing view of LOP in its landscape painted blue. setting.

Level of Preservation 4

Irish Grid Reference G20842, 37765+/-5m

GPS 54˚16’56.78N, 9˚12’55.38W

Orientation 2˚N

Evidence of Eire Sign No

Date of Field Survey 28th June 2014

Appendix 14

Scale indicating level of preservation

1 Building presents fully intact with roof

2 modified over the years

3 Building presents with all walls but roof

damaged or missing

4 Building presents with greater that 50% of

walls

5 Building presents with less than 50% of walls

6 Building presents only as rubble

7 Building evidenced only by concrete

floor/foundation

8 Building and all tracer evidence not in

existence.

82

Building presents with part of the back wall and chimney stack missing. West wall of

building and front wall up to height of windows form part of field boundary wall.

There was a large crack extending from roof to base at south end of west wall.

Building contained a quantity debris, including chimney .

There was evidence of blue painted wood remaining in window recess of window on

western side.

Dimensions: 251 x 376cm

Weather was bright and sunny on day of field survey and although not situated on

coast edge, site was on an elevated part of landscape which afforded good sea

views.

www.googlearth.com Aerial view of LOP at Kilcummin, Co. Mayo.

N

83

World War 2 Coast-Watching Lookout Hut

LOP No.66 -Lenadoon, Co. Sligo

Record Sheet

East facing view of LOP Building West facing view of LOP building

View of interior of building. Note internal View of LOP in wider landscape setting wall missing.

Level of Preservation 1

Irish Grid Reference G32698, 37258 +/- 5m

GPS 54˚16’49.58N, 9˚02’28.50W

Orientation 324˚NW

Evidence of Eire Sign No

Date of Field Survey 28th June 2014

Appendix 15

Scale indicating level of preservation

1 Building presents fully intact with roof

2 modified over the years

3 Building presents with all walls but roof

damaged or missing

4 Building presents with greater that 50% of

walls

5 Building presents with less than 50% of walls

6 Building presents only as rubble

7 Building evidenced only by concrete

floor/foundation

8 Building and all tracer evidence not in

existence.

84

Building presents fully intact except for internal wall which has been removed.

There is remnants of wood within window recesses. Internal metl roof girder shows

evidence of extensive rusting.

Dimensions : 375 x 251cm

Appears to be used as an animal shelter.

Located adjacent to a signal tower.

Weather was sunny and bright on day of field survey.

www.googlearth.com Aerial view of LOP at Lenadoon, Co. Sligo.

N

85

World War 2 Coast-Watching Lookout Hut

LOP No.67 -Aughris, Co. Sligo

Record Sheet

South facing view of LOP Building View of interior of building

East facing view of west wall Close-up of window containing wood

Level of Preservation 1

Irish Grid Reference G499555, 36647 +/- 5m

GPS 54˚16’34.3719N, 8˚46’8.3455W

Orientation 329˚NW

Evidence of Eire Sign No

Date of Field Survey 28th June 2014

Appendix 16

Scale indicating level of preservation

1 Building presents fully intact with roof

2 modified over the years

3 Building presents with all walls but roof

damaged or missing

4 Building presents with greater that 50% of

walls

5 Building presents with less than 50% of walls

6 Building presents only as rubble

7 Building evidenced only by concrete

floor/foundation

8 Building and all tracer evidence not in

existence.

86

Building presents intact but there is some major cracks in east wall, back wall and

roof block over entrance door.

Windows contain remnants of wood.

Weather on day of field survey was sunny and bright and sea-views extended to the

North, North-east and West.

Building dimensions: 380 x 251cm.

www.OSI>IE Aerial view of LOP at Aughris Head, Co. Sligo.

N

87

World War 2 Coast-Watching Lookout Hut

LOP No.68 -Rosskeeragh , Co. Sligo

Record Sheet

East facing view of LOP building. South facing view of LOP building

South-east facing view of LOP building South facing view of LOP ruin within its wider landscape setting

Level of Preservation 6

Irish Grid Reference G56309, 44542 +/-5m

GPS 54˚20’51.7807N, 8˚40’21.3872W

Orientation 284˚W

Evidence of Eire Sign No

Date of Field Survey 29thth June 2014

Appendix 17

Scale indicating level of preservation

1 Building presents fully intact with roof

2 modified over the years

3 Building presents with all walls but roof

damaged or missing

4 Building presents with greater that 50% of

walls

5 Building presents with less than 50% of walls

6 Building presents only as rubble

7 Building evidenced only by concrete

floor/foundation

8 Building and all tracer evidence not in

existence.

88

www.Googlearth.com

Aerial view of site of Lookout Post at Rosskeeragh, Co. Sligo.

Building presents mainly as rubble on top of an intact concrete foundation/floor.

There are small sections of the north wall (155 x 42cm), the angled north-west

section of the front wall (80 x 42cm) and part of the front (west) wall (139 x 42cm)

remaining.

Foundation dimensions : 371 x 254cm.

Debris field extends approximately 3m to the east of the LOP site.

Weather was sunny and bright on day of field survey and the location afforded

extensive sea-views to the North, West and South.

N

N

89

World War 2 Coast-Watching Lookout Hut

LOP No.69 – Mullaghmore, Co. Sligo

Record Sheet

South-east facing view of LOP building North-west facing view of back of

building

Stone entrance and stone pathway/ LOP within its wider landscape setting border extending 90cm width Level of Preservation 1

Irish Grid Reference G70262,58116 +/-50m

GPS 54˚28’13.83N, 8˚27’31.28W

Orientation 321˚NW

Evidence of Eire Sign No

Date of Field Survey 29th June 2014

Appendix 18

90cm

Scale indicating level of preservation

1 Building presents fully intact with roof

2 modified over the years

3 Building presents with all walls but roof

damaged or missing

4 Building presents with greater that 50% of

walls

5 Building presents with less than 50% of walls

6 Building presents only as rubble

7 Building evidenced only by concrete

floor/foundation

8 Building and all tracer evidence not in

existence.

90

www.OSI.ie

Aerial view of LOP site at Mullaghmore, Co. Sligo

Building presents fully intact. There is remnants of wood in two of the window

recesses.

Building is surrounded by a stone pathway/border , 90cm wide and there is a stone

constructed entrance area at doorway.

On the East side of the building there is a stone lined circular pit.

Building dimensions: 371 x 251cm approximately.

Weather was sunny and bright on day of field survey and there were extensive sea

views to the North, West and East.

N

N

54 28’13.83N, 8 27’31.28W

91

92

World War 2 Coast-Watching Lookout Hut

LOP No.70 -St. John’s Point, Co. Donegal

Record Sheet

East facing view of LOP Building (remains of East facing view of interior

Wooden pole arrowed)

West facing view of back of building. East facing view of LOP in its landscape setting

Level of Preservation 1

Irish Grid Reference G70594, 69195 +/-5m

GPS 54˚34’12.44N, 8˚27’16.45W

Orientation 252˚W

Evidence of Eire Sign No

Date of Field Survey 27th June 2014

Appendix 19

Scale indicating level of preservation

1 Building presents fully intact with roof

2 modified over the years

3 Building presents with all walls but roof

damaged or missing

4 Building presents with greater that 50% of

walls

5 Building presents with less than 50% of walls

6 Building presents only as rubble

7 Building evidenced only by concrete

floor/foundation

8 Building and all tracer evidence not in

existence.

93

Building presents fully intact except for chimney which is lying to south of the

building.

There is some wood remnants remaining in two front window recesses.

There is the remains of a wooden pole extending 20cm out of the ground in centre

of front wall.

Site of LOP building is on top of a earthen mound/hillock. LOP is surrounded by

hedging.

Weather was cloudy on day of field survey . Elevated site location allowed for

extensive sea views to the North, West , South and South-east.

N

www.Googlearth.com

Aerial view of LOP at St. Johns Point, Co. Donegal.

94

World War 2 Coast-Watching Lookout Hut

LOP No.71 -Carrigan Head, Co. Donegal

Record Sheet

South-west facing view of derelict LOP Building West facing view of derelict LOP Building

East facing view of derelict LOP building. South west facing view of LOP (arrowed) in Landscape setting adjacent to watch-tower

Level of Preservation 5

Irish Grid Reference G56096,74846 +/-5m

GPS 54˚37’10.38N, 8˚40’47.18W

Orientation 202˚S

Evidence of Eire Sign Yes

Date of Field Survey 27th June 2014

Appendix 20

Scale indicating level of preservation

1 Building presents fully intact with roof

2 modified over the years

3 Building presents with all walls but roof

damaged or missing

4 Building presents with greater that 50% of

walls

5 Building presents with less than 50% of walls

6 Building presents only as rubble

7 Building evidenced only by concrete

floor/foundation

8 Building and all tracer evidence not in

existence.

95

According to local knowledge, the LOP building was toppled in a storm in 1995 and

presents today mainly as rubble lying on top of a concrete foundation/floor and

extending 2m to the north east of the site. Part of the west wall remains to a height

of 82cm and also part of the wall forming the angled bay window (to a height of

55cm).

Building was sited within 10m of a Napoleonic Watch Tower.

Part of the aerial EIRE sign is visible at bend in roadway, approx 350m from LOP,

approximate GPS 54˚37’29.94n, 8˚40’37.99w.

N

www.Googlearth.com

Aerial view of Lookout Post site at Carrigan Head, Co. Donegal.

Partial remains of aerial EIRE sign at Carrigan Head, Co. Donegal

96

World War 2 Coast-Watching Lookout Hut

LOP No.72 - Rossan Point, Co. Donegal

Record Sheet

South-East facing view of LOP West facing view of LOP

North-west view from within derelict building. North-west view from back of building

Level of Preservation 3

Irish Grid Reference G49686, 83982 +/-5m

GPS 54˚41’55.28N, 8˚46’58.18W

Orientation 318˚NW

Evidence of Eire Sign No

Date of Field Survey 27th June 2014

Appendix 21

Scale indicating level of preservation

1 Building presents fully intact with roof

2 Building presents fully intact but has been

modified over the years

3 Building presents with all walls but roof

damaged or missing

4 Building presents with greater that 50% of

walls

5 Building presents with less than 50% of walls

6 Building presents only as rubble

7 Building evidenced only by concrete

floor/foundation

8 Building and all trace evidence not in

existence.

97

www. Googlearth.com

Aerial view of Lookout Post site Rossan Point, Co. Donegal.

Building presents partially derelict. Roof has partially collapsed within building

causing front bay window area to buckle outwards.

Dimensions: 381 x 251cm.

There is a concrete water tank located 20m North-west of LOP and a further 8m to

west of this there is a concrete slab on which has a metal upright bolt.

Weather was cloudy on day of field survey but visibility was good in all directions.

N