The Irish Defence Forces established a Coast Watching Service in the run up to World War II, known in the Republic of Ireland as The Emergency, while the State remained neutral. Between 1939 and 1942 the construction of 83 Lookout Posts, LOPs, took place at strategic points (every 5–15 miles) along the Irish coastline and the local volunteers (Coastwatchers) serving at these posts were responsible for monitoring the Irish coastline for belligerent activity at sea. The LOPS were designed by Howard Cooke RIBA of the Irish Office of Public Works in 1939.[1]
After the hostilities ended most of these buildings were abandoned and some were removed. Traces of a significant number remain in place and some are in relatively good repair. In general, structures in more isolated locations have tended to remain in place.
Coast watchers worked around the clock in pairs on eight- or twelve-hour shifts. One man operated the telephone inside the LOP, the other patrolled outside. They had to report every activity observed at sea or in the air in the vicinity of their LOP. Each LOP was assigned a unique identifying number starting with "LOP 1" in County Louth and continuing in a clockwise direction around the coast finishing with "LOP 82" at Inishowen in County Donegal.[2]
LOP 83 is located between LOP 35 and LOP 36 in County Kerry
Each LOP had to keep a record of any activity at sea or in the air, and a number of logbooks have survived and are held by the Irish Military Archives. The number of surviving logbooks for each post and a sample ledger is available in the table below.[3]
Following the construction of the network of lookout posts along the coast of Ireland, it was decided to add large signs marking the coast as EIRE. According to Michael Kennedy's book on the coastwatching service, Guarding Neutral Ireland,[4] it was "a way to reduce the number of aircraft landing because their crews had lost their bearings".[5] Kennedy's research indicates that these signs were constructed at the behest of the American authorities.
A number of signs such as the one at Cahore Point, Co.Wexford were built too small initially and so larger signs were built over them at a later stage.[6] A number of the signs still exist in varying states of repair, mostly along the west of the country. Some signs have been renovated such as the one in Loop Head, County Clare.[7]
| List of World War 2 Lookout Posts around Ireland's Coastline | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LOP | Name | County | Latitude | Longitude | Google Maps | Bing | Condition | Log Books | EIRE Mark | EIRE Mark Condition |
| 1 | Ballagan Point | Louth | 53°59'47.63"N | 6° 6'57.53"W | View | View | Good | 4 | X | X |
| 2 | Dunany Point | Louth | 53°51'34.29"N | 6°14'21.96"W | View | View | Poor | 5 | X | X |
| 3 | Clogher Head | Louth | 53°47'39.60"N | 6°13'11.83"W | View | View | Dangerous | 6 | EIRE_3 | Overgrown |
| 4 | Cardys Rock | Dublin | 53°37'45.92"N | 6°11'15.76"W | View | View | Collapsed | 5 | X | X |
| 5 | Rush | Dublin | 53°31'15.65"N | 6° 4'34.35"W | View | View | Good | 8 | X | X |
| 6 | Howth Head | Dublin | 53° 22' 15.9899"N | 6° 3'18.81"W | View | View | Restoration In Progress | 2 | EIRE_6 | Excellent |
| 7 | Dalkey | Dublin | 53° 16' 17"N | 6° 5' 36.9398"W | View | View | Restored[8] | 6 | EIRE_7 | Excellent |
| 8 | Bray Head | Wicklow | 53°10'33.02"N | 6° 4'28.71"W | View | View | Collapsed (Blocks Remain) | 8 | EIRE_8 / Image | Overgrown, Not Visible |
| 9 | Wicklow Head | Wicklow | 52°57'54.55"N | 5°59'58.51"W | View | View | Good (In Use) | 7 | EIRE_9 / Image | Not Visible |
| 10 | Kilmichael Point | Wexford | 52°43'55.81"N | 6° 8'38.79"W | View | View | Good | None | X | X |
| 11 | Cahore Point | Wexford | 52° 33' 47.8001"N | 6° 11' 41.1"W | View | View | Collapsed (Blocks Remain) | 6 | X | Disassembled |
| 12 | Ballyconnigar Hill | Wexford | 52°25'59.60"N | 6°19'28.24"W | View | View | Gone (Erosion) | 12 | X | Gone (Erosion) |
| 13 | Greenore Point | Wexford | 52°14'26.03"N | 6°18'51.63"W | View | View | Good | 5 | X | X |
| 14 | Carnsore Point | Wexford | 52°10'33.50"N | 6°21'47.58"W | View | View | Good | 7 | X | X |
| 15 | Forlorn Point | Wexford | 52°10'22.59"N | 6°35'33.40"W | View | View | Good | 5 | X | Not visible, being restored |
| 16 | Hook Head | Wexford | 52° 7'25.40"N | 6°55'49.51"W | View | View | Gone | 5 | X | Gone, replaced by car park |
| 17 | Brownstown Head | Waterford | 52° 7'40.09"N | 6'25.76"W | View | View | Good | 5 | X | X |
| 18 | Dunbratton Head | Waterford | 52° 7'59.96"N | 7°18'25.11"W | View | View | Good | 3 | X | X |
| 19 | Helvick Head | Waterford | 52° 3'12.48"N ? | 7°32'15.45"W ? | View | View | Collapsed | 1 | X | X |
| 20 | Ram Head | Waterford | 51°56'32.03"N | 7°42'36.38"W | View | View | Good | 9 | X | X |
| 21 | Knockadoon | Cork | 51°52'43.44"N | 7°52'21.97"W | View | View | Good | 2 | EIRE_21 | Excellent |
| 22 | Ballycotton | Cork | 51°49'30.09"N | 8° 0'41.03"W | View | View | Gone | 7 | X | X |
| 23 | Power Head | Cork | 51°47'7.58"N | 8°10'24.69"W | View | View | Good | 2 | X | X |
| 24 | Flat Head | Cork | 51°42'58.79"N | 8°21'12.71"W | View | View | Good | 6 | X | X |
| 25 | Old Head of Kinsale | Cork | 51°36'19.81"N | 8°31'58.11"W | View | View | Gone | 4 | X | X |
| 26 | Seven Heads | Cork | 51°34'15.66"N | 8°42'59.34"W | View | View | Good (2 LOPs) | 6 | X | X |
| 27 | Galley Head | Cork | 51°31'50.76"N | 8°57'15.98"W | View | View | Good | 6 | X | X |
| 28 | Toe Head | Cork | 51°29'21.04"N | 9°13'13.77"W | View | View | Good (In Use) | 8 | EIRE_28 | Good (1, 2) |
| 29 | Baltimore | Cork | 51°28'28.23"N | 9°21'14.12"W | View | View | Collapsed, Walls Remain | 9 | EIRE_29 | Barely Visible |
| 30 | Mizen Head | Cork | 51°27'15.80"N | 9°48'47.02"W | View | View | Good | 5 | EIRE_30 | Ruins, Not Visible |
| 31 | Sheep's Head | Cork | 51°32'48.06"N ? | 9°49'20.50"W ? | View | View | Good | 2 | EIRE_31 | Good |
| 32 | Dursey Head | Cork | 51°35'54.45"N | 10° 7'52.36"W | View | View | Good | 7 | EIRE_32 | Ruins, Barely Visible |
| 33 | Lambs Head | Kerry | 51°44'25.76"N | 10° 7'54.75"W | View | View | Good | 5 | EIRE_33 | Excellent |
| 34 | Bolus Head | Kerry | 51°47'34.13"N | 10°20'12.10"W | View | View | Good | 6 | X | X |
| 35 | Bray Head | Kerry | 51°53'8.52"N | 10°25'29.48"W | View | View | Good | 6 | EIRE_35 | Ruins, Barely Visible |
| 83 | Foileye Head / Feaklecally | Kerry | 52° 1'15.39"N | 10° 8'53.62"W | View | View | Good | 1 | X | X |
| 36 | Eask Head | Kerry | 52° 6'56.35"N | 10°16'54.41"W | View | View | Good | 5 | EIRE_36 | Dismantled, Barely Visible |
| 37 | Parkmore | Kerry | 52° 6'22.18"N | 10°21'25.50"W | View | View | Gone, Some Remains | 2 | X | X |
| 38 | Dunmore Head | Kerry | 52° 6'36.47"N | 10°28'25.08"W | View | View | Good | 5 | X | X |
| 39 | Sybil Head | Kerry | 52°11'0.06"N | 10°27'52.92"W | View | View | Poor | None | X | X |
| 40 | Brandon Point | Kerry | 52°17'16.97"N | 10° 9'48.67"W | View | View | Good | 5 | X | X |
| 41 | Fenit | Kerry | 52°16'9.04"N | 9°51'48.47"W | View | View | Gone | 3 | X | X |
| 42 | Kerry Head | Kerry | 52° 24' 42.93"N ? | 9° 55' 53.7899"W ? | View | View | Gone | 4 | X | X |
| 43 | Leck Head | Kerry | 52°32'11.89"N | 9°40'15.30"W | View | View | Collapsed, Blocks Remain | 3 | X | X |
| 44 | Kilcreadun Point | Clare | 52° 34' 56.0701"N | 9° 42' 35.05"W | View | View | Good | 7 | X | X |
| 45 | Loop Head | Clare | 52° 33' 37.12"N | 9° 56' 1.7401"W | View | View | Collapsed | 5 | EIRE_45 | Excellent |
| 46 | Georges Head | Clare | 52°42'7.77"N | 9°38'5.88"W | View | View | Good | 7 | X | X |
| 47 | Hag's Head | Clare | 52°56'53.69"N | 9°28'4.38"W | View | View | Only Base Remaining | 2 | X | X |
| 48 | Black Head | Clare | 53° 9'14.19"N | 9°15'53.67"W | View | View | Only Base Remaining | 7 | EIRE_48a / EIRE_48b (2 Marks) | Good |
| 49 | Spiddal | Galway | 53°14'33.99"N | 9°19'35.38"W | View | View | Only Base Remaining | 5 | X | X |
| 50 | Kilronan | Galway | 53° 7'38.79"N | 9°42'8.04"W | View | View | Good | 5 | EIRE_50a / EIRE_50b (2 Marks) | Good |
| 51 | Golam Head | Galway | 53°13'51.62"N | 9°45'19.52"W | View | View | Good | 6 | X | X |
| 52 | Mace Head | Galway | 53°19'32.44"N | 9°54'7.56"W | View | View | Good | 4 | X | X |
| 53 | Slyne Head | Galway | 53°24'53.73"N | 10° 6'55.08"W | View | View | Good | 4 | EIRE_53 | Barely Visible |
| 54 | Auchrus Point | Galway | 53°32'57.63"N | 10° 9'57.95"W | View | View | Gone | 3 | X | X |
| 55 | Renvyle | Galway | 53°36'11.52"N | 10° 3'0.67"W | View | View | Good | 3 | EIRE_55 | Barely Visible |
| 56 | Rossroe | Galway | 53°37'20.20"N | 9°51'57.14"W | View | View | Good | 4 | X | X |
| 57 | Roonagh | Mayo | 53°45'47.49"N | 9°53'59.41"W | View | View | Good | 4 | X | X |
| 58 | Corraun | Mayo | 53°51'54.85"N | 9°54'15.67"W | View | View | Good | 5 | EIRE_58 | Barely Visible |
| 59 | Moyteogue Head | Mayo | 53°57'44.10"N | 10°11'43.89"W | View | View | Good | 1 | EIRE_59 | Good |
| 60 | Blacksod Bay | Mayo | 54° 6'14.86"N | 10° 5'51.70"W | View | View | Poor | 10 | EIRE_60 | Barely Visible |
| 61 | Annagh Head | Mayo | 54°14'30.14"N | 10° 6'22.87"W | View | View | Collapsed, Blocks Remain | 7 | EIRE_61 | Barely Visible |
| 62 | Erris Head | Mayo | 54°18'2.35"N | 10° 0'0.78"W | View | View | Poor, Collapsing | 6 | EIRE_62 | Barely Visible |
| 63 | Portacloy, Benwee Head | Mayo | 54°20'35.34"N | 9°46'49.74"W | View | View | Poor, Roof Collapsed | 12 | EIRE_63 | Good |
| 64 | Downpatrick Head | Mayo | 54°19'36.98"N | 9°20'49.69"W | View | View | Good | 9 | EIRE_64 | Good |
| 65 | Kilcummin Head | Mayo | 54°16'56.80"N | 9°12'55.41"W | View | View | Good | 10 | X | X |
| 66 | Lenadoon Point | Sligo | 54°16'49.60"N | 9° 2'28.40"W | View | View | Good | 4 | X | X |
| 67 | Aughris Head | Sligo | 54°16'32.24"N | 8°46'2.00"W | View | View | Good | 4 | X | X |
| 68 | Rosskeeragh | Sligo | 54°20'51.54"N | 8°40'18.25"W | View | View | Collapsed, Blocks Remain | 4 | X | X |
| 69 | Mullaghmore | Sligo | 54°28'13.77"N | 8°27'31.23"W | View | View | Good | 10 | EIRE_69 | Ruins ("E" Identifiable) |
| 70 | St. John's Point | Donegal | 54°34'12.50"N | 8°27'16.42"W | View | View | Good | 9 | EIRE_70 | Excellent |
| 71 | Carrigan Head | Donegal | 54°37'10.46"N | 8°40'47.24"W | View | View | Collapsed, Blocks Remain | 8 | EIRE_71 | Ruins, Visible |
| 72 | Rossan Point | Donegal | 54°42'4.70"N | 8°46'47.34"W | View | View | Good, Roof Collapsed | 5 | EIRE_72 | Ruins, Barely Visible |
| 73 | Dunmore Head | Donegal | 54°50'41.16"N | 8°29'9.53"W | View | View | Good | 4 | X | X |
| 74 | Crohy Head | Donegal | 54°55'13.35"N | 8°27'10.38"W | View | View | Good | 2 | EIRE_74 | Excellent |
| 75 | Arranmore Point | Donegal | 55° 0'48.37"N | 8°32'40.23"W | View | View | Gone, Base Remains | 1 | EIRE_75 | Barely Visible |
| 76 | Bloody Foreland | Donegal | ? 55° 8'51.01"N | ? 8°17'17.09"W | View | View | Gone | 4 | EIRE_76 | Overgrown, Barely Visible |
| 77 | Horn Head | Donegal | 55°12'57.27"N | 7°58'45.87"W | View | View | Good | 12 | EIRE_77 | Barely Visible |
| 78 | Melmore | Donegal | 55°14'13.92"N | 7°48'18.60"W | View | View | Good | 2 | EIRE_78 | Overgrown, Barely Visible |
| 79 | Fanad Head | Donegal | 55°16'37.61"N | 7°38'1.22"W | View | View | Good | 17 | EIRE_79 | Overgrown, Not Visible |
| 80 | Malin Head | Donegal | 55°22'52.02"N | 7°22'27.29"W | View | View | Good | 20 | EIRE_80 | Excellent |
| 81 | Glengad Head | Donegal | 55°20'22.95"N | 7°10'48.87"W | View | View | Good | 6 | EIRE_81 | Overgrown, Barely Visible |
| 82 | Inishowen Head | Donegal | 55°14'9.01"N | 6°55'37.97"W | View | View | Good | 18 | EIRE_82 | Overgrown, Barely Visible |
