The fires on Bray Head this summer revealed a sign from World War 2

During the World War 2, the country Ireland was neutral. This means that Ireland didn’t take sides in the war between the Allied and the Axis forces.

In the earlier part of the war (between 1942 and 1943), large signs which said Éire, were placed around the coast to let bomber pilots know that they were flying over a neutral country. Originally there were over eighty of these.

There was one on Bray Head, between Bray and Greystones. These signs were made out of large stones. The stones were painted white. The paint faded over time and the stones became overgrown. In Bray the sign could no longer be seen.

This summer, there was a huge fire on Bray Head. The gorse was burned and the sign could be seen again.

You can read more about these signs in ‘The Journal’ online newspaper . You can see photos of the sign too. There is more information and photographs on

EIRE8 – Bray Head

This was an exciting summer for signs from the past. The lack of rain meant that the grass died back. In Newgrange, County Meath crop marks were revealed. You can read about them here:

What are crop marks?

Schools Long Ago – Interviews with parents and grandparents

Micklehurst Primary theirhistory via Compfight

Students interviewed their grown ups, their parents and grandparents

about what school was like when they were young.

 

The earliest account was from 1938.

“Many children walked and when it rained they ran.

Some drank a little bottle of milk at break time.

The boys wore shorts, a jacket and cap.

The girls wore a smock or pinafore

over their clothes to protect them.

When it was cold children

would wear their coats in school”.

 

This is an account from 1946:

“There were 55-60 boys in a class

and the classroom was heated by a fire.

The children all sat in rows of desks all facing teacher.

In the summer term, many children came to school barefoot”.

Some people remembered high windows.

They let in plenty light but the children

couldn’t look out and be distracted.

 

“There was wooden desk with a top that lifted up

where we kept our books, copies and pencils.

We enjoyed playing with friends, chasing,

football, hurling, skipping and hopscotch.

Great times, loads of fun no worries”

 

“When we are eager to grow up and leave school,

we hear people say that they are your happiest days

and we aren’t sure if we believe them but later

you realise they were right and your school friends are friends for life”

 

Thanks to all the ‘older people’,  who agreed

to be interviewed about school long ago.

We can see that some things are the same

and some things are very different.