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BRITS OUT H-BLOCK on Benbulben

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    #32
    Richard
    Registered Users Posts: 2,439 ✭✭✭Richard


    Would it have been in the Irish Times? You can search that online, can't you? I think there's a charge, though.


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    #33
    irish1967
    Registered Users Posts: 3,516 ✭✭✭irish1967


    dardevle wrote: »
    .


    back in the day my dad used to tell me that it was a sheep pen in the shape of the letters and when it was filled with sheep it became visible:rolleyes:


    he was a baaaad man;).



    .

    I think I has just found the video of how it was done with the sheep !!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2FX9rviEhw


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    #34
    irish1967
    Registered Users Posts: 3,516 ✭✭✭irish1967


    Jeeez.. I guess you spend weeks looking for a picture online and then when you find one another just appears:rolleyes:


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    #35
    blackiebest
    Registered Users Posts: 650 ✭✭✭blackiebest


    irish1967 wrote: »
    Jeeez.. I guess you spend weeks looking for a picture online and then when you find one another just appears:rolleyes:

    Hah, Deadly! Really thought it was a hi res gem that would be much better to work from and I am so glad that it is :)


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    #36
    duncaolog
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3 ✭duncaolog


    irish1967 wrote: »
    Did anyone ever figure out ( or admit ) as to actually how it was done?

    I mean.. its on quite a steep slope, a fair bit up a mountain, it was probably done at night, it appears perfectly straight and its 185 foot long by 25 high.

    Must have been planned out in detail in advance. Was it dug into the soil? Is in actually still there but just cant be seen?

    Aside from its subject matter its an impressive piece of work.

    The ‘Brits out’ sign was placed on Benbulben c1975 and renewed regularly until the H Block campaign started in 1981 when ‘BRITS OUT’ was replaced by ‘H BLOCK’. The signs were erected in daylight. It took 3 hours to climb the mountain and took about one ton of lime. The work was accomplished by local people and the slogans completed in one trip. The Gardai confronted the men on each occasion on their descent from the mountain but as no law was broken and the sign on private property no charges could be made. Because of the fertilising effect of the lime a ghost image of the signs can still be seen with new growth in the springtime.
    Note: Why should this sign be considered to be any more ‘offensive’ than a ‘Germans Out’ in Vichy France?


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    #37
    Apanachi
    Registered Users Posts: 757 ✭✭✭Apanachi


    Ah, I remember that on the mountain.

    My dad knew the guys that did it, he told me their names once but I forget who they were, unfortunately he passed away 2 1/2 years back, so I can't ask him about it anymore, I'm sure there's a few people around who know who did it, must try to find out


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    #38
    duncaolog
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3 ✭duncaolog


    Yes, there is. Anyone for an FF OUT sign?


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    #39
    Pete M.
    Registered Users Posts: 1,082 ✭✭✭Pete M.


    I'd say there'd be a few who help out on that one duncaolog ;)

    Shur isn't it only up the road....


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    #40
    red sean
    Registered Users Posts: 2,917 ✭✭✭red sean


    duncaolog wrote: »
    The ‘Brits out’ sign was placed on Benbulben c1975 and renewed regularly until the H Block campaign started in 1981 when ‘BRITS OUT’ was replaced by ‘H BLOCK’. The signs were erected in daylight. It took 3 hours to climb the mountain and took about one ton of lime. The work was accomplished by local people and the slogans completed in one trip. The Gardai confronted the men on each occasion on their descent from the mountain but as no law was broken and the sign on private property no charges could be made. Because of the fertilising effect of the lime a ghost image of the signs can still be seen with new growth in the springtime.
    Note: Why should this sign be considered to be any more ‘offensive’ than a ‘Germans Out’ in Vichy France?

    Understood it was done in moonlight and the Gardai only became aware next morning.


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