Air tragedy at Galtee Mountains led to year-round search and rescue service

When this accident happened, pilots sometimes flew below the clouds and followed landmarks such as a main road or large river — if this plane had flown 50 metres higher it would have successfully cleared the mountaintop

Galtee Mountains: Ascend Galtymore by the most popular route and you begin from the parking place at R893 203 in South Tipperary. An enclosed lane then leads through two gates to a track traversing open mountainside

Ascend Galtymore by the most popular route and you begin from the parking place at R893 203 in South Tipperary. An enclosed lane then leads through two gates to a track traversing open mountainside. This is the Black Road, an old route previously used as a convenient shortcut to the Glen of Aherlow when people travelled mostly on foot. It became a route to draw turf from the mountain during wartime fuel scarcity, but these days it has morphed into a convenient high-level entry point to the heart of the Galtees.

After about 20 minutes of gentle ascent, you may be surprised to observe a stone monument about 50 metres to your right.