Safest Areas in Ireland in Case of a Nuclear Attack: Expert's Warning

US airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities have heightened fears of a potential nuclear conflict, prompting concerns about the safest locations in the event of a nuclear disaster closer to home.

Iran's Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, issued a stark warning of 'everlasting consequences' following US President Donald Trump's announcement that 'great American Warriors' had successfully attacked the Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan sites.

On X, Mr Araghchi stated: 'Each and every member of the UN must be alarmed over this extremely dangerous, lawless and criminal behaviour. In accordance with the UN Charter and its provisions allowing a legitimate response in self-defence, Iran reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interests, and people.'

In the scary scenario of a nuclear strike targeting cities like Dublin, Cork, or Belfast survivability hinges on distance from ground zero. Nuclear explosions unleash devastation through radiation, fireball, air blast, and thermal radiation with potential radii spanning vast distances — up to 153 km2, 197 km2, 1,420 km2, and a staggering 12,960 km2.

For example, a 50 megaton bomb, similar to the largest ever tested, would yield an estimate 1.2 million fatalities if set off in Dublin with ground zero at O'Connell Street.

From Dun Laoighire to Blanchardstown would be levelled. Windows would be smashed and injuries would rack up from Celbridge to Ashbourne and Bray.

Those exposed to the blast could expect burns and eye injuries as far as Arklow, Edenderry, and Athy. The immense amounts of nuclear fallout would be carried to the east-north-east over the Irish sea and onto lesser populated parts of the UK.

A nuke sent to Cork city would yield similarly catastrophic results, but with the sting of the prevailing winds carrying nuclear fallout over Munster and Leinster, spiking rates of illnesses such as cancer.

The immediate blast from a 50Mt bomb would destroy most of Cork city, as well as its surrounds as far as Passage West, Ballygarvan and Ballincollig. Fatalities in excess of 400,000 would be expected in this scenario.

Like the hypothetical Dublin bomb, a huge area would see thermal injuries to those exposed to open air. From Dungarvan to Newmarket and Charleville.

A Belfast bomb would be almost as catastrophic as the Dublin nuclear blast with 800,000 deaths, or 0.8 megadeaths, and 200,000 injuries.

The entire Belfast city centre and most of its wider surrounds would be levelled, from Newtownabbey to Milltown and Carryduff. Thermal radiation would cause burns and severe eye injuries over a quarter of Ulster, from Maghera to Kilkee and as far as the border between counties Down and Louth.

The radioactive fallout would be blown across the Irish Sea to Scotland, but unlike the Dublin fallout, the spread would hit populated areas, Ayr, Kilmarnock, Glasgow and, eventually, Edinburgh.

That leaves quite a bit of Ireland contaminated or levelled, but looking at the map after the three bombs, here are the safest places:

• West Kerry
• Belmullet
• Killybegs
• Connemara, Galway
• Dingle Peninsula
• Achill Island
• Aran Islands
• Inishowen
• The Burren
• Inishbofin

According to the source: Galway Beo.