With video: Fireball across Ireland as meteorite crashes to earth

Space rock plunges through atmosphere and crashes in Ireland

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Exploding to earth: The meteor which blazed across the night skies in Ireland

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Video / Watch meteorite blaze across sky / Click here

A meteorite traveling with the force of a small nuclear weapon blazed across the sky in Ireland Wednesday and crashed inland.

Astronomy Ireland says the fireball, which was traveling at 100,000 miles per hour, was spotted at about 6 p.m.

The meteorite - which eyewitnesses said was the same size as a small desk - was seen by people up and down the country.

Astronomy Ireland say they have reports that the meteorite landed in a field near Crimlin in Cavan.

However, they do not know whether anyone was hurt.

Valentia Coastguard received reports from people all over the country from people in Mullingar, Limerick, Ballybunion and Bantry.

David Moore, of Astronomy Ireland, said: "This is a huge event."

Moore said he did not believe that the meteorite crashed at sea because eye-witnesses were facing inland when they saw it.

One eye-witness in Kildare said he thought the meteorite was a plane crash.

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