A Trash Can From Myrtle Beach Just Washed Ashore in Ireland

The idea of objects lost at sea washing up in different parts of the world is a romantic one. For centuries, beachgoers have scanned the shores in search of rare treasures and messages in bottles. Ireland recently received a different kind of gift from the other side of the Atlantic. A trash can from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, traveled over 3000 miles to Mulranny, Ireland, and now the Mayo County town is using it for its original purpose, WMBF reports.

Keith McGreal spotted the waste container on the west coast of Ireland on Sunday, November 7. The Myrtle Beach logo on the outside of it indicated that the receptacle had come a far way from home. The Irish native emailed the U.S. city to inform them of his discovery.

“I don’t think it’s possible to tell when it went missing, but it probably was during a wind or storm event," the official City of Myrtle Beach Facebook page wrote in a post. "We typically remove trash containers from the beach before a hurricane, but this one apparently had a mind of its own.”

Though the blue barrel had taken some damage during its transatlantic voyage, it arrived in good shape all things considered. In addition to holding on to its labels, the bin picked up a few mollusks on its journey judging by the photos shared online. It's currently being used as a trash can on the strip of shore where it was recovered in Mulranny, Ireland.

While its appearance is noteworthy, the Myrtle Beach waste bin isn't the weirdest thing to wash up on a foreign beach. Following a container ship spill in 1997, loose LEGO pieces turned up on Cornish beaches for decades afterwards.