Eagles which became extinct in Ireland were today flown first class into Co Kerry in a bid to re-introduce the bird in the wild.
Their arrival at Farranfore Airport was met with protests from up to 30 local sheep farmers who fear the birds will prey on lambs.
The 15 White-tail Sea Eagle chicks were immediately transported to release cages in Killarney National Park.
The giant birds, which are only five weeks old, will be reared with minimum human contact and monitored closely by a team of experts.
The Sea Eagle was once common in Ireland but died out after being trapped and shot in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Eamon Meskell of the National Parks and Wildlife Service said the chicks will be released into the wild in early August.
"They got here in one piece and we hope everything will go well in the weeks ahead," he explained.
A Sea Eagle adult can grow up to 100cm (3.3 feet) long with a 250cm (8.3 feet) wingspan.
It preys on fish, birds, carrion and occasionally small mammals.
Farmers believe the Sea Eagles may target lambs in sheep farms surrounding Killarney National Park and called for an effective management strategy.
"On the Isle of Mull in Scotland where the bird has been introduced, farmers have suffered losses," IFA Hill Committee chairman Neilie O'Leary said. Mr Meskell said farming representatives were invited to join the Co Kerry project's steering group but they declined. International researchers identified Co Kerry as the best place in Ireland to re-introduce the birds because of the unique rugged coastline habitat.
The adult is mainly brown but has a distinctive white tail. The five-year project in Co Kerry will generate local tourism revenue. In Co Donegal, a project to re-introduce the Golden Eagle is now in its sixth year.
The White-Tailed Sea Eagle project will also help Ireland fulfil its commitment to maintain and enhance native wildlife under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity.
The initiative is managed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Golden Eagle Trust and others. ends