Calls for statue to honour famous Portlaoise pilot ahead of centenary
Preparations are underway for the upcoming 100th anniversary of the first East West Transatlantic flight
There have been calls for a monument to be erected in Laois to mark the upcoming 100th anniversary of the first ever East West Transatlantic Flight which was co-piloted by local man James Fitzmaurice.
James Fitzmaurice from Portlaoise was part of the three-man crew onboard the first ever flight from Europe to the USA in 1928.
Each year in Laois, the Annual East West Transatlantic Flight Commemoration is celebrated by the Colonel Fitzmaurice Commemoration Society in partnership with Laois Heritage Office.
In April, the commemoration event was held in Fitzmaurice Place, Portlaoise, which is named after the pilot. Afterwards, attendees gathered for a discussion and Q&A session in Kavanagh's Bar.
Laois Heritage Officer Thomas Carolan chatted to Brigadier General Rory O'Connor and Maj Gen Ralph James (R’td) of the Irish Air Corps and Teddy Fennelly, Colonel Fitzmaurice Commemorative Society, about the famous flight and the life of Col. James Fitzmaurice.
With the 98th anniversary of the flight just passed, preparations are underway for the centenary in 2028.
Laois Heritage Office has said it is working closely with the Colonel Fitzmaurice Commemorative Society to plan the centenary celebrations in April 2028 which will feature a diverse programme of events including a state commemorative event.
In addition to this, Councillor Paddy Buggy has proposed that a monument be erected in the county to honour the role Col. James Fitzmaurice played in the historic event.
Speaking at the recent meeting of Laois County Council, Cllr Buggy said: "The 100th anniversary of the East West Flight is coming up and I was hoping that maybe budgetary conditions might allow us to have a statute of the Portlaoise Plane or some monument in place by 2028 to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the transatlantic flight."
The Portlaoise Plane was the first airplane built in Ireland. It was constructed over a century ago by the Aldritt brothers and Johnny Conroy in Portlaoise.
According to Col. James Fitzmaurice's memoirs, he worked on the plane at Aldritts as a young boy and was present for the first flight. This helped inspire his career in aviation.
Laois County Council have planned for the Portlaoise Plane to be permanently placed in the old Granary building in the Old Fort Quarter area of the town as part of its plans to redevelop the site for a museum.
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