[Limetree]

On December 31st 1909 the first successful powered flight in Ireland was made by Harry Ferguson.

As the 100th anniversary approaches are any events planned to celebrate this milestone?

[hugoj_air]

Haven't heard of any events yet.
While it's widely believed the first flight took place at Old Park, Hillsborough. I heard there is a plaque at Newcastle Beach claiming that Harry Ferguson's first flight took place there. He did indeed use the beach for further trail flights on 23.07.1910, but I have no record of him using the beach before that date.
And to put a spanner in the works
Joseph Cordner of John Street, Derry, apparently made several flights in an aeroplane constructed by himself at “Buncrana Beach” Co Donegal thought to be White Strand during the summer of 1908. It was also stated that a passenger was carried on at least one flight, unfortunately it would seem that there is no corroborating evidence to support any of the flights.
Can anyone add to the above.
NOTE. All the above activity supposedly took place eighteen months or so before Harry Ferguson made the first recorded powered aircraft flight in Ireland on 31.12.1909.

Found this on the Swilly Yacht Club website.
Here, in 1908 Joseph Cordner, an engineer, assembled his prototype airplane (sic) on Lisfannon strand (at the southern end of White Strand).
He took off and flew over the shallow waters of the Lough; there is no record of the lenght of time the plane was airborne. It was the first powered flight in Ireland.

Hugo.

[avalanche]

Newcastle Lions association in Newcastle County Down are planning on marking the event with a festival in summer 2010

[chap20277]

The Man Who Could Fly

Today, 21:00 on BBC One (Northern Ireland only)


http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00nq82w