Laois County Council set to promote historical aviation history of Portlaoise

THE historic role Portlaoise has played in the development of the global aviation industry is set to be recognised by Laois County Council through the commissioning of a sculpture of the aeroplane that Portlaoise man Colonel Fitzmaurice used to undertake the world's first transatlantic flight in 1908.

At the latest meeting of the Portlaoise Municipal District, Councillor Paddy Buggy put forward a motion urging Laois County Council to begin making plans to celebrate and recognise the historic contribution Laois has made to the global aviation industry.

His proposal was two pronged; that LCC install a replica of the Portlaoise plane, the first plane built in the Republic of Ireland in 1908 by the Aldritt Brothers; and that they plan some events to commemorate the centenary of the first East West transatlantic flight undertaken by the Portlaoise man Colonel Fitzmaurice.

The Councillor received this response from a representative of the Area Office:

“Laois County Council have engaged with specialists to agree a sculptural design on the plane and are expected to have this preliminary design and associated reports available in weeks.” The Fine Gael Councillor welcomed what he described as a positive response and said that given we were only a year and a half away from the hundred-and-twentieth anniversary of the Fitzmaurice flight that the Council should begin planning a programme of events to commemorate it. He also said:

“This is an important heritage issue and gives us a moment to highlight the innovative spirit of people in this community. We have everything going for us here bar a seaside resort.” The motion was seconded by the Cathaoirleach of Laois County Council Barry Walsh who described himself as surprised to learn about the history of the motion and completely supported plans to commemorate the aviation legacy of Laois.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme