The atory of Kildonan Aerodrome, Finglas.

Kildonan Aerodrome Reproduced by permission of the author, John Haughton, and Aidan Kelly, Editor of “Finglas - A Celebration”. First issued in 1999 by Finglas Environmental Heritage Project it will be re-published shortly with additional material. Queries about this page to a.kelly@dublinpeople.com

What does the name ‘Kildonan’ mean to you? In the context of the marvel of the infancy of commercial flying in this country, the name should be on the lips of every schoolchild.

Kildonan Aerodrome was located in the townland of Kildonan, in the parish of Finglas, in the barony of Nethercross, from which the ancient celtic cross in the village gets its name, namely, the Cross of Nethercross.

Kildonan Aerodrome was located a little over a mile north/west of the village of Finglas, off what we now call the Derry Road, a national primary route connecting Dublin with Derry City.

The name Kildonan “Cill Odin” means Church or wood of Odin. Odin was the chief god of the Norse’s Valhallah; an equivalent to heaven. Another meaning given to the name is “Choill Dunan”, meaning: “Doonan’s Wood”.

The old coach road to Slane ran through Finglas, Dubber and St. Margaret’s village, all in those days part of the parish of Finglas.

Kildonan House which was located on the Kildonan lands where the aerodrome existed, is still there, and at the time of writing in good repair. Kildonan House is located more than one quarter of a mile directly west of the Derry Road. The aerodrome was located between the above road and Kildonan House. Both the aerodrome and the house were served by the same laneway. Today, the entrance gates to the laneway leading to Kildonan House, which is not visible from the main road, can be easily located, because they are situated immediately south of a large ESB electrical power station. A large quarry, Huntstown Quarry operated by the company, Roadstone, has its entrance just north of the ESB station, which can also be used as a help in locating the site of Kildonan Aerodrome. The fields which were used for the aerodrome are still there but the existence of the power station means there would be no possibility of even having a commemorative air display.

Kildonan had a fine big purpose proof built hangar, which could accommodate 20 aircraft, with a large storage area for parts at first floor level. Attached to the hangar was a very comfortable and spacious club house for staff and visitors. The airfield itself could accommodate the largest aircraft of the day - it was able to accomodate the largest aircraft of Sir Alan Cobham’s Air Circus.

Until Kildonan Aerodrome was approved for use by civil aircraft and customs facilities in June 1932, all aircraft coming from abroad to the Irish Free State had to land at Baldonnel, a military aerodrome, in order to clear customs.

Three different companies operated consecutively at Kildonan between 1931 and 1938. The first was Iona National Airways Ltd., founded by Hugh Cahill, which operated there from 1931 to 1933. This company had been set up a year earlier by Hugh at Baldonnel Military Aerodrome. Everson Flying Services followed, 1933-1935. The name was derived from the two people who operated the company, namely, Lady C. Nelson and Mr. George Everett. The name Iona on the other hand originated from the name of Hugh Cahill’s automobile garage which was located at Cross Guns Bridge, Glasnevin, Dublin. The third and last company was Dublin Air Ferries, 1935-1938, with Lady Heath and Jack Williams at the helm. The association of Lady Heath with Kildonan, going back several years before the setting up of Dublin Air Ferries, is one that gives a special stamp of achievement to the Kildonan operations. Her achievements in pioneering aviation were unrivalled.

Kildonan provided a comprehensive range of flying services, varying from time to time in emphasis and intensity. It carried out a multitude of air charter flights, pilot training, emergency ambulance flights, pioneering mail flights, photographic assignments, air displays, novelty flying and joy-riding flights, usually associated with air pageants and displays. One of Hugh Cahill’s most ambitious undertakings was a demonstration air mail and passenger flight from Baldonnel to Berlin, via London and Amsterdam, having linked up with a first leg which was flown from Oranmore in Galway, by Captain O. E. Armstrong, chief pilot with Iona National Airways Ltd. Col. Charles Russell, the main proponent of the concept of a national airline in the Irish Free State, was part of the crew of the giant Fokker aircraft which flew the main part of the flight from Baldonnel to Berlin. Through the operations of Kildonan, newspapers could have important photographs of big events in time to meet earlier editions of their papers. Mercy and ambulance flights were now possible and when a massive snow-fall cut off all services and isolated Meath from the rest of the country, Hugh Cahill and Iona National Airways were at hand to bring food and medicine to the affected areas. The food was supplied by the Dublin firm, Findlaters.

In its seven years of business, Kildonan Aerodrome had no fatalities. This was an outstanding record by any standards. It is difficult to assess whether it was due to the very high levels of maintenance of the Kildonan fleet of aircraft or the supervision of flying operations. In any case, safety first was the motto which was strictly adhered to. In contrast, there were fatalities unfortunately associated with flying operations at Baldonnel Aerodrome, involving both the aircraft and personnel of the Irish Aero Club and the Irish Army Air Corps.

During the year 1933, which also marked the high point in flying activities in the Irish Free State, there were seven fatalities. On May 24th, Major S.W. Dunckley and Mr. Christopher Clayton perished in the sea at Dalkey. Captain W.R. Elliott, chief instructor of the Irish Aero Club and his passenger, Mr. William Ower, crashed and died in Limerick, on July 7th, at Sir Alan Cobham’s Air Circus. On August 3rd, Lieut. J. F. Twohig, of the Irish Army Air Corps was killed at Clondalkin. Captain Oscar Heron and Private R. Tobin crashed and died at an air display in the Phoenix Park, on August 5th.

Oliver St. John Gogarty, himself a pilot and friend of Lady Heath, wrote several poems following the deaths of members of the Irish Aero Club which operated at Baldonnel Aerodrome. These deaths were mourned by all those associated with flying in the country. Kildonan had a unique record of no fatalities associated with the aerodrome but for the pilots who flew there it was always a possibility. In the following lines Gogarty succeeds in capturing the sadness felt by all and the spirit of flying as represented by the character of Lt. Arthur Russell who crashed and was killed close to his own house.

In Memory of my friend, Arthur Russell, Soldier and Statesman

He had the kind and languorous air Of gentle knights detached from fear; And he was quiet in his ways. He who could set the heavens ablaze And overtake the sinking sun With speed, and soar into his throne. If modesty clothes bravery, If gentleness activity: If earth has ever been the pen Of Heaven-aspiring denizen, Then Arthur comes into his own From lowly things released and flown, And stands for that haut chivalry Which scorns the world and scales the sky: So Death, which no brave spirit harms Let him pass out retaining arms.

10. 9. 1934. Oliver St. John Gogarty.

Hugh Cahill was the first real entrepreneur in civil aviation in Ireland, the father of civil aviation. He broke the mould of convention when he set up the first flying business enterprise. For this reason he has a unique place in aviation history.

Kildonan Aerodrome did not exist in some vacuum, as it were. It was firmly anchored in what was then one of the most beautiful parts of Dublin. It was Finglas which was associated with the historic occasion of the founding of Ireland’s first commercial aerodrome. The people of the area readily accepted the aerodrome. The first to welcome it were the Fitzpatrick family, on whose land it operated. They were the most tolerant, never to complain about any aspect of the operation. They never felt that their privacy was being interferred with.

Then there was the local curate in Finglas village, Fr. Furlong. He was fully dedicated to flying, and even bought his own aircraft, an Aeronca. He was the first flying priest in Ireland. He was always accompanied by his red setter dog Bruno, who qualifies as Ireland’s first flying dog. Bruno, the red setter, flew whenever Fr. Furlong flew, although it may not have been in accordance with the regulations. Fr. Furlong in his own quiet way did a lot to promote aviation, and flew his aircraft all over the country. He was an active member at Kildonan, very supportive of all aspects of this exciting venture. When Lady Heath set up the Tramways Club, Fr. Furlong became its president and made his little craft, the Aeronca, available to the club. This was a very generous gesture. Fr. Furlong had a most understanding and virtuous parish priest in Rev. Fr. Russell. He was head and shoulders above everyone, not only in stature, but in the quality of his lifestyle. He made it his business to knit the two communities of Catholic and Protestant together, so that there was maximum understanding and co-operation. Fr. Russell and the people of Finglas found it easy and natural to be tolerant, and accept individuality of their fellow men. They could cross the great divide with ease and style.

The local sergeant in the police station, Mr. O’Riordan, according to Pearse Cahill, was an ardent fan of Kildonan, and participated in the activities there on special occasions. Pearse remembers Sergeant O’Riordan particularly, on the opening day, when he took a most active part in the celebrations.

One of the most liked persons at Kildonan Aerodrome was Mr. George Morris, a local Finglas man. George was both caretaker and cook. All the ex-members of Kildonan remember George with affection. It was not just his excellent cooking; it was also his kind manner which endeared him to all. He did more than anyone to make people feel at home. When Kildonan closed down, George became a porter with Aer Lingus.

Kildonan pilots remember Cappagh Hospital which opened in 1907. What therapy it was for the patients of the hospital, who had been wheeled out into the Finglas fresh air, to get a wave from every pilot as he or she dipped a wing and returned the wave. Every flight gave a lift to the patients, as the whine of the aircraft was wafted on the wings of the summer breezes. This relationship which Kildonan had with the patients showed the sensitivity of the people, their willingness to relate to the community.

In June 1931 the Eucharistic Congress took place in the Phoenix Park and Kildonan was used as a base for visiting air craft. A giant Fokker aircraft was one of many which visited Kildonan. Citizens and visitors were given joy rides to witness this historic occasion from the air.

The altar which was used for Benediction at O’Connell’s Bridge is now located in the grounds of Cappagh Hospital.

Robert Craigie, manager of Merville ice cream factory remembers bringing the ice cream to the aerodrome. Then there was the Luby family, who ran a shop and post office. They were important to the aerodrome and remember it well. Ms. May Luby, sister of Ann Luby the post mistress, remembers Kildonan. She remembers Jack Williams very well, who made it his business to socialise. There was no prejudice of colour or creed in Finglas. And the local telegram boy appreciated his visits to the aerodrome most of all. Having quickly delivered his telegram, he stood in awe at the machines that flew. Every one that rose into the air was a miracle to him. It mattered little to him that the people of Finglas could now boast of a unique event in the history of aviation. He had eyes only for the lift of the wings, ears for the whine of the engine, and a peep into the hangar, where the engineers J.R. Currie and Mick Brady worked incessantly. A deep gulp of the potent smells that pervaded the whole place followed. The whole thing was such an experience, but he must get back for his next telegram. And nobody gave tips like the Kildonan people.

There was something special about Finglas, although for many of the participants, theirs was just a quick journey through. Time was precious. But oftentimes there was time for celebration like when one of the trainee pilots went solo. Then the Upper Floods was the place to be, and it was fun to talk with the people of Finglas.

Kildonan is about the people associated with the aerodrome, famous people like Hugh Cahill, founder of Kildonan; Lady Heath, Ireland’s greatest pioneering aviator; J. R. Currie, joint inventor of the ‘Currie-Wot’ aircraft; Sir Alan Cobham, the greatest proponent of air displays in the 1930s; or the Mayor of Sempill, who played a major role in the development of world-wide civil aviation, and paid a special visit to Kildonan. It is also about the multitude of other ‘Kildonan People’, from the ‘First Flying Priest’, Fr. Furlong, and his flying dog Bruno; and Sr. Catherine, who left Kildonan to pursue a life in religion and makes the comparison in a unique way between the two lives, religious and aviation. It is about Mick Brady, who serviced the aircraft; Chris Bruton, prominent member of the National Irish Junior Aviation Club, who for so many years played such an important role in the development of aviation clubs and councils. Kildonan is about Captain J. N. Duggan and his extraordinary memory for detail of events at Kildonan and aviation in the 1930s. George Weston, photographer, has left a unique set of photographs taken at the aerodrome. Oonagh Hammond and her late husband Ivan both learned to fly at Kildonan. Oonagh talks about the Aer Lingus connection, and remembers her husband Ivan who later became Chief Pilot with Aer Lingus.

Kildonan is about O. E. Armstrong, chief pilot at Kildonan for several years, who pioneered many demonstration flights in the promotion of civil aviation in this country, and who became the first chief pilot of Aer Lingus, the National Airline. Not least of all was George Morris, caretaker and cook at Kildonan, who was a Finglasman, and later joined Aer Lingus as a porter.

Kildonan also boasts of a flying nun, Sr. Catherine (Bailey Butler). Although she did not fly as a nun at Kildonan, Sr. Catherine trained and took out a pilot’s licence at the aerodrome and entered a convent only days after getting her wings.

One of the most extraordinary facts is that although Iona National Airways Ltd. ceased its operations in 1933, and Kildonan Aerodrome closed down in 1938, Pearse Cahill, who as a teenager learned to fly at Kildonan, fulfilled the aspirations which his father Hugh had when he set up the aerodrome at Kildonan. Pearse re-started Iona National Airways at Cloghran, right beside Dublin Airport, in the late 1950s. The second most notable thing which Pearse did was to resurrect the Irish Aero Club which he did when he named the new club associated with the new Iona after the Irish Aero Club of the 1930s which had operated at Baldonnel.

Lady Heath, born Mary Pierce Evans in Newcastle West, Limerick, Ireland in 1896, was Ireland’s greatest pioneering aviator. She flew the first solo flight from Capetown, South Africa via Cairo, to Croydon, London. She was holder of the world’s altitude record; was the first woman to hold a commercial licence in Great Britain; was the first woman to win an open air race in these islands; and was a winner of the coveted Grosvenor Cup. Apart from her personal achievements - not least of all in breaking into the male preserve of commercial flying - she encouraged other women to participate in flying and set up a special scholarship for this purpose, which was administered by the Irish Aero Club. She also helped to gain access for women into other careers from which they were traditionally barred. A keen athlete herself, Lady Heath was a co-founder of the British Women’s Amatuer Athletic Association, and was largely responsible for securing the right for women athletes to participate in the Olympic Games.

Tragically, a near fatal accident while she was participating in the Ohio State Races, Cleveland, U.S.A., cut short a brilliant flying career and left her with a silver plate inserted in her skull. But she had already achieved in about five years more than any other aviator would ever achieve in a lifetime. Some people believed that Lady Heath’s aircraft had been tampered with before the race began in Cleveland, but this was not proven at the subsequent enquiries.

The late 1920s and early 1930s was a golden age in flying. Almost daily new frontiers were being established. Not least of these were the remarkable achievements of Lady Heath, the only home-grown pioneering aviatior who can rank with the greats. After her amazing feats in aviation, she chose to spend her last active years as managing director of the third and last company, Dublin Air Ferries which operated from Kildonan from 1935-1938.

She, like so many other great aviators, accepted the challenge, risking her life and limb testing the machines to their limit in the furtherance of aviation, and for the love of flying. The air routes which we take for granted today were painfully and meticulously worked out the hard way by the pioneers of the day with very often the minimum of equipment and maps which to say the least had their limitations.

Lady Heath devoted her final years in developing air-mindedness and participation in flying among many groups of people. Immediately after her great achievements she gave many lecture tours. After her air crash in the United States, she spent a short time flying with the Irish Aero Club out of Baldonnel, but soon moved to Kildonan, where she set up The National Irish Junior Aviation Club, the Tramway Club and the Dublin Aero Club. The present day Aviation Council, the governing body for aviation, can be traced directly from the National Irish Junior Aviation Club. She was also first president of the Irish Gliding Association.

Together with her husband Jack Williams, she set up the last of the three companies which operated out of Kildonan - Dublin Air Ferries.

Kildonan had many great people associated with the aerodrome, but Lady Heath has given Kildonan a special stamp of approval, by reason of her long association with it and the sustained efforts she made to develop the clubs which she fostered there.

A mere glance at the record of her achievements is sufficient to realise that she occupies a niche which is unique in Irish and world aviation history. Lady Heath is truly the queen of Irish Aviation, a star among stars.

The 1930s was the decade of great air pageants and displays. The greatest impressario of the air circus was none other than Sir Alan Cobham. The first exhibition and the best was put on at Kildonan Aerodrome in 1933. The people of Ireland had never seen anything like the flying wizardry of Cobham’s Circus. Fifteen thousand people are reported to have seen this never to be forgotten display. The dare-devil flying, loop-the-loop, inverted flying, bombing the crowd, wing spotting, scared, thrilled and satiated the crowd. The hosting of this brilliant spectacle was another first for Kildonan, Hugh Cahill and Finglas. The breathtaking flying wizardry by the world’s greatest exponents of these skills took place in the finest collection of the best and most colourful aircraft available, defying the laws of gravity and motion.

John J. Dunne, aviation historian, commenting on the birth of Irish Civil Aviation concluded that “if any one year can be said to have given flying its major decisive life, that year can only be 1933, when it really got off the ground in Ireland… It would seem that Pegasus, or some other airborne god had decreed that the Irish people were ready to attack the skies. It was a summer of air shows, or air pageants, or displays, depending on the publicity men involved, when the hitherto earthbound citizenry could flirt with death in the skies above Dublin in gallant little Gypsy Moths or Puss Moths, and all for half a crown a go… The air displays… featured daring young daredevils of both sexes torturing their flimsy little aircraft in a variety of contortions, like loops, spins, rolls or ‘falling leaf’ lunacy, that thumbed a nose (or propellor) at all the primary rules of aerodynamics. They walked on canvas wings high above the gasping crowd, hung precariously out of struts and made dramatic parachute descents, while the packed field below held its breath… It was in that year of 1933 that Sir Alan Cobham lectured to a group of would-be aviators in the unlikely surroundings of the gallery of Clery’s store in O’Connell Street on his numerous adventures as one of the great pioneers of flying… 1933 deserves to be re-called as the year that Ireland got its wings.”

Besides Sir Alan Cobham’s air circus/pageant which was held at Kildonan, Finglas, and hosted by Hugh Cahill of Iona National Airways Ltd., there were a multitude of other air displays held at different aerodromes including Kildonan and Baldonnel, as well as other locations including the Phoenix Park. But it was Cobham’s Circus at Kildonan which stole the show, where pageantry of the air reached its zenith, in an atmosphere which was never to be repeated.

Besides the whine and drone of little craft flying to and from Kildonan Aerodrome on long and never-ending summer evenings during the 1930s, other sounds wafted along the distilled air of sweet summer breezes and vied for attention. It was not the intricate melodies of blackbird and song-thrush, but the piping sound created by deft hands, whose pitch and timing was so perfect that one wondered if the intricate eerie sounds eminated from earth or ether. These tunes heard over aircraft and bird-song were the creation of the young Seamus Ennis and his father of Jamestown Road, Finglas, later to be crowned ‘Ard Ri of the Uilleann Pipes’, who when he played seemed to shake off the human crysalis. As the sound of aircraft engines soared and fell in seemingly never ending cadences so did the little ‘King’ reach the dizzy heights of musical creativity. The result was a drone blend of sound known only to Finglas. Whine and drone alternated between aircraft and musician, each soaring, gliding, falling, like a giant bird of prey, with the grace and blithe spirit of a Golden Eagle. Each tune from the pipes was a filagree woven in heaven and never to be repeated, full of versatility and virtuosity. Soon the whole country would relish the sounds and Seamus Ennis would make a unique contribution to the musical folklore of these islands.

But although the 1930s can be called the golden age of flying, right through this decade, the storm clouds of war were gathering on the European mainland. Hitler’s rise to power was as steady as an aircraft piloted by Lady Heath. But Kildonan and its people were oblivious or at least unconcerned by Hitler’s meteoric rise to power, with all its forebodings. Not too far away were the sounds and rumblings of a second world war. But there was no storm clouds in the air at Kildonan, instead there were blue skies, with the occasional high circus, and the green fertile pastures of the never ending plain of Moynalta, of which Kildonan was a part, stretching as far as the eye could see.

The Second World War broke out at the end of the golden decade of fun and commercial flying when Hitler invaded Poland in September 1939. The people that were associated with the aerodrome were scattered far and wide - the war had the effect of causing people to lose contact with one another. All non-military airfields were closed down and staked so that they could not be used for landing purposes. All civil aircraft were impounded at Baldonnel.

Weston was staked in order to prevent aircraft landings. Kildonan had already ceased operations in August 1938. Aer Lingus, the National Airline begun its operations in 1936, with Sean O hUadhaigh as its first chairman. The first Aer Lingus aircraft was the ‘Iolar’ (the eagle), a De Havilland 84 Dragon 2 EI ABI which flew from Dublin to Bristol on its inaugural flight in May 1936. The first Aer Lingus chief pilot was O. E. Armstrong of Kildonan Aerodrome, Finglas. Ivan Hammond of Kildonan was also one of the first pilots of the fledgeling air line.

When Hugh Cahill chose Finglas for Ireland’s first commercial aerodrome, he forged an important link in Finglas’ historical chain. This happy association cannot be too strongly emphasised, and its emphasis is part of the new awareness which is slowly emerging in the Finglas area.