1916 Centenary celebrations should have eye to the sky

In the run-up to celebrating 100 years as an independent country, there will be many debates about how to mark the progress achieved by our Republic, writes Joe Gill.

In this context, I’d like to lay out an argument about why aviation warrants a role in such a programme and how it can be made tangible for current and future generations.

The development of aviation and the Irish Republic have been intertwined for a number of generations. It began in 1919 when the first non-stop flight across the Atlantic landed in Clifden and extends to the present day where Ireland is home to global leaders in airline business models and commercial aircraft financing.