Air Corps fly-past as airport marks 50th year

THE Air Corps performed a fly-past of Cork Airport yesterday to mark its 50th anniversary.

Three aircraft — a Pilatus PC-9M turbo prop training aircraft, a Cessna 172H used for aerial surveillance and air cover support roles, and a Eurocopter EC135 helicopter — flew in formation past the airport’s old and new terminals yesterday afternoon as celebrations continued inside.

Cork Airport handled its first passenger flight on October 16, 1961. Yesterday, to mark the 50th anniversary of its official opening, current and former staff and their families gathered at the airport for a private party.

The day began with the celebration of Mass by Fr Michael Murphy in the old terminal building.

The Ballyphehane parish priest, in whose parish the airport is based, has developed strong links with the airport.

Most of the 61 people killed in the 1968 Tuskar Rock tragedy were from his parish. And Fr Murphy administered the Last Rights to those killed in the Manx2 plane crash earlier this year.

While those events rank amongst the darkest in the airport’s history, staff also recalled happier times, including the visit of Queen Elizabeth II.

Meanwhile, a new book entitled ‘Fifty Years Have Flown – The History of Cork Airport’, specially commissioned for the 50th anniversary, has been published by The Collins Press. Its authors, brothers Dr Donal and Diarmuid Ó Drisceoil, said they could find no evidence of political interference in the decision to build the airport at Farmer’s Cross near Ballygarvan.

Two sites were in the running — Ahenesk near Midleton, 12 miles from the city, and the current site at Farmer’s Cross, five miles from the city.

Diarmuid Ó Drisceoil said meteorological tests at both sites proved Midleton was better from a weather point of view, but Ballygarvan was better on every other criterion.