O Mac

• 22/Sep/2023 08:13:56

There's another Morgan shot showing two planes on the beach at Rosapenna.. The other must be his own plane the 1947 built, IE-AGJ, Auster 5J-1 Autocrat....which is still flying. catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000732026 flic.kr/p/pvESeH

ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq

• 22/Sep/2023 08:19:00

Flickr is sometimes amazing! G-AJLW at Elmdon Airport in the late fifties via https://www.flickr.com/photos/185138674@N02/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/185138674@N02/50307692323/ Spot the differences!

ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq

• 22/Sep/2023 08:21:38

[Aside] Tingle your spine - youtu.be/h5LJqCfBq-g?si=W9-lcJxEdwHJyLoQ Fasten your seatbelt - youtu.be/-CpQpAOfsaQ?si=yq8o3QdQPjAHcwxm

Niall McAuley

• 22/Sep/2023 08:23:56

googlesphere of the beach, lovely spot.

Niall McAuley

• 22/Sep/2023 08:26:22

NPA MOR352 is an action shot of the Dove landing, and a man standing in its way. NPA MOR353 shows it missed him.

Niall McAuley

• 22/Sep/2023 08:33:50

From NPA MOR345, it would appear that Morgan took off and shot the Dove on the beach from the air, or perhaps they both landed and took off more than once.

Niall McAuley

• 22/Sep/2023 08:36:18

This was all 20 years before Donegal Airport opened (with a grass strip runway). I wonder if someone was thinking abut running a service to Donegal landing on the beach?

Oretani Wildlife (Mike Grimes)

• 22/Sep/2023 09:09:33

My father had a friend who manufactured dental equipment in Clonakilty, Stuart Filhol. He owned a Dove 6 G-ASNG which he used to fly from Cork to the UK. I remember the childhood thrill of sitting in it on a few occasions when he would invite my father to join him to taxi it from one part of the airport to another. I can still remember that airplane smell. G-ASNG is now in pieces in Irish Air Corps storage.

ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq

• 22/Sep/2023 09:30:36

Accident Klaxon Alert ! . . . . History - wings-on-film.fandom.com/wiki/G-AJLW including - "... While flying from Yeovil, Somerset to Hucknall, Nottinghamshire for Aircruise on 26 April 1965, G-AJLW was written off, after making a wheels-up forced landing in a field near Pershore, Worcestershire, due to failure of the port engine while flying in poor weather with sleet shower. And more photos with different feathers - abpic.co.uk/pictures/registration/G-AJLW

Oretani Wildlife (Mike Grimes)

• 22/Sep/2023 09:33:12

http://www.flickr.com/photos/32162360@N00/ That safety video brings back memories.

National Library of Ireland on The Commons

• 22/Sep/2023 10:39:05

https://www.flickr.com/photos/91549360@N03 Yes, it was the Auster AGJ that helped provide all of the Morgan photos that we enjoy. This excerpt from Campbell family history about his next and last plane was provided to the library by Monkey's daughter, Jennifer Baker:

Later a company called Irish Air Charter was formed with Monkey as chief pilot. A new Piper Apache EI-AJL was purchased, this was to be flown over from America. In February 1957 Monkey and a veteran American co-pilot Max Conrad left Gander to fly the first Irish registered light aircraft direct to Dublin, others had always landed in the West. The flight was 2,100 miles and took thirteen hours. It was in this aircraft only a year later on 15th January 1958 that tragically Monkey crashed and was killed on take off from Shannon airport. He was returning to Dublin with photos of a second floor collapse during an auction in Carmody's hotel Ennis. Eight people were killed although Monkey's name was later added to the list of fatalities. The investigation showed that conditions on take off were not good and the passenger door on the plane opened, Monkey requested help but sadly he could not control the aircraft and it crashed into the estuary.

luc 5

• 22/Sep/2023 11:10:15

Built early in 1947, the aircraft was registered to de Havilland from 27 March 1947 until 1 December 1961.2 Acquired by A.V.Roe on 8 December 1961, and retained by them until 1 July 1963, the aircraft was then owned by Hawker Sidderly Aviation between 11 July 1963 and 9 April 1964,N 1 before being transfered to private ownership on 26 June 1964.3 While flying from Yeovil, Somerset to Hucknall, Nottinghamshire for Aircruise on 26 April 1965, G-AJLW was written off, after making a wheels-up forced landing in a field near Pershore, Worcestershire, due to failure of the port engine while flying in poor weather with sleet shower. (source Wings on Film Fandom)

Niall McAuley

• 22/Sep/2023 11:28:45

On the crash, the death record for Morgan says: 15th January 1958. River Shannon, North of Waller's Island, townland of Castletown Co. Limerick. Alexander C. Morgan. Married, 38 Chief Pilot and Technical Manager, Irish Air Charter, Limerick Asphyxiation consequent upon drowning following an aeroplane accident near Wallers island on the river Shannon on the 15th day of January 1958. Estuaryview of the area, looking South at Waller's Island.

Niall McAuley

• 22/Sep/2023 11:35:44

2 photos of Monkey along with one of wife Elizabeth.

National Library of Ireland on The Commons

• 22/Sep/2023 11:43:41

https://www.flickr.com/photos/gnmcauley Very sad to read.

Carol Maddock

• 22/Sep/2023 12:06:11

Would say Monkey probably took this photo of Rosapenna on the same day in August 1954. Published in the Irish Independent on 2 September 1954... https://www.flickr.com/photos/47297387@N03/53205428763/

Niall McAuley

• 22/Sep/2023 13:14:32

[https://www.flickr.com/photos/47297387@N03] Seems likely. NPA MOR245 is a ground level shot of Monkey's plane parked at the hotel, and NPA MOR246 is another aerial shot, not the same angle as the one in de paper, but the parked cars and motorcycle outside are the same in all 3. Slightly further on in the catalogue, I see 5 more shots of the hotel, including NPA MOR264 which is the one from de paper.

O Mac

• 22/Sep/2023 15:12:27

[http://www.flickr.com/photos/47290943@N03/] We visited Carmodys Hotel 7 years ago but missed the connection with the "Monkey" Morgan's tragedy. flic.kr/p/JFgLQm

CASSIDY PHOTOGRAPHY

• 22/Sep/2023 16:06:29

Now, we're talkin' an aeroplane photo. abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1198493 wings-on-film.fandom.com/wiki/G-AJLW

National Library of Ireland on The Commons

• 22/Sep/2023 16:29:01

https://www.flickr.com/photos/196203353@N06 Thank you very much for that information, Luc.

National Library of Ireland on The Commons

• 22/Sep/2023 16:29:50

https://www.flickr.com/photos/91549360@N03 Ah, had missed the Carmody connection. Well remembered.

Flame1958

• 22/Sep/2023 21:11:16

Apologies for this rather extended piece covering Max Conrad and the ferry flights that passed through Shannon Airport over the years which was published in the July 2006 issue of Irish Air letter, The article is much longer and includes in-depth coverage & lists his ferry flights through Shannon "Max Conrad was probably one of the greatest ferry pilots of them all. During his long flying career, he achieved over 50,000 hours flying and was a true pioneer. Disappointment and failures were not unknown to him, for a succession of business ventures collapsed, his generosity and honesty outweighing his business ability. He was a true missionary to the aviation industry, and in particular to the general aviation sector, for he was always scheming ways to bring flying to a practical level for as many as possible. He was also, by all accounts, a very humble and likeable person, who would often sleep on a couch in the airport or in his aircraft, to make ends meet for his fledgling ferry company. He started flying in 1927 and was involved in flying training programmes during the 1940s. He made his first long distance trip in 1950 when he flew a Piper Pacer from the US to Switzerland and back, with stops at Gander, Thule in Greenland, Iceland and Shannon. This was a virtually unheard of feat at the time, and won him quite an amount of acclaim and publicity. It evidently gave him a taste for long-distance flying, and he built up a relationship with the Piper Aircraft Company. In 1954 when the Piper Apache had just come out, he was asked by the French Piper distributor, to ferry one non-stop from New York to Paris, following in the footsteps of Lindbergh. He made this flight in PA-23 Apache registered N1075P on 7th November 1954, with resulting massive publicity. The flight took 22 hours 19 minutes, which was 11 hours 20 minutes inside Lindbergh’s record. He left New York Idlewild at 4.26pm on the Saturday evening and spoke to Gander at 11.35pm that night as he passed overhead. When nothing further was heard, an alert was declared at 11.08am on the Sunday morning, and all aircraft over the Atlantic were directed to look for the Apache. The Shanwick Diaries provide an interesting picture of the aircraft over the ocean at that time. BOAC Stratocruisers evidently used their registrations as call-signs, with both G-AKGJ and G-AKGL being contacted by Shannon to try and raise contact with the Apache. Also on frequency were Pan Am’s Clipper 116, TWA 971, US Air Force C-54 49146, Seaboard Super Constellation N6502C and Transocean DC-4 N5288N. At 1021 USAF Rescue SB-29 7665 departed Prestwick to commence a search for the missing Apache, but the alert was cancelled when N1075P called overhead Shannon, estimating Paris Orly at 1426. This was the start of Max Conrad’s career as a ferry pilot. The Piper PA-23 Apache had first flown in March 1952, with deliveries to customers starting in March 1954. It was an excellent design and orders flowed in from overseas customers. For the first time, Piper had to find a way of delivering these aircraft to its overseas customers, and Max Conrad provided the solution. He established Conrad Aviation as an aircraft ferry company, based at Lock Haven, Pennsylvania at the same airfield as the Piper factory where the Apaches were built. Max Conrad flew many of these deliveries himself, but he also employed some other pilots. It was very much a pioneering enterprise, and Max had to learn as he went along, but he was soon averaging one delivery flight a week, many of which passed through Shannon, where he became well known and liked. These long solo flights were tests of human endurance and were daunting for younger men, let alone a grandfather in his late fifties. His career as a delivery pilot was to last for nine years, from 1955 to 1964, nearly all with Piper aircraft, initially the Apache and then the Comanche, Twin Comanche and Aztec. He achieved nearly 200 solo flights across the Atlantic and Pacific. Because these were so pioneering they were often mentioned in the newspapers and we can see the progress of his career, as his tally of successful flights mounted. As mentioned above, his first transatlantic was New York to Paris non-stop in Apache N1075P on 7 November 1954. He was next mentioned in the newspapers on a flight in Apache N1110P on 26 January 1955 Lock Haven-Gander-Shannon-Paris, but having to land at Belfast-Aldergrove instead of Shannon due to navigation difficulties. The Apache was destined for French West Africa. On 26 February 1957 Apache EI-AJL arrived in Dublin from Gander in a time of 13 hours, on delivery to Irish Air Charter, flown by Captain A.C.Morgan and Max Conrad, the newspaper reports noting that this was his 24th Atlantic crossing. Sadly, on 16 January 1958 EI-AJL crashed shortly after take-off from Shannon for Dublin, killing Captain Morgan. The following day Max Conrad arrived in Shannon from Gander in Apache F-OBAT, on delivery to Algiers, the newspapers reporting that Max Conrad was then on his 32nd Atlantic crossing. He gave what help he could to the accident investigators. On 16 July 1959 Max Conrad arrived in Shannon from Gander in Apache SE-CKW which he was delivering to Malmo, his 57th Atlantic crossing. Also at Shannon that day was a Comanche on delivery to Irish Air Charter, flown by George Jannack on his second Atlantic solo, one of the pilots who flew for Conrad Aviation. Another pilot was Daniel Walcott who came through Shannon in an Apache on 20 May 1959 en route to Bangkok. After that, the newspapers no longer mentioned the Conrad ferry flights."

soilse

• 23/Sep/2023 13:06:49

There are aerial photos of the early stages of the Clady Hydroelectric Scheme, built between 1954 and 1958 in Gaoth Dobhair, West Donegal. There’s no information on who the photographer was and I’m wondering if it was Morgan. Does anyone know if he did aerial photography for the ESB?

O Mac

• 23/Sep/2023 14:29:05

soilse There is a large number of various ESB power station photographs in the Morgan collection. Here are his Gweedore photographs catalogue.nli.ie/Search/Results?filter%5B%5D=digitised%3A... more of Morgan's ESB photographs catalogue.nli.ie/Search/Results?filter%5B%5D=digitised%3A...

National Library of Ireland on The Commons

• 23/Sep/2023 14:38:47

https://www.flickr.com/photos/38016434@N05 It is long, but thank you for this. It is a fascinating glimpse into mid-century aviation, transatlantic flight, and "our" Captain Morgan's role in it. Much appreciated.

ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq

• 23/Sep/2023 21:49:49

The Dove ️🐦 & Monkey 🐒 Limerick There once was a beautiful Dove Who saw a fine beach from above. Decided to land On the glorious sand Met a Monkey - first sight t'was True Love. ❤

National Library of Ireland on The Commons

• 24/Sep/2023 07:59:45

http://www.flickr.com/photos/32162360@N00/ Bualadh bos!

ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq

• 24/Sep/2023 10:34:06

See - www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/jennifer-s-holland/unlik...

suckindeesel

• 25/Sep/2023 00:53:37

https://flic.kr/p/2p52xUE 'Faith in Australia' aeroplane being pulled along Portmarnock Strand, 27 July 1933. Beach landings had their risks