"Bluey" began flying when he joined the Royal Air Force during the second World War. He served in Bomber Command, flying Wellingtons and Short Stirlings. After the war, like many of us, he joined Aer Lingus. At that time Capt Darby Kennedy was chief pilot and he recruited highly trained former Irish Army Air Corp pilots to join, along with returning RAF flyers, to form the airline which became respected throughout the world.
Eamon De Valera, concerned about unemployment in West Clare, decided to invest in Shannon Airport and to support the formation of Aer Linte, in order for the Irish to be involved in transatlantic traffic. Lockheed Constellation aircraft were ordered. Unfortunately, MacBride and Costello succeeded Dev in office and, after a few proving flights in which Bluey participated, they cancelled the aircraft order.
Bluey, like others of us with long-range, four-engine aircraft experience were disappointed at this decision. He decided to leave Ireland to join KLM. Later he joined Lufthansa, flying Avro Lancastrian tankers. He took part in the in the Berlin Airlift, flying supplies to the city which had been blockaded by the Soviet Union. I had left Aer Lingus to resume military flying, and it was at the former Luftwaffe night fighter base in Berlin that I renewed friendship with him.
Bluey was a Mayo man, tall with red hair and, some thought, a cowboy stroll. He was often laconic, but with a soft streak of kindness. Maurice Walsh must have had his double in mind when he wrote The Quiet Man. Bluey certainly had the presence and stance of John Wayne in the film. In his early years he lived in Athlone and attended Wilson School, Multy Farnham, whose motto was Res Non Verba. Blue certainly embodied those sentiments.
Multy Farnham was where two Grand National winners were reared - Mr What and Escargot (also a dual winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup). Bluey enjoyed a flutter and was delighted. We certainly enjoyed our racing together at Leopardstown, Punchestown and the Curragh.
Pilots get dispersed throughout the world, and take it for granted that they will rarely meet their friends. When we do meet we resume repartee and exciting memories. In combat and in later years we realise that we will never again hear the laughter of our fellow aviator. This is the beginning of true mourning. Bluey and airmen of his craft created a fellowship that fashioned a common language and have a special relationship with the stars.
Through various routes, we returned to Ireland within weeks of each other. He became Director of Operations at Aer Turas, flying DC7s, DC4s and later the Bristol Britannia.
He and Aer Turas were instrumental in expanding the export of Irish goods and livestock world wide and initiating the birth of the "Celtic Tiger". He later became chairman of the Aer Turas board. He then joined Ryan Air as Senior Flight Operations Officer, and later joined Trans Aer.
Bluey had a wonderful aviation life, which spanned 40 years. He was a very keen golfer with a handicap of 14, a member of Greystones Golf Club. He was a popular in the South Co Dublin community. His watering-holes were in Monkstown, Dalkey and Killiney.
He had a lovely family, and is survived by his wife Carol and his four children. In aviation terms we describe height in "angels", and in civil airlines as flight levels.
I think Bluey is now, angels high.
F.P.L.