Sir, - The centenary of the birth of James Fitzmaurice will occur in 1998. Who, one might well ask, was James Fitzmaurice? In any other civilised country monuments would have been erected, appropriate establishments, streets, etc, would have been named after him, and his name would be commemorated for all time.
In 1928 he was indeed honoured throughout the world and no less so in Ireland, where he was given the Freedom of the City of Dublin. In America he received the famous ticker-tape reception in New York and was also given a tremendous reception in Germany. Governments of many countries honoured him.
In 1928, along with two Germans, Baron Von Hunefeld and Herman Kohl, he became he first aviator to make the hazardous east-west crossing of the Atlantic from Baldonnel Aerodrome to North America, thus pioneering the way for the modern trans-Atlantic air crossing. So, Colonel James Fitzmaurice, by his skill, courage and daring, is undoubtedly one of the great pioneers of air travel.
He was born in Portlaoise and received his early education at the Christian Brothers School there. The only acknowledgement in the entire country of his achievement consists of a small plaque recently erected on the front of the school, by Bord Failte. It is not too late to honour this great Irishman, and no time could be more appropriate than on April 13th, 1998, the 70th anniversary of his flight in The "Bremen", from Baldonnel - the year, of course, being the 100th anniversary of his birth.
One simple and effective way of perpetuating his memory would be to re-name Shannon Airport as Fitzmaurice International Airport, Shannon. Such a simple gesture is the least this country could do for the man who was instrumental in opening the way for international air travel across oceans. As Michael Barry, who recounts Fitzmaurice's epic story in his excellent book Great Aviation Stores, so sadly reflects: "Colonel James Fitzmaurice is Ireland's forgotten aviation hero." Next year presents a glorious opportunity to remedy this. - Yours, etc.,
David J. MeredithPortlaoise, Co Laois.