Athlone link with historic flight across Atlantic

AN ATHLONE man who owns a portion of the plane that made the first non-stop transatlantic flight almost 100 years ago says he has offers from all over the world from people who are keen to buy it.

Alcock and Brown made the first non-stop transatlantic flight in June 1919 and now, almost 100 years on, there is renewed interest in the historic event.
The pair flew a modified First World War Vickers Vimy bomber from Newfoundland to Clifden. 
When it landed in Clifden, locals got hold of parts of the plane. Several years later, Eugene Egan from Connaught Street in Athlone bought a piece of the strut which is made from timber.
“All the locals took pieces off the plane when it landed. I eventually bought the strut from a man called Joe Geoghegan. Joe was a barber across the road from where I lived in Athlone. A neighbour of Joe's was from Connemara and he brought the piece up with him to Athlone,” recalled Eugene.
When Eugene was a child, more than 60 years ago, he used to get his hair cut at Joe Geoghegan's.
“Every time I would go across the road for a haircut I was anxious to get my hands on it. Joe wanted a tenner for it. I went over one time and brought over my savings. It was €7 or €8,” he recalled.
The savings were handed over and the portion of the plane was Eugene's!
Eugene ran an antiques shop in Athlone at one stage and while he was broken into a few times, the portion of the plane was never touched.
“I was robbed several times but they never took it,” he said.
The strut is currently on display in an exhibition in Castlebar and Eugene told his story on RTE TV show National Treasures last week.
He is now contemplating selling it and has had offers from all over the world. He has one condition though – it has to remain in Ireland!
“I want it to stay in the country,” he said.