Post by Darren Redmond

🇮🇪 ✈️ Recreating in LEGO - Iolar: Ireland's First Aer Lingus Aircraft On 27th May 1936, the aircraft Iolar ("Eagle" in Irish), registration EI-ABI, took to the skies on the first flight operated by Aer Lingus, marking the beginning of Irish commercial aviation as we know it, from the Baldonnel Aerodrome. Ninety years later, Redmond's Forge is exploring recreating it in LEGO and adding to our LEGO museum in Arklow. The concept currently under consideration includes: ✈️ A LEGO model of the de Havilland DH.84 Dragon "Iolar" 🏛️ A detailed recreation / interpretation of either 1936 Baldonnel Aerodrome with its grass runway on rolling fields, or a 1937 Collinstown, aka Dublin Airport, including building the original terminal building and control tower 🚚 Period ground vehicles, fuel bowsers, luggage carts and mail handling equipment 👨‍✈️ Ground crew, pilots and passengers in 1930s attire 📜 Historical interpretation panels telling the story of Ireland's first national airline 🧱 An estimated 5,000–12,000 LEGO elements depending on the final display size At Redmond's Forge, we love using LEGO to tell stories. While many of our exhibits focus on fantasy, science fiction, castles, trains and modern city life, there is also an incredible opportunity to celebrate Ireland's engineering, transport and aviation heritage through brick-built displays. The vision is not simply to build an aircraft, but to create a display that captures a moment in Irish history. The day Aer Lingus began its journey, and led to 3 generations of the Redmond family working for Aer Lingus. Inspired by Darach Ennis with comments on the Aer Lingus Iolar 90th Anniversary Flight Post and by Bernard Share's book The Flight of the IOLAR - The AerLingus Experience 1936-1986, which I have read so many times since my dad gave it to 12 year old Darren, as a Christmas present back in 1986. This book still sits on my desk at Redmond's Forge to this day, plus my memories of the many trips to the airport in the '80s staring up at IOLAR hanging in the departures area near where their Aviation Museum was, in what is now referred to as Terminal 1. I'd love to hear your thoughts, memories of Aer Lingus, or suggestions for what should be included in the display. #AerLingus #Iolar #IrishAviation #AviationHistory #LEGO #LEGOMOC #MuseumExhibit #STEM #Engineering #IrishHistory #DublinAirport #RedmondsForge #BrickBuiltHistory #Innovation #Ireland 🇮🇪✈️🧱