Some reports said that the crowd was as big as ten thousand. It was four in the morning when the Souhtern Cross took off. The guards had an awful job keeping the crowds back in excitement. Even when the plane had gone, there was a great celebration. The plan was for Jim Mollison to make a return solo flight across, starting at Portmarnock beach.
Locals remember that day.
The weather was very summery. Crowds kept arriving from all over the place, by motor car, bus and train, as well as on foot. There must have been a couple of thousand people there, and a lot of guards keeping an eye on the crowd. Madge Martin from the village delivered the telegrams of good wishes to Mr Mollison before he took off. Other people gave him all sorts of souvenirs to take with him, like a St Christopher medal, a Jameson whiskey souvenir, and sandwiches.