Lilian Bland — Ireland’s Aviation Pioneer
It was 1910 in Ireland, and Lilian Bland could wait no longer for the fuel tank she had ordered. Determined to complete her experimental aircraft, she improvised — using a whiskey bottle and her aunt’s ear trumpet as a makeshift fuel system.
Her inspiration had taken flight a year earlier, in 1909, when she received a postcard from her uncle depicting Louis Blériot’s daring flight across the English Channel on July 25. From that moment, Lilian was captivated by the possibilities of powered flight.
With extraordinary skill and determination, she became the first woman in Ireland — and one of the first in the world — to design, build, and fly her own powered aircraft, the MayFly.
Beyond her achievements in aviation, Lilian Bland was also a talented professional photographer, author, and artist — a true visionary whose creativity knew no bounds.
The MayFly
Fine Bone China Dinner Plate
Designed in Ireland
Printed and Finished in Stoke On Trent
Diameter cm
Dishwasher safe, recommended- handwash with care.
