Hello, I'm Dorothy Clarke - Episode 19 - Aer Lingus and Me

I got such a lovely surprise the other day when I saw an ad for Erlingus in the paper with a big shining 90 with little stars all around it and discovered that both Erlingus and I enter this world at the same time, they in business and me in living.

It was very exciting because I used Aer Lingus a lot when I was young.

I used to have to fly to London every month, but at least once a month on the early morning flight.

I think it's called the Red Eye and then home maybe that night on the Shut Eye.

And that time, like, you could get all your work done in one day and get back.

But it was very, when I think back, very much more expensive than it is now.

Now it's much, much cheaper.

It used to be about $5.50. return just to go there and back for the one day so you can see a big difference and they were still giving that gorgeous decor lovely hostesses and I think you even got a cup of tea and a sandwich if I'm not greatly mistaken but it was pure luxury and the planes were just gorgeous mind you they still are but um just had to give you a little story so anyway um I decided then, do you know what? I think I'm going to apply for Erlinga's job.

At that stage, I was about 21.

I think you had to be 21 to join.

So my mother said it'd be a very good idea to do my first flight to London to get the feel of how did I like it.

So anyway, the Ryan family from Clonmel and Cork were living next door to us in Terranure.

And they, father and mother and the two daughters and son were going over to London.

So they, mummy decided to ask them, could I join in on the party? So anyway, we all went out to Collins Town, as it was called then, and we got onto the plane.

And Mr. Ryan got the window seat.

So he said it wasn't actually his first flight because he'd gone up in an airplane in a circus in Cork.

So I thought that must have been some experience.

So anyway, we're about 10 minutes out over the Irish Sea and he just started getting so excited.

He said he could see land.

So I was saying to myself, what land could you see 10 minutes out over the Irish Sea? So he said, look, see there, look, look.

So I looked out the window.

You see the red light? And I said, yes.

And then I looked again.

I said, but don't you know that's the light on the wing? So anyway, I decided I better not stay anymore.

But I had to turn away because I started laughing.