- 81-year-old Judy Bain discovered as Brown’s granddaughter
- Brown’s only son died during Second World War
- Flight ended in bog near Clifden, County Galway
- Brendan Lynch’s book remains definitive account
- Replica Vimy re-enactment landed at Connemara in 2005
A remarkable new discovery has added an unexpected chapter to one of aviation’s most celebrated stories, as 81-year-old Judy Bain living in Australia uncovered through family research and DNA tracing that she is the granddaughter of Captain Arthur Whitten Brown. Brown, alongside Sir John Alcock, completed the world’s first non-stop transatlantic flight in June 1919. The discovery of Brown’s previously unknown descendants brings fresh attention to a story that many believed had ended with the death of his only son during the Second World War.
For Irish aviation enthusiasts, the story holds special resonance as Alcock and Brown’s epic flight from Newfoundland ended in a bog near Clifden, County Galway. This achievement firmly placed Ireland at the centre of aviation history and demonstrated the future potential of long-distance air travel. The achievement has been extensively researched and documented by Irish aviation historian Brendan Lynch, whose acclaimed book Yesterday We Were in America remains one of the definitive accounts of the historic crossing.
A replica Vimy landed at Connemara Golf Links on 3 July 2005, re-enacting the original flight flown by Mark Rebholz and Steve Fossett. Such was the magnitude of the re-enactment flight.
