Historical Limerick-born female pilot added to an international airport's Wall of Fame

A “REMARKABLE” historical figure from Limerick has been honoured and represented in an international airport’s Wall of Fame. 

Limerick-born aviator Lady Heath is the latest addition to the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport’s Women in Aviation Wall of Fame in Canada.

Lady Heath, born Sophie Pierce-Evans, was born in Limerick in 1896. She achieved fame as the first person to fly solo from South Africa to London, a remarkable journey that she accomplished in an open-air cockpit. 

The 10,000-mile flight was fraught with challenges, including 100-degree heat that caused heatstroke and even an  air crash in Zimbabwe.

READ ALSO: Urgent call for Limerick people to help with critically low blood stock supplies

Neil Pakey, president and CEO of Nieuport Aviation, owner and operator of the passenger terminal at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport and former CEO of Shannon Group PLC from 2013-2016 said: “I found myself with the opportunity to bring Lady Heath, the inspiring Limerick-born aviator, into our Women in Aviation Wall of Fame. 

“When I thought about the legacy of Shannon Airport and of Lady Heath as one of the great aviators coming from that region to a global stage, combined with Toronto Airport’s address at Eireann Quay, it only seemed fitting to showcase the achievements of Lady Heath alongside Amelia Earhart, the first woman to fly across the Atlantic.

“Lady Heath’s determination, competitiveness and spirit in the face of personal tragedies including the murder of her mother by her father and struggles with alcoholism makes her story all the more remarkable.”

Mr Pakey also noted that February 1 offers an opportunity “to celebrate the remarkable contributions that Irish women have made and continue to make  around the world” for Irish people home and abroad, as St Brigid is the only female patron saint of Ireland.

Toronto has a long history of connection with Ireland. Just outside YTZ’s mainland pavilion, Ireland Park commemorates the Irish Famine migrants who arrived on Toronto’s shores between 1846 and 1849. 

Nieuport Aviation and a panel of judges voted to include Lady Heath in homage to the airport’s Irish neighbours and to the Canada Ireland Foundation, which is working to transform the nearby Corleck Building into a vibrant new venue for arts, cultural and heritage programming.