Drifting Downstream Photo by Bennie Bos laughter and May He set you gently back again into the lov- ing arms of Mother Earth. Incidentally te eritage of om connell affectionately no n in local ballooning circles as Fater ime goes bac to te ­cottis lan €onald on te Isle of ­ye ‚ust off te nort est coast of ­cotland’s mainland May you fl y so high and so well... and 2„0 air miles nort of €ublin… AIBF photo †e may ne‡er no te eˆact origin of te Iris Balloonist Blessing but e tin e no en it landed in Albu‰ Ozone Ranger balloon and elŒed tem loon Fiesta and trougout tis state querque… Šarly ‹e eˆico balloonists form te Buffalo iŒ aŒter of te and tis country it ill liely continue belie‡e it came it te t o Œilots of €ublin Balloon lub… to in‡oe safe fl igts and safe landings te €ublin Balloon lub €a‡id ŽooŒer Iris balloonists continue ‚ourney‰ and onor tose o a‡e fl o n so and arles icael Aleˆander en ing to Albuquerque for te Balloon ig and so ell… tey comŒeted in te fi rst †orld Žot Fiesta… Pauline Ann Baer fl e in te The author thanks three Toms in the Air Balloon amŒionsiŒ in Febru‰ Fiesta during te years 2010‰201– and development of this story Tom Mc- ary 19„‘… ese Iris aeronauts ere alcolm Šrnest †ite fl e during te ormick of ublin reland Tom e­is befriended by Bill €ouglas ’im oler years 201—‰201„… of €hipley ‚orkshire England and Tom Fran Bacon and “ay Bonda o †ile te Iris Balloonist Blessing Mconnell of os Ranchos de ƒlbu„uer- cre ed for tem… en Piccard dealer may no longer be used in Ireland ere „ue …€ƒ. icael O’”rady “usso sold tem is at te Albuquerque International Bal‰ Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta 2019 Offi cial Program 72 ®