Drifting Downstream Photo by Bennie Bos laughter and May He set you gently back again into the lov- ing arms of Mother Earth. Incidentally te eritage of om connell affectionately no n in local ballooning circles as Fater ime goes bac to te cottis lan €onald on te Isle of ye ‚ust off te 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 te eˆact origin of te Iris Balloonist Blessing but e tin e no en it landed in Albu‰ Ozone Ranger balloon and elŒed tem loon Fiesta and trougout tis state querque… Šarly ‹e eˆico balloonists form te Buffalo iŒ aŒter of te and tis country it ill liely continue belie‡e it came it te t o Œilots of €ublin Balloon lub… to in‡oe safe fl igts and safe landings te €ublin Balloon lub €a‡id ŽooŒer Iris balloonists continue ‚ourney‰ and onor tose o a‡e fl o n so and arles icael Aleˆander en ing to Albuquerque for te Balloon ig and so ell… tey comŒeted in te fi rst †orld Žot Fiesta… Pauline Ann Baer fl e in te The author thanks three Toms in the Air Balloon amŒionsiŒ in Febru‰ Fiesta during te years 2010‰201– and development of this story Tom Mc- ary 19„‘… ese Iris aeronauts ere alcolm Šrnest †ite fl e during te 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 te Iris Balloonist Blessing Mconnell of os Ranchos de ƒlbu„uer- cre ed for tem… en Piccard dealer may no longer be used in Ireland ere „ue …€ƒ. icael O’”rady “usso sold tem is at te Albuquerque International Bal‰ Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta 2019 Offi cial Program 72 ®
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