Ron McPartland

Ron McPartland, a Leitrim-born Air Corps cadet, made aviation history on May 5, 1961, when he became the first person to eject from an Irish aircraft, a Vampire jet, during a training exercise gone awry. His remarkable descent without parachute training ended safely, marking a significant moment in cross-Border aviation cooperation, as the ejector seat that saved him was designed by Northern Irish engineer James Martin.