RDS Library & Archives

Amazon cover image
Image from Amazon.com

Ascend or die : Richard Crosbie pioneer of balloon flight / Bryan MacMahon.

By: Contributor(s): Publication details: Dublin : History Press Ireland, 2010.Description: 254 p. : ill., map ; 24 cmISBN:
  • 9781845889852 : (pbk.)
Subject(s): DDC classification:
  • 23 920
Subject: Richard Crosbie (1756-1824) is rightly celebrated as Ireland's first aeronaut. Inspired by balloon experiments in France, he constructed a hydrogen balloon with the aim of flying across the Irish Sea. A crowd of 20,000 people witnessed his first flight from Ranelagh Gardens, Dublin in January 1785. He organised two further flights in Dublin, from Royal Barracks and from Leinster Lawn, and made a final flight from Limerick in 1786. Crosbie's adventures enthralled the public and won him the support of many influential figures, but he never achieved his gaol of crossing the Irish Sea. That honour finally fell to Windham Sadler in 1817 in a flight from Portobello Barracks. This book tells the dramatic story of the intrepid scientist and showman, Richard Crosbie, and places his extraordinary achievements in the context of European ballooning. It reveals new information about Crosbie's subsequent career as an actor in New York, where he also organised a balloon spectacle for public entertainment in 1800. It includes a poignant account of Crosbie's final years when he was living in poverty in Baltimore, Maryland
Tags from this library: No tags from this library for this title. Log in to add tags.
Star ratings
    Average rating: 0.0 (0 votes)
Holdings
Item type Current library Collection Call number Copy number Status Date due Barcode
Loanable Book Library Irish Collection 920 CRO (Browse shelf(Opens below)) Copy 1 Available 000449981
Non-Loanable Book RDS Archives Archival Material 920 IEL (Browse shelf(Opens below)) Copy 2 Not for loan 000442036

Bryan MacMahon is a historian who has published several articles in "Dublin Historical Record," "History Ireland," and "The Irish Sword."

Includes bibliographic references and index

Richard Crosbie (1756-1824) is rightly celebrated as Ireland's first aeronaut. Inspired by balloon experiments in France, he constructed a hydrogen balloon with the aim of flying across the Irish Sea. A crowd of 20,000 people witnessed his first flight from Ranelagh Gardens, Dublin in January 1785. He organised two further flights in Dublin, from Royal Barracks and from Leinster Lawn, and made a final flight from Limerick in 1786. Crosbie's adventures enthralled the public and won him the support of many influential figures, but he never achieved his gaol of crossing the Irish Sea. That honour finally fell to Windham Sadler in 1817 in a flight from Portobello Barracks. This book tells the dramatic story of the intrepid scientist and showman, Richard Crosbie, and places his extraordinary achievements in the context of European ballooning. It reveals new information about Crosbie's subsequent career as an actor in New York, where he also organised a balloon spectacle for public entertainment in 1800. It includes a poignant account of Crosbie's final years when he was living in poverty in Baltimore, Maryland

Copy 2 Ian Elliott Library. IeDuRDS

There are no comments on this title.

to post a comment.

Powered by Koha