Frank is a man whose idea took flight

TO LAND in Donegal Airport is to rejoice in a truly spectacular panorama. Descending where the rugged landscape meets the crystal-clear Atlantic Ocean breathes new life into the soul of the golfer, the emigrant returnee, or the business traveller back from a hop over to Glasgow or Dublin.

The airport is a crucial regional airport, a key element in Ireland’s infrastructure. As an air access point it is vital to sustaining existing business and for future economic growth.

Officially known by its Sunday title of Donegal Airport, it is referred to by locals and regular visitors as Carrickfinn, the name of the original airfield. CFN, its international airport code attests to those beginnings.

When the airfield opened in March 1978, it was a mere grass strip of 2000 feet. That and a hangar, a windsock and a hut for the controller. It was enough to satisfy the keen private flyer, but the potential was recognised.

It would need a combination of dogged spirit, hard graft and a belief that something great was about to be born. The journey truly had begun.

Pivotal player

Frank Cannon, one those private flyers, was to be a pivotal player in the history of Donegal Airport. A Motherwell-born boy whose father hailed from Ardara and mother from Ranafast, he recalls those times.

“Early on we would land in Carrickfinn, but in those days, it was just a farmer’s field,” Frank said. “I would phone up the farmer and ask him if I could make use of his field. At the appointed time, he would shoo all his cattle off the grass to make way for us and he would let me park there for the few days I was over.

“I used to take my mum even up to the age of 94 over to Annagry on a six-seater, two engine. We did that journey in an hour from Glasgow Airport. One time, I did three rotations to get my mum, my wife, my sisters and our children over for a family wedding.”

Even though Frank and his plane were well-known in the area the fact he was landing a British registered aircraft during the conflict in the North of Ireland ensured a gardai presence. Before he set off from Glasgow a call had to be made to Special Branch who then informed their Irish counterparts. From the moment he landed until he took off there would be a two gardai sitting in a car watching the plane.

All the while Frank was running a Glasgow law practice, raising a family and operating as a volunteer pilot with the St John’s Ambulance Airwing. If there was a man who wanted to be part of the story it was Frank, such was love of flying and his sense of belonging to Donegal.

“Mum and Dad would take us over to Annagry every summer and Mum would bring us back in time for school starting again,” he said. “I had many cousins and friends there, I still do.”

It was after landing in the farmer’s field on one occasion that one of those friends, Daniel O’Donnell—perhaps better known as Danny Minnie of the renowned restaurant—raised the idea of running a service between Scotland and Donegal. It planted a seed in Frank’s mind.

Malinair is born

With the support of a consortium, Malinair and a Glasgow to Donegal route were born. When the first passenger plane landed in Carrickfinn on Christmas Eve 1985 Frank was at the controls. A new and exciting future was on the horizon.

“We launched our commercial service with a nine-seater Britten-Norman Islander. Fuel was costly and we charged £85 each way for the 55-minute flight,” Frank said. “Flying around seven or 8000 feet gave an incredibly picturesque view unless the weather was bad and you were in or above the cloud. On particularly windy days it could be an hour and a half one way and 30 minutes on the other.”

By the summer of 1986, Malinair was operating as many as 10 rotations daily from 6am to late evening. Later, they added Edinburgh and Manchester. The Islanders soon had to be were replaced by Dornier 200s because the small passenger capacity was no longer enough.

They had another purpose through which Malinair was able to provide an invaluable service to grieving families. Despite the commercial limitations of the Islanders they were ideal for repatriations. With four of them running at one stage it was feasible to accommodate both passenger flights and a repatriation service.

“We did a fair bit of business with T&R O’Brien and one or two other undertakers,” Frank said. “The Islander could take a coffin and five mourners. For the repatriation of remains the pilot would always be dutifully and respectfully dressed in a black uniform. Even when we took on the Dorniers we kept the Islanders for funerals.”

A family affair

Both Frank’s daughters have followed in their father’s footsteps. Nicola is a lawyer and Frank continues to work part-time with her at Cannons Law Practice. His other daughter, Mhairi Louise, is a pilot and retired last year from KLM after a long career as a captain.

When he touches down at Donegal Airport it is as a passenger but the pleasure is no less.

“I have a great sense of pride when we are coming in to land,” he said. “Then you come out of the aircraft and you go into the baggage hall and everybody welcomes you and I feel great, just being a part of it all.”

Although Malinair’s lifespan was not a long one it showed what will can do and it paved a way that flourishes today.