Nancy Corrigan story to be broadcast tonight on TG4

Nancy Corrigan story to be broadcast tonight on TG4


Anton McNulty

A DOCUMENTARY profiling the life of pioneering Achill born pilot, Nancy Corrigan will be broadcast tonight, Tuesday, January 6 on TG4.
The programme entitled Nancy Corrigan ‘Spéirbhean Acla’ explores Nancy’s life from a young girl who emigrated with her family from Achill to Cleveland in 1929 to her rise to stardom, first as a model and then to become one of the first women pilots who went on to train male fighter pilots during World War II.
Entitled Nancy Corrigan ‘Spéirbhean Acla’, the documentary was produced by acclaimed Crossmolina producer Gillian Marsh and includes unique original footage of Nancy competing in the Cleveland Air Races in 1948. There is also an interview with Bill Witt, a pilot still flying at 85, who was trained by Nancy and he recounts fond memories of her.
Nancy first learned to fly aeroplanes unbeknownst to her family at the age of 19 and they only discovered her secret when she made the headlines in Cleveland when in 1932 she broke a world record for flying solo in 4.5 hours.
To fund further flying lessons, Nancy moved to New York and began modelling for the prestigious Powers Agency which had a number of Hollywood starlets on their books.
The film also looks at how Nancy obtained a position with Spartan College instructing male cadets in flying skills during WWII.
There are interviews during the film with Kim Jones, a pilot and aviation historian based in Tulsa, Oklahoma who speaks about how outstanding Nancy’s achievements were in aviation at her time, when flying was synonymous with a man’s world.
There are also contributions from John Mhaidhcí Gallagher from Corraun, Achill and Margaret Lynch a Cleveland historian, who give a flavour of the contrasting times in Achill and Cleveland in the 1920s.
Nancy Corrigan ‘Spéirbhean Acla’ will be broadcast tonight on TG4 at 9.30pm.