Lilian Bland, born 1878 was an Anglo-Irish aviator, journalist, and photographer who became one of the first women in Great Britain and Ireland, and possibly the world, to design, build, and fly an aircraft. Her innovative aircraft, the Bland Mayfly, marked a significant milestone in the history of aviation, particularly for women in the field. Bland was born in Maidstone, Kent, England, into a family of Anglo-Irish gentry. She was the third child of John Humphrey Bland and Emily Charlotte Madden. The family lived at Willington House in Kent before moving to Northern Ireland in the early 1900s. After the death of her mother in 1900, Bland and her father relocated to Tobercorran House in Carnmoney. Here, Bland lived an unconventional lifestyle for her time, engaging in activities such as smoking, wearing trousers, and pursuing sports like hunting and fishing. Bland initially worked as a sports journalist and press photographer for various London newspapers, where she honed her skills in photography and developed a fascination with flying. She spent time on remote Scottish islands photographing seabirds, which further fueled her interest in aviation. Bland's aviation journey began in earnest when her uncle, Robert, sent her a postcard of the Blériot monoplane from Paris. Inspired by the design, she decided to take up flying herself. After studying the measurements of the Blériot aircraft at the first official aviation meeting in Blackpool in 1909, Bland set out to design and build her own plane. She started by constructing a flyable model biplane, which eventually led to the creation of the full-scale glider that she named the "Mayfly." The glider, built with the help of others, was made from spruce, bamboo, and canvas. After months of experimentation and multiple test flights from Carnmoney Hill, Bland decided to equip the glider with an engine. She ordered a 20-horsepower two-stroke engine from A. V. Roe & Co., and, after some delays, installed it in the aircraft in July 1910. On a historic day in late August 1910, Bland successfully flew the Mayfly, making her the first woman to fly an aircraft in Ireland. The Mayfly, which became the first powered biplane in Ireland, achieved a short but significant flight. Bland's successful flights, though modest in distance, were groundbreaking and demonstrated her innovative spirit and determination. In 1911, Bland shifted her focus from aviation to running a car dealership in Belfast. However, she soon gave up the business to marry her cousin, Charles Loftus Bland, and the couple emigrated to Canada, where they built their own farm. They had one child, Patricia Lilian Bland, who tragically died at the age of 16 in 1929. Following Patricia's death, the couple separated, and Bland returned to England, where she pursued gardening and dabbled in the stock market. Bland lived out her later years in Cornwall, England. She died on 11 May 1971 at the age of 92. Lilian Bland's contributions to aviation were commemorated by an Ulster History Circle blue plaque at her family's home in Carnmoney, County Antrim. In 2011, Glengormley Park in Newtownabbey was renamed Lilian Bland Community Park, and a stainless-steel sculpture of the Mayfly was unveiled there. Her pioneering efforts in aviation have inspired many, including Zara Rutherford, the youngest woman to fly solo around the world. In 2021, Bland's contributions were highlighted in an exhibition on Irish innovators at the Ulster Transport Museum in Belfast. Her life and remarkable ingenuity continues to be celebrated today.

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