Originally Posted by
Startledgrapefruit
It was a Martinsyde Type A Mark II biplane
Michael Collins got hold of one by agreement
It wasn't stolen, it was purchased as a private aircraft in England in 1921/1922 in theory to fly Michael Collins and company back to Ireland in case the treaty talks broke down. It never fulfilled this purpose and eventually ended up in Dublin where it flew for a few years.
AFAIK the Irish Air Corps still have the prop from it.
Ireland will only ever get fighters if there is a critical World War III in Europe impending scenario.
I served in the Irish Defence Forces years ago and it amounts to a fairly heavily armed Gendarmerie these days. The only real threat is insurgents and terrorists.
Irish politicians and voters don't have the will to support a fighter procurement...it's really as simple as that.