the first Irishman to make a manned flight. He flew in a hydrogen air balloon from Ranelagh, on Dublin's southside to Clontarf, on Dublin's northside on 19 January 1785 and was 30 years old. Crosbie, who was six feet three inches, was from Crosbie Park, near Baltinglass, County Wicklow. He studied at Trinity College, Dublin. His brother, Sir Edward Crosbie, was executed for treason as a United Irishman. Crosbie launched several balloons containing animals before attempting the first human flight on Irish soil. His achievement occurred just 14 months after the first-ever manned balloon flight by the Montgolfier Brothers.
