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Dublin Live
Dublin Live
National
Aakanksha Surve & Thomas Telford

Dublin Airport birthday: The famous faces to have touched down through the decades

Dublin Airport is celebrating its 82 birthday today so it seems like an appropriate time to remember those famous faces who touched down on the runway.

Ireland's busiest airport first opened its door on January 19, 1940.

The terminal for Collinstown Airport, as it was known back then, was designed by architect Desmond FitzGerald, an elder brother of the former Taoiseach Dr Garret FitzGerald.

Dublin Airport has seen more than its fair share of famous faces down through the decades.

Here are just some of the most iconic faces to have walked the tarmac from leaders of religion to Presidents from across the globe.

Pope John Paul II

On October 1, 1979, Pope John Paul II touched down at Dublin Airport and brought the entire country to a standstill for his three-day trip to Ireland. It was the first time that a pope had visited Ireland.

Pope John Paul II came to Dublin and said mass in the Phoenix Park in 1979 (The University of South Carolina Beaufort Libraries)

In Phoenix Park, he gave mass to an estimated crowd of 1.2 million people.

As many as 750,000 people lined the streets of Dublin as the Pope travelled through the city on his way to Aras an Uachtarain.

John Fitzgerald Kennedy

The first Irish Catholic President of The United States, John Fitzgerald Kennedy landed at Dublin Airport on June 26, 1963.

An image of JFK arriving at Dublin Airport (Dublin Airport)

After laying a wreath at Arbour Hill in remembrance of the leaders of the Easter rising, a group of Irish army cadets performed a special silent drill. JFK told the commanding officer that it was the most impressive honour guard he has ever seen.

Just months later, the next class of Irish cadets would perform the same routine graveside, as President Kennedy was being buried, after his wife Jaqueline made the request to the US State Department.

The Beatles

On November 7, 1963, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr landed in Dublin to play two shows at the Adelphi.

The Beatles at Dublin Airport in 1963 (Dublin Airport/Twitter)

An image shared by Dublin Airport showed the Beatles posing on the tarmac.

They wrote in the caption: "On Nov 7 in 1963 @thebeatles arrived @DublinAirport ahead of two shows in the Adelphi. 'We're all Irish,' John Lennon told RTÉ."

Nelson Mandela

On July 1, 1990, Nelson Mandela landed in Dublin Airport on his first visit to Ireland. The visit came two years after Mandela was awarded the Freedom of Dublin City while in prison.

Nelson Mandela arrives at Dublin Airport, 01/07/1990 (Independent News and Media/Getty Images)

During his visit, he thanked Ireland and its people for their support to him and his people.

Speaking in the Dail, Mr Mandela said: "We recognise...the reaffirmation by the members of this house, and the great Irish people whom you represent, your complete rejection of the apartheid crime against humanity."

Princess Grace Kelly

On June 13, 1961, Grace Kelly and her husband Prince Rainier of Monaco landed at Dublin Airport. It was part of a four-day visit to Ireland as the Hollywood star reconnected with her Irish roots.

Princess Grace arriving at Dublin Airport (Photo by Independent News and Media/Getty Images)

While here, she and her husband visited Aran an Uachtarain to chat with President De Valera, gifted 500 boxes of chocolates to patients at Crumlin Children's Hospital.

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