Shannon

Shannon is a town and airport in County Clare in the west of Ireland. The airport came first, as a stopover for early transatlantic flights, then an industrial zone and new town grew beside it. These are unattractive: don't worry, Ireland gets better once you drive clear of the airport, and Shannon is a good entry point to this scenic and historic region.

Understand
In 1946 commercial transatlantic flights re-started after the war, but aircraft range was limited and they faced stiff headwinds going west. Airports were therefore needed as far east as possible in North America, e.g., at Gander in Newfoundland, and as far west as possible in Europe, e.g., at Prestwick in Scotland and Shannon in Ireland. This was also important for military flights, and the airports were equipped with very long runways to handle the largest aircraft; they became hubs of local industry. From the 1950s aircraft speed, range and capacity extended, notably with the Boeing 707, and it was foreseen that these airports would be bypassed once Europe to USA non-stop flight became routine. The response here was to create Shannon Free Zone as a duty-free port and industrial zone. Shannon town itself was built in the 1960s to serve the airport and industrial park, but like other "New Towns" of that era, it was ugly and in parts shoddy. Over the following years its fortunes rose and fell along with the Irish economy, booming during the "Celtic Tiger" years of the 1990s, slumping when the dot-com, property and banking bubbles burst. In the 21st century budget leisure flights greatly expanded (Dublin airport benefited even more). So while Shannon is still a springboard to North America, it's nowadays more a portal for tourism into the scenic west of Ireland.

Shannon's other attraction for aviation is that it's virtually free of fog and snow, with mild sou'westerly winds off the Atlantic. Winter lows are 3-8°C with summer highs seldom much over 20°C. There is rain a-plenty in summer, even more rain in winter, and incessant rain if you venture out without a raincoat.

By bus
See Limerick for bus and train connections from Dublin and the rest of Ireland.

Bus 51 runs hourly from Cork via Mallow, Limerick and Bunratty to the airport (30 min from Limerick), continuing to Ennis and Galway. The last bus is around 1PM. Don't take X51, which runs nonstop between Limerick and Galway.

Bus 343 meanders hourly from Limerick via Cratloe, Bunratty, Sixmilebridge, Shannon town and airport (one hour), and Newmarket-on-Fergus to Ennis. The last bus out of Limerick is around 11PM, and from the airport towards Limerick is at midnight.

By car
By road from Dublin take M7 west, which bypasses Limerick to become N18 / M18, and join the spur road N19 into Shannon.

Get around
The town is all walkable, but it's nondescript and industrial. Bus 343 winds around the houses and industrial parks en route from Limerick to Ennis.

There are bike racks at the airport, but no bike hire facilities locally.

See

 * See for the Castle, Folk Park outdoor museum, and medieval banquets.
 * on the south bank of the estuary shows another aspect of Shannon's aviation history. From 1937 Foynes was the base for commercial transatlantic flying boats: this is how Sinatra, John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara stepped down into Ireland to the pop of flash-cameras. It operated until 1946, by which time Shannon airport had developed on its present site, and wheeled land aircraft flew faster and further than flying boats.
 * on the south bank of the estuary shows another aspect of Shannon's aviation history. From 1937 Foynes was the base for commercial transatlantic flying boats: this is how Sinatra, John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara stepped down into Ireland to the pop of flash-cameras. It operated until 1946, by which time Shannon airport had developed on its present site, and wheeled land aircraft flew faster and further than flying boats.

Do

 * If you can't get to Limerick's Thomond Park for a pro game, then watch rugby at
 * is a grassy area for strolling by the estuary just south of town.
 * If you can't get to Limerick's Thomond Park for a pro game, then watch rugby at
 * is a grassy area for strolling by the estuary just south of town.

Eat
Shannon's own restaurants are clustered around Skycourt Shopping Centre or along R471 the old main street towards Bunratty and Limerick.

See also Bunratty 5 km east, which has lots of good eating places. Noel's within Bunratty Manor Hotel is the standout.

Sleep

 * See also Bunratty, only 5 km east. You might also stay in Limerick (eg the Radisson, west edge of the city) or in Newmarket-on-Fergus or Ennis.
 * and are two small B&Bs in town 1.5 km from the airport.
 * Shannon Springs is a modern hotel 500 m east of Treaceys. Decent accommodation but you mostly come for Old Lodge Gastropub, see "Eat".
 * Shannon Springs is a modern hotel 500 m east of Treaceys. Decent accommodation but you mostly come for Old Lodge Gastropub, see "Eat".
 * Shannon Springs is a modern hotel 500 m east of Treaceys. Decent accommodation but you mostly come for Old Lodge Gastropub, see "Eat".

Connect
Shannon has a good mobile and 4G signal from all Irish carriers. As of Oct 2020, 5G from Eir has reached the town but not the airport.

Go next

 * North and west into County Clare is the reason you're here: head for the wild Atlantic coast at Mizzen Head and follow it by Cliffs of Moher and the Burren towards Galway.
 * Ennis just north is a pleasant market town. Its countryside is dotted with ruined abbeys; probably the ruined abbots are propping up the local bars.
 * Limerick to the east is an interesting Georgian city with a castle.