Shannon Voyage Tips and guide

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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. In 2022 the town had a population of just over 10,000.

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, such as Gander in Newfoundland, and as far west as possible in Europe, such as Prestwick in Scotland and Shannon in Ireland. These were also important for military flights, so the airports were equipped with very long runways to handle the largest aircraft, and 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, but Dublin airport was the main beneficiary in Ireland. 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 drenching rain if you venture out without a raincoat.

52°43′12″N 8°52′48″W

Map of Shannon

52.7019-8.92471 Shannon Airport (SNN  ^IATA) (From N18 take N19), ☏ +353 61 712000. This large airport has many flights from Europe and the UK; there are none within Ireland. The main carriers are Aer Lingus and Ryanair. There are also daily flights from the USA - westbound passengers have US border pre-clearance. There is a single terminal. There's not much groundside, the food court is airside. All the main car rental firms have desks in Arrivals, and see below for local buses. A taxi might be €30 to Bunratty and €60 to Limerick or Ennis. (updated Mar 2025)

See Limerick for buses and trains 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 10PM. X51 is a faster service from Limerick to the airport then non-stop to Galway.

Bus Éireann 343 meanders hourly from Limerick via Cratloe, Bunratty and Sixmilebridge to Shannon town and airport, taking an hour. The last bus out of Limerick is around 11PM, and from the airport towards the city is at midnight.

Bus 330 runs hourly from Ennis via Clarecastle and Newmarket-on-Fergus to the town and airport.

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

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 the airport.

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

The taxi desk in airport arrivals organises rides to the city or beyond.

• 52.7137-8.87011 Shannon Aviation Museum (formerly Atlantic Air Adventures), Link Road, Smithstown V14 PH34, ☏ +353 61 363687. Apr-Oct daily 10AM-5PM, Nov-Mar W-Sa 10AM-4PM. Aviation museum with 7 light aircraft and cockpits of 6 larger planes. Trying the simulators needs pre-booked "flight experiences". They also offer "pilot camps" but not real try-flights. Basic tour €12. (updated Mar 2025)
• 52.7-8.8152 Bunratty has a castle, Folk Park outdoor museum, and medieval banquets.
• 52.612-9.1093 Foynes 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.

• Cinema: Omniplex is in the shopping centre.
• 52.6893-8.93741 Shannon Golf Club, Shannon Industrial Estate V14 N998, ☏ +353 61 471849, [email protected]. Parkland course on the estuary banks, 18 holes of 6763 yards, par 72. Visitor round M-F €80, Sa Su €100. (updated Mar 2025)
• 52.7053-8.87792 Shannon Leisure Centre, Bothar Linne, Tullyglass, Shannon V14 PH02, ☏ +353 61 361841, [email protected]. M-Th 6AM-10PM, F 6AM-9PM, Sa Su 7AM-7PM. Facilities include fitness classes, gym, climbing wall, dance studio, playground, swimming pool, sauna & steam room. (updated Mar 2025)
• Rugby Union: the big team is Munster, playing at Thomond Park in Limerick. The local amateur team is St Senans RFC at Jim Slattery Park.
• 52.694-8.873 Tullyvarraga Point is a grassy area for strolling by the estuary just south of town.

• 52.7105-8.88121 Skycourt Shopping Centre is the town hub, with a cluster of eating places and a cinema.

Lidl is the main store here, open M-Sa 8AM-10PM, Su 9AM-9PM. Tesco hours are similar.

Shannon Airport eating places are mostly airside. Town restaurants are clustered around Skycourt Shopping Centre or along R471 the old main street towards Limerick.

• Supermac's & Papa John's is a burger chain in the shopping centre open daily 11AM-11PM.
• Shannon Palace is a Chinese in the shopping centre open M-Sa 3-11PM, Su 1-11PM.
• Big Bites is a fast-food place in the shopping centre, open M-Th 3PM-1AM, F-Su 3PM-2AM.
• The Pantry in the shopping centre is open daily 9:30AM-5:30PM.
• Bollywood Temple, Skycourt Shopping Centre V14 X433 (above Paddy Power), ☏ +353 61 708562. Daily 4:30-10PM. Spicey not pricey, it's good Indian food. (updated Mar 2025)
• Hochak Asian Street Food, Skycourt Shopping Centre, ☏ +353 61 596740. Daily 2:30-11PM. Inexpensive but tasty Chinese food with hefty portions: their bang-bang chicken is a favourite. (updated Mar 2025)
• Old Lodge Gastro Pub, Smithstown V14 A336 (part of Shannon Springs Hotel), ☏ +353 61 364047. Daily noon-9:30PM. Good Irish pub food, so obviously they serve tapas, Cajun and Thai, but it's the wings that most impress. (updated Mar 2025)

• Most bars are part of hotels and restaurants.
• Crossroads Tavern is the closest escape from the airport, half a mile north of the terminal on Drumgeely Hill V14 K339, open daily 11:30AM-11:30PM

• 52.6908-8.91981 Park Inn by Radisson, Shannon Airport V14 EE06, ☏ +353 61 471122. Functional mid-range hotel 100 m from the airport terminal. They may have deals on long-stay parking. B&B double €150. (updated Mar 2025)
• 52.7131-8.87412 Treacys Oakwood Hotel, Shannon Town Roundabout, Smithstown V14 NH97 (2 km north of airport), ☏ +353 61 361500, [email protected]. Welcoming modern hotel with free parking, and breakfast available from 5AM. B&B double €140. (updated Mar 2025)
• 52.715-8.86173 Shannon Springs Hotel, Smithstown V14 A336 (3 km northeast of airport), ☏ +353 61 364588. Friendly clean hotel. B&B double €140. (updated Mar 2025)
• Balally House, Smithstown V14 P685 (50 m south of Shannon Springs Hotel), ☏ +353 86 371 4444. Charming B&B. B&B double €140. (updated Mar 2025)
• 52.7169-8.93064 Carrygerry Country House, Carrigerry V95 FE81, ☏ +353 61 360500. Great reviews for comfort and cuisine at this small hotel built in 1793. B&B double €200. (updated Mar 2025)
• See also Bunratty 5 km east. You might also stay in Limerick or Ennis.

As of March 2025, Shannon town, airport and approach roads have 4G from Vodafone, and 5G from Eir and Three.

• North and west across County Clare is the reason you're here: head for the coast at Mizzen Head and follow it by Cliffs of Moher and the Burren towards Galway.
• Ennis 28 km north is a pleasant market town. Its countryside is dotted with ruined abbeys, and probably the ruined abbots are propping up the local bars.
• Limerick 27 km east is an interesting Georgian city with a castle.
• Wild Atlantic Way is a tour route along the entire west coast. Northbound head for Mizzen Head as above. Southbound is quickest via Limerick, but you could take the ferry across the estuary from Killimer to Tarbert.