The first planned town in Ireland, built in 1960 next to Europe's first duty-free airport. A key transport hub and industrial center in County Clare.
Shannon, a planned town in County Clare, sits next to Ireland's second-largest airport. You can watch planes take off from the Atlantic Air Adventures museum, join a medieval banquet at Bunratty Castle, or hike the coastal trails of the Shannon Estuary. The town's location makes it convenient for visiting the Cliffs of Moher and the limestone landscapes of the Burren.
Getting to Shannon
Direct flights connect Shannon Airport with North America and major European cities. The airport is 3 kilometers from the town center, with buses running every 30 minutes between 6:00 AM and 11:00 PM. Car rental desks from major companies operate at the airport terminal, which helps when visiting sites beyond the bus routes.
Medieval Sites Near Shannon
Bunratty Castle stands on the site of a former Viking trading camp, with its current stone structure dating to 1425. The Great Hall contains original 16th-century furnishings and tapestries. Next door, craftspeople work in the Folk Park's 19th-century buildings, including a working blacksmith and a weaver's cottage. Medieval banquets run nightly at 5:30 PM and 8:45 PM, combining traditional Irish music with a four-course meal.
Walking Trails Along Shannon Estuary
The 8-kilometer Shannon Estuary Loop passes the 19th-century Hastings Farmhouse before reaching Tullyglass Point, where a 4,500-year-old Neolithic settlement was uncovered. The 6-kilometer Illaunmanagh Loop takes you through three ancient island sites. Both trails have firm surfaces suitable for walking year-round, with benches every kilometer and information panels explaining local wildlife and geology.
Aviation and Flight Museum
Atlantic Air Adventures museum documents Shannon's aviation history since 1939. You can operate professional flight simulators used in pilot training and sit in the cockpits of retired commercial aircraft. The airport's departures lounge displays 2,300 detailed model aircraft, showing how airplane design has changed from 1903 to present day. The museum opens daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Day Trips from Shannon
The Cliffs of Moher stand 214 meters above the Atlantic Ocean, 50 minutes by car from Shannon. Limerick city, 20 minutes east, has King John's Castle and the Hunt Museum with its collection of medieval artifacts. The Burren's bare limestone hills lie one hour north, containing prehistoric tombs and rare Arctic-alpine plants. Local buses run to all these locations, or you can join guided tours leaving from Shannon town center at 9:00 AM daily.
