Podcast appearances and mentions of Shannon Airport

This episode was originally published as a Patreon exclusive on 6 Oct 2019In the early hours of the 11th February, 1984, Patrick Nugent died in a car park in front of Bunratty Castle, Co Clare. There had been a party, and Patrick was working in the castle that night. A number of guests were present for the events leading up to Patrick's death, but, none of their stories were consistent with one another. Two guests - off duty gardai - would not speak to the officers who responded to the scene.At a post-mortem it was established that Patrick had been run over by a car, but not before falling to the ground.What happened to Patrick Nugent? Music:Kevin McLeod, Quinns Song : The Dance Begins. (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/Sources:“What Happened in Bunratty?” Episode 29 Scannal (RTE, 26/09/2016) Available here: https://www.rte.ie/player/series/the-scannal-collection/SI0000004189?epguid=IH000338537 The History of Shannon Airport https://www.shannonproperties.ie/shannon-region/the-history-of-shannon-airport/ Bunratty Castle: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bunratty_Castle www.bunrattycastle.ie Economic History of the Republic of Ireland https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_history_of_the_Republic_of_Ireland#1980_to_early_1990s Derek Dunne, “The Death of Patrick Nugent” from Magill https://magill.ie/archive/death-patrick-nugent (12 June 1985) Simon Carswell, “Who 'clocked' Patrick Nugent? A family still searches for answers” in The Irish Times https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/who-clocked-patrick-nugent-a-family-still-searches-for-answers-1.3107557 (5 June 2017) Dan Danaher, “Patrick Nugent's family secures state inquiry into his death in 1984” in The Irish Examiner https://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/patrick-nugents-family-secures-state-inquiry-into-his-death-in-1984-373317.html (28 December 2015) Dan Danaher, “Family fury over death inquiry delay” in The Clare Champion https://clarechampion.ie/family-fury-over-death-inquiry-delay/ (11 September 2015) Owen Ryan, “Death in Bunratty and the long search for answers” in The Clare Champion https://clarechampion.ie/family-fury-over-death-inquiry-delay/ ( (29 July 2019) http://www.section42inquiries.ie/en/s42i/pages/si1992017 Anne Sheridan, “Suspicious death in Bunratty ow under review 33 years on” in The Limerick Leader https://www.limerickleader.ie/news/home/253965/suspicious-death-in-bunratty-now-under-review-33-years-on.html (8 June 2017) “Nugent case goes to UN Committee” in The Clare Champion http://clarechampion.ie/nugent-case-goes-to-un-committee/ (4 February 2016) Ray Ryan, “'Isn't he the image of Honey Fitz” in The Irish Examiner https://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/isnt-he-the-image-of-honey-fitz-234702.html (21 June 2013) Caroline O'Doherty, “Reviews into Garda malpractice claims are pointless, say victims” in The Irish Examiner https://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/reviews-into-garda-malpractice-claims-are-pointless-say-victims-378790.html (29 January 2016)

Consistent investment by the Government is believed to be crucial to the continued success of Shannon Airport. Ryanair has this week announced a fourth based aircraft and three additional routes at the Clare base. The airline's Irish Growth Plan forecasts its number of passengers annually passing through Shannon to increase to three million by 2030 while it expects to have six aircraft based there by the end of the decade. Shannon Airport Group CEO Mary Considine says while the facility is heading in the right direction, State support is essential.

CEO of the Shannon Airport Group, Mary Considine discusses the expected increase in passenger numbers this winter.

An Irish airline has announced a new based aircraft and three additional routes at Shannon Airport. Ryanair has confirmed that its fourth based aircraft at the facility will enable it to run services to Lapland, Madeira and Madrid from Winter 2025/26. Extra flights have also been added to existing routes to Alicante, Edinburgh, Krakow, Lanzarote, Manchester and Wroclaw. The announcement is expected to boost Ryanair's annual passenger numbers through Shannon per annum by 20%, or 100,000, to over 1.6 million, while supporting 1,500 local jobs. The airline's Irish Growth Plan states its intention to boost its Shannon passenger numbers to three million and its number of aircraft to six by 2030. Ryanair Chief Commercial Officer Jason McGuinness has been telling Clare FM's Seán Lyons only a shift in national aviation policy can bring about a further increase in passenger traffic through the Midwest base.

On this morning's show... Tipperary's U20 hurlers claimed the All-Ireland Title on Saturday The Dáil has voted to pass the first stage of a piece of legislation that would ban fox hunting Regular use of Shannon Airport by the United States does not affect Ireland's policy of military neutrality, according to the Irish Government. Is Dr Google doing more harm than good? Dr Mary Ryan will chat to us... Thomas Conway has Global News... Susan O'Donoghue will explore caring for others... All this and much much more...

It's claimed Shannon is keenly poised to become an electric aircraft development hub. It's after US firm Beta Technologies debuted its Alia C-TOL, the first battery powered aircraft flown in Ireland at Shannon Airport this week. The event was hosted by Atlantic Aviation, the Irish Aviation Authority and Future Mobility Campus Ireland, while Shannon Airport itself has been identified as an aviation technology testing hub in the programme for government. Future Mobility Campus Ireland CEO Russell Vickers is confident his dream of 'air taxis' for the Ryder Cup will be realised.

Journalist Gillian Brockell first reported that the plane carrying a group of migrants from the United States to South Sudan had landed in Shannon Airport in Ireland. Gillian speaks to Áine Lawlor. Reporter Andrew Louth also speaks to Tina Realmuto, Exective Director of the National Immigration Litigation Alliance in Massachusetts.

The Government is working to establish the exact chain of events in relation to a flight carrying deportees from the US, which is understood to have stopped in Shannon Airport this week. John Cooke reports from Shannon Airport, and then we hear reaction from Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik.

A Clare TD claims it's "not possible" for Gardaí in this county to police drug-related crime due to insufficient resources. Responding to a parliamentary question from Bodyke Fine Gael Deputy Joe Cooney, the Justice Minister has confirmed there are just 15 Gardaí and three sergeants currently attached to the Clare Tipperary Garda Division's Drugs Unit. He's also revealed that a revamp of the Garda National Immigration Bureau's facilities in the arrivals hall of Shannon Airport will be completed in 2027. Deputy Cooney believes recruitment must be ramped up in order to prevent further "misery" being inflicted on families by the illegal drug trade.

Laughing and learning about horrible histories, why cattle are Shannon Airport's latest arrivals and how a terminal diagnosis has given one Liveline caller a new lease of life.

Shannon Airport has significantly boosted its security services ahead of the busy Summer season. It comes as 14 new Airport Search Unit Officers, hailing from Clare, Limerick, Tipperary and Finland have completed training. The recruits are now adept at searching cabin baggage, assisting passengers with hidden disabilities and operating Shannon's state of the art three-dimensional X-ray screening system, with built in explosive detection software. Shannon Airport Police Fire Service and Security Chief Pat O'Brien says it will improve the customer experience.

The Department of Transport is coming under pressure to explain why Coast Guard Helicopters can't respond to emergency medical evacuation calls on behalf of the HSE in Clare. Bristow Ireland, which took over the state contract for search and rescue aviation services last year, is currently not licensed to take stretchers on board when responding to medical support calls. Shannon Airport is the only base in the country where this situation currently applies, as sites at Dublin, Sligo, and Waterford are still operating under the old contract. Clare Fine Gael TD Joe Cooney says it's an absurd situation.

Shannon Airport saw a significant increase in passenger numbers, with an estimated 53,000 passengers passing through over the Bank Holiday weekend.Joining Kieran in Toronto for a discussion on the airport and broader Irish tourism is Ray O'Driscoll, Chief Operating Officer of The Shannon Airport Group.

Fianna Fáil TD for Clare  came in to studio to chat on all things politics including UHL, Shannon Airport and more.  Originally broadcast as part of Saturday Chronicle 26th April 2025 hosted by Daragh Leamy and Stephen Minogue. Saturday Chronicle is Sponsored by JAMES M NASH AND DERG KITCHEN DESIGN http://dergkitchendesign.ie Message or what's app the studio on 089 2582647 or email sbcrstudio@gmail.com

A new US Pharmaceutical firm has taken up residence in the Shannon Airport Business Park. North Carolina company, Frontier Scientific Solutions has chosen Shannon as its gateway to Europe, where it will avail of temperature-controlled storage for the distribution of life-science goods. Shannon Airport Group also recorded revenues of €73m last year and pre-tax profits of €18m according to its 2024 report. Shannon Airport Group CEO Mary Considine says they're expecting further success.

A research team at University of Galway has revealed that Storm Éowyn generated the highest storm surges ever recorded at key locations on Ireland's western seaboard. By analysing sea level information from 47 datasets provided by the Irish National Tide Gauge Network and the Office of Public Works, the team based at the University's School of Engineering have highlighted the unprecedented power of the storm's surge - more than 2.5 metres above the normal predicted tidal water level. Storm Éowyn, one of the most powerful storms to hit Ireland in recent years, also saw record-breaking winds. The highest gust recorded was 184 km/h, with the highest 10-minute wind speed reaching 142 km/h at Mace Head Atmospheric Research Station in County Galway. Storm Éowyn highest storm surges ever recorded Despite the severity of Storm Éowyn in other ways and the devastation wrought by hurricane force winds and lasting damage to power and water supplies, the timing of the tides during storm landfall meant little to no flooding impacts. The research team highlighted data from three coastal locations during Storm Éowyn - Galway Port, Limerick Docks and Shannon Airport. At Galway Port, the storm surge peaked at 2.60 meters above the normal predicted astronomical tide, the highest ever recorded at this station since its operation began in 2007 At Limerick Docks the highest surge along the western coastline was recorded - reaching 2.99 meters above tidal level At Shannon Airport, the tidal gauge recorded surge of 2.70 meters. Had these surges occurred a week earlier during the high water spring tide, the water levels would have been much higher, with data predicting that the water level at Galway Port would have reached 4.96m, Limerick Dock at 5.85m, and Shannon Airport at 5.43m above mean sea level, inundating the areas. Dr Indiana Olbert, School of Engineering at University of Galway's College of Science and Engineering, said: "Extensive research suggest that flooding has increased in frequency and severity in recent decades around the world and this is attributed to climate change. Our analysis of the drivers of flooding in Ireland show that the anthropogenic climate change - that's the changes related to human activity - will drive more extreme rainfall and generate more intense flooding. Such changes are likely to continue with further warming. In future we will witness more extreme weather events that will result in devastating floods. "Our analysis also shows that a rise in mean sea level rise will significantly increase the risk of coastal flooding in the future. The data we have recovered from the hours around Storm Éowyn shows just how narrowly tens of thousands of people avoided tidal inundation and threats to cities, towns and coastal communities. It is hard to imagine how narrowly we avoided unprecedented storm surge flooding and an inundation, in particular in towns and cities." Dr Niall Madden, Mathematical and Statistical Sciences at University of Galway, said: "In spite of how devastating Storm Éowyn was, in an odd way, we were incredibly lucky. The worst of the storm surge coincided with a low and ebbing tide. Had it hit just a few hours earlier, on a full or flooding tide, Galway could have been dealing with a double disaster of record high winds and record high flooding." Model imagery of the areas at risk of a 2.5m storm surge or sea level rise in the Galway Bay area. Credit: Climate Central/climatecentral.org Climate Central | Land below 2.5 meters of water. Please note content licensing for use https://www.climatecentral. org/what-we-do/legal#content_ licensing About University of Galway Established in 1845, University of Galway is one of the top 2% of universities in the world. We are a bilingual university, comprised of four colleges, 18 schools and five research institutes, with more than 19,700 students, including around 3,000 international students. We have been accredited with an Athena SWAN Institutional Bronze Awa...

It's hoped Clare Crusaders inclusion in a large-scale charity initiative will ease recent financial strains. It comes as the organisation has this week been selected by Shannon Airport as the local charity it will support in its fundraising efforts throughout 2025. Clare Crusaders offer free therapy and specialist treatment to over 450 children with special needs across the county. Manager Ann Norton says the clinic has struggled financially since the onset of the Covid pandemic.

The Shannon Airport Group has revealed details of the two remarkable charities it will fundraise for in 2025. The charities, selected by The Shannon Airport Group employees, are Clare Crusaders and Little Blue Heroes. Alan Morrissey was speaking about this with Vanessa McTigue, who is chair of the Shannon Airport Group Charity Committee & head of Business Development & Leasing at the group. Photo (c): Shannon Airport Group

Shannon Airport Group has announced which charities it will be supporting this year as part of its annual fundraising initiative. Clare Crusaders who provide free therapy to kids with special needs has been selected alongside Little Blue Heroes who support the families of children with serious illnesses while offering kids the chance to become Honorary Gardaí. Throughout the last 10 years over €500,000 has been raised for various organisations with over €100,000 awarded last year to The Alzheimer's Society of Ireland and Milford Care Centre. Clare rep for Little Blue Heroes, Thomas Downey, says the funds raised will work wonders.

A Clare TD is refuting reports he called for the reinstatement of the “stopover” rule at Shannon Airport. In 2008, the Government put an end to the rule, which compelled transatlantic flights to the Republic of Ireland to stop at the Clare airport. According to a trade publication, the Meelick Fianna Fáil TD, Cathal Crowe had recently called for legislation demanding that flights stop at Shannon, in line with the “stopover” rule. This led to the CEO of the Dublin Airport Authority – the DAA – describing any resurrection of the rule as “bizarre”. For more on this, Alan Morrissey was joined by Meelick FF TD and Shannon Airport Oireachtas Group Chair Cathal Crowe. Photo(C): https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=878893940945468&id=100064746096591&set=a.561396562695209

Cathal Crowe, Fianna Fáil TD for Clare and Chair of the Shannon Airport Oireachtas Group, joins the show to explain why regional airports like Shannon must seize the opportunity to attract more flights while the Dublin Airport passenger cap remains in place.Listen here.

Cathal Crowe, Fianna Fáil TD for Clare and Chair of the Shannon Airport Oireachtas Group, joins the show to explain why regional airports like Shannon must seize the opportunity to attract more flights while the Dublin Airport passenger cap remains in place.Listen here.

Shannon Airport increased its passenger count by over 153,000 last year. For the first time in fifteen years, passenger numbers at the Clare base surpassed 2 million, and it's hoped the relaunch of an express bus service connecting the Airport to Galway could boost footfall again. Shannon boosted both its arrival and departure numbers in 2024. According to the Central Statistics Office's latest Aviation report, both the amount of flyers taking off and touching down in Clare increased by 8%. England was the most popular destination for flyers out of Shannon, accounting for over 391,000 passengers, this was followed by the 168,000 who flew to the United States and the 123,000 going to Spain. In terms of inbound traffic , 400,000 passengers flew into Shannon from the UK, 167,000 touched down from the United States and just below 123,000 came from Spain. In total, Shannon handled just over 2,050,800 passengers last year, 153,000 more than the previous year and the highest on record since 2009. From April 29th, Bus Eireann's expressway service connecting Galway City to Shannon Airport will return. It will four direct routes each way, with the aim of lining up to key transatlantic flight times. Shannon Airport Group Chief Operating Officer Ray O'Driscoll is hopeful they will see very positive results. There was a slight drop in the freight and commercial traffic handled at Shannon last year, however. Shannon dealt with over 16 tonnes of freight traffic over the past twelve months, with the majority of goods coming and going to Germany. There were also just over 14,800 commercial flights facilitated at Shannon, down from 15,000 the year before, with the UK and the United States again the most popular destinations.

The CEO of the Shannon Airport Group is hopeful a newly re-constituted Oireachtas Group will bring about a long-sought change in national aviation policy. The inaugural meeting of the cross-party Shannon Airport Oireachtas Group, which is made up of elected representatives from Clare and surrounding counties as well as airport representatives, has been held at the Midwest base this week. Key discussion points of the meeting were the facility's underused capacity, lobbying for its permanent inclusion in the Regional Airports Programme and improving public transport links. Shannon Airport Group CEO Mary Considine says the onus is on those in Leinster House to advocate for the airport's interests.

Confidence has been expressed that the re-establishment of a dedicated Oireachtas Group for Shannon Airport will grow the facility's route offering. The ad-hoc committee was founded by former Clarecastle Fine Gael TD Joe Carey in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The cross-party group comprised of TD's and Senators from Clare, Limerick, Galway and Tipperary will prioritise new routes and investment opportunities for Shannon. Chairperson and Meelick Fianna Fáil Deputy Cathal Crowe is confident it will be a major success.

A Northern Irish public transport service dubbed "The luas on wheels" has been proposed as a cost effective alternative to the Shannon Rail Link. The 'Glider' which is a rapid transit intercity bus system, with a light tram design and capacity for over 100 passengers in a single carriage, was first rolled out in Belfast in 2018 at a cost of €120m. Although the Government has set a target of providing rail connectivity to Shannon Airport by 2030, a delegation of elected representatives and officials are expected to visit Belfast to test the Glider's feasibility. Clonlara Independent Councillor Michael Begley is confident it can work here.

The Shannon Airport Group is assuring there will be no service disruptions at the Clare base today, despite its continuing efforts to accommodate flights due to land at London-Heathrow. Heathrow has been closed for the day following a fire at a nearby electrical station, which sparked a major power outage. Shannon Airport has already handled flights from Toronto, Atlanta, Barbados, Boston, Orlando and New York, and is expecting to facilitate more diversions throughout the day. Shannon Airport Group CEO Mary Considine has been telling Clare FM's Daragh Dolan that all passengers due to travel to Heathrow today should contact their carrier as soon as possible.

The US will speak to Russia today about the plan for a ceasefire in the Ukraine war, its top dplomat Marco Rubio says. He said "the ball is now in Russia's court" after Ukraine accepted American proposals for an initial ceasefire.Earlier, Russia said it would wait to be briefed by American officials before commenting - and that it was "studying statements". So what might the Russian response be? We'll speak to a former advisor to Vladimir Putin.Also in the programme: Why tracts of the Brazilian rainforest are being cut down for the next UN climate summit and what that means for the people living there; and we'll hear about the Australian man who lived for more than three months with a mechanical, artificial heart/(Photo shows US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaking to the media during a refuelling stop at Shannon Airport in Shannon, Ireland on 12 March 2025. Credit: Saul Loed/Reuters)

One of Clare's greatest business success stories is celebrating its 35th anniversary with an ambitious and charitable twist Clare FM's Daragh Dolan visited Atlantic Aviation's Hangar 1 at Shannon Airport for the event launch where he first spoke to committee members Brian Stapleton who's now Co-founder and CCO of Formidion, Doolin man and Vice-President of Falko Des Egan and Committee Chair and CEO of Shannon Technical Services, Ben Whelan... Photo(C): Clare FM

Ministers will begin the legal process of ending Ireland's triple lock protocol for overseas deployments today (Tuesday, 4th March). Tánaiste Simon Harris will bring forward draft legislation to remove the need for United Nations Security Council approval for peacekeeping missions abroad. Under the changes, the government could deploy up to 50 troops to missions abroad without consulting either the Dáil or the UN. It comes as a major rethink of strategy is underway in government buildings, ahead of the Taoiseach's visit to the White House next week. Minister for International Development Neale Richmond believes the triple lock needs to be changed... To discuss this further, Alan Morrissey was joined by former Minister for Defence and Former Corofin Fianna Fáil TD, Tony Killeen. Photo(C): Clive Wells from Getty Images via Canva

This lunchtime, Taoiseach Michéal Martin met with the Ukrainian president, Volodomyr Zelensky, at Shannon Airport. Mr Zelensky was stopping off on his way to Washington, where he's due to sign an agreement that would give the US access to Ukraine's mineral deposits. Our Mid Western Correspondent, Cathy Halloran, reports from Shannon Airport...

The end of the temporary directive for Ukrainian refugees in Clare and across the country has not been raised by the Taoiseach or Volodymyr Zelenskyy following their meeting at Shannon Airport today. The directive which is a special EU procedure designed to deal with a mass influx of people seeking international protection was triggered in March 2022, following Russia's full-scale invasion. This entitles refugees to access employment, suitable accommodation, social welfare and education for children aged under 18 - to date there are now over 5,100 Ukrainian arrivals living in Clare. The directive will be in effect until at least March 2026 and although it was not discussed with President Zelensky today, Taoiseach Micheál Martin insists there will not be a cliff-edge.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said he had a "very warm" and "very good" meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at Shannon Airport this afternoon. Drivetime's John Cooke is live from Shannon Airport.

Maeve O'Connoll, Fine Gael TD for Dublin Rathdown; Martin Kenny, Sinn Féin TD for Sligo–Leitrim; Pádraig Rice, Social Democrats TD for Cork South-Central; Paul Hosford, Deputy Political Editor with the Irish Examiner

It's claimed sub-standard infrastructure is proving a major hindrance to tourism in the Shannon Estuary Region. It follows calls for a new council led strategy to increase marine based visitor attractions in Clare. The 102km area is shared between predominantly Clare, Limerick, Kerry and Tipperary and welcomes tens of thousands of visitors every year. However, concern has been raised that there's been too much emphasis on land based attractions, at the expense of opening up more water based opportunities. In response, Clare County Council has pointed to an over €4m investment in the Vandeleur Walled Gardens, remedial works on Scattery Island and upgraded signage on the EuroVelo cycle route. Kilrush Independent Councillor Ian Lynch says the roads in West Clare serving the route are not fit for international tourists , but that the lack of facilities for visitors to launch boats on the estuary is proving a huge hindrance. The spotlight has also been shone on the opportunities for adjacent villages from tourists landing at Shannon Airport. Last year alone over 344,000 visitors attended Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, while the Ilaunmanagh Park Run welcomes UK participants on a weekly basis. Newmarket-On-Fergus Councillor David Griffin believes incorporating local water based attractions can enhance this.

The founder of Shannonwatch claims "huge damage" has been done to the reputation of Shannon Airport by its association with the US Military. Hundreds descended on the Clare base over the weekend once again to demand an end to the alleged "use of Irish airspace to deliver arms, tech and logistical support" to Israel. Gardaí were out in force in Shannon on Sunday afternoon in preparation for the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign's 'Stop Arming Israel' demonstration, which was organised in collaboration with Shannonwatch. Among the key asks of those in attendance was that the Irish Government ensures that Irish airports and airspace aren't used to provide military aid to Israel. They also called for the Arms Embargo Bill, Occupied Territories Bill and Illegal Israeli Settlements Bill to be passed, and for diplomatic relations with what was called the "genocidal Apartheid state of Israel" to be broken. Chairperson of the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign Zoe Lawlor says the goal is to bring about "freedom, justice and equality" for all Palestinians. It's long been argued that US Military aircraft stopping in Shannon should be inspected and these calls have grown louder on foot of recent reports of weapons of war bound for Israel coming through the facility. All foreign military aircraft wishing to overfly or land in Ireland are bound by Irish law to seek diplomatic clearance from the Minister for Foreign Affairs, with clearance only granted if certain conditions are met. These conditions include that the aircraft carries no arms, ammunition or explosives, that it doesn't engage in intelligence gathering and that the flight doesn't form part of a military exercise or operation. In 2023, however, over 1,000 clearance exemptions were granted by former Transport Minister Eamon Ryan. Shannonwatch founder Dr Edward Horgan says Shannon must become a "civilian airport" once again. Shannon Airport says it's "pleased to confirm that throughout the protest, there were no disruption to airport operations". It says "all flights at the airport operated on schedule, and there were no delays or cancellations as a result of the event". Doras CEO and long time activist with Shannonwatch John Lannon insists Shannon Airport is playing a role in military activities overseas and this must end.

Shannon Airport says Ireland must re-examine its aviation policy which it claims "bizarrely penalises" smaller airports experiencing growth in passenger numbers. The Clare base and a major Irish airline have issued a joint call for the passenger cap of the Government's Regional Airports Programme to be increased so as to ensure Shannon can continue to avail of State funding. The call comes as Ryanair has unveiled its summer 2025 schedule for Shannon Airport which features 26 routes including a new route to Madeira. Increased frequencies have been confirmed for eight other routes, specifically Alicante, Edinburgh, Faro, Kaunas, Krakow, Malaga, Porto, and Reus. The airline has also announced that extra seats have been added to and from La Rochelle in April ahead of Munster's highly anticipated European Rugby Champions Cup match with the French side. Having operated out of Shannon for 38 years, the announcement sees Ryanair's traffic growth at the Clare facility grow by 17%. The airline's Chief Marketing Officer Dara Brady says if more routes are to come to Shannon, the region must demonstrate that tourists want to come here. Coinciding with the schedule's release, a joint call has been issued by Shannon Airport and Ryanair for a seismic shift in Irish aviation policy. Over the past number of years, Shannon has benefited from the Government's Regional Airports Programme which supports facilities carrying up to one million passengers. As Shannon saw 2.1 million passengers pass through its gates last year, it now falls outside the eligibility criteria for the programme. Both the Clare base and Ryanair are now calling for this cap to be lifted to three million, and the inclusion of a commitment to conducting a review of National Aviation Policy in the Programme for Government has offered hope that this could become a reality. Shannon Airport Group CEO Mary Considine says the facility mustn't become a victim of its own success.

Cleanup efforts are continuing across Clare following Storm Éowyn. Last night over 30,000 homes, farms and businesses remained without power for a second day following one of the most severe weather events the county has seen. At the height of the storm, Shannon Airport recorded gusts of 137 Kilometres an hour, while over 44,000 premises in Clare were left without electricity. At lunchtime yesterday as the weather alert expired this number reduced to 37,000 and as of this morning power has been restored to 14,000 premises. ESB crews were out again at first light this morning with the assistance of helicopter crews to identify major damages and outages. ESB Technical Manager, Michael Sammin, says additional crews have been deployed to help restore power to priority areas of the network, which will aid in wider restoration efforts which will continue through the weekend.

The clean-up operation is well underway in Clare as Storm Eowyn begins to abate. The banner county remains under a status yellow weather alert until 4 o'clock this afternoon, after what's been one of the most severe storms ever witnessed in this country. Flights have resumed at Shannon Airport, following delays and cancellation caused by the storm, which at its peak saw gust of 137 kilometres per hour recorded at the MidWest facility. The first flight from Stanstead landed just after 11 o'clock this morning, followed by a flight from Fuertaventura shortly before noon. There's significant disruption across the roads network, with seventy Clare County Fire Service personnel and around 150 Clare County Council personnel responding to incidents across the county since the red alert expired this morning. Senior Engineer with Clare County Council, Cyril Feeney has been telling Clare FM's Fiona Cahill that a significant operation lies ahead and he's urging anyone taking to the roads to do so with extreme caution.

Clare's Road's Policing Superintendent is urging people to stay indoors and refrain from unnecessary travel for the duration of Storm Eowyn. Clare-Tipperary Roads Policing Superintendent Eddie Golden says although the event will be short lived, travelling could be dangerous for days to come. It's business as usual at Shannon Airport today, however flight disruption is expected tomorrow. The Shannon Airport Group has confirmed that teams are preparing the airfield for the arrival of Storm Éowyn. Some flight disruption is anticipated while the red weather alert is in place and passengers are advised to contact their airlines directly for information on their flight. A spokesperson for the airport says they will continue to monitor the situation as it develops and that airport teams are engaging with the relevant authorities to ensure a coordinated response.

Clare County Council is urging people not to underestimate the power of Storm Éowyn which is due to make landfall overnight tonight. Winds are set to intensify in Clare from midnight, with a red warning coming into effect in this county between 3am and 11am. Met Éireann is warning that wind speeds expected overnight have never been experienced in this county before, with gusts of more than 150 kilometres per hour likely to be recorded at Shannon Airport and even higher in coastal areas. Clare County Council's Severe Weather Assessment Team has been meeting yesterday and today to coordinate it's response to the severe weather conditions. Senior Engineer Cyril Feeney has been telling Clare FM's Fiona Cahill that this is a very dangerous, disruptive event not to be underestimated.

Shannon Airport will become a national hub for testing new aviation technology under the draft programme for government. The coalition's provisional policy document for the next term has also committed to implementing the recommendations of HIQA's ongoing review that will determine if another emergency department is needed in the MidWest. The document also pledges to deliver 12,000 social homes per year. Clare Fianna Fáil TD Timmy Dooley believes the proposals will have a pivotal impact on this county's housing supply.

The Shannon Airport Group is calling on the Government to urgently upgrade its national aviation policy. Shannon Airport experienced its highest passenger numbers in 15 years in 2024, handling over 2.1 million flyers. Last year, Shannon Airport operated 33 routes to 11 countries, including the return of Delta Air Line's daily service to New York, and from this March it will offer a new route to Madeira, Portugal. Shannon Airport Group CEO Mary Considine says they have the capacity and the potential to deliver much more.

The founder of Shannonwatch claims the Irish Government could be brought before the International Criminal Court for allowing warplanes to pass through Irish airspace. It comes as the latest figures show that the Department of Transport granted 1,267 applications to carry munitions on civil aircraft from January to November in 2024, refusing just six while 27 were cancelled. Shannon Airport accounted for 260 of the granted applications for civil aircraft landing in or taking off from Ireland, with one refusal involving an aircraft landing at or taking off from the Clare base. Former UN peacekeeper Edward Horgan says by allowing weapons of war to come through Shannon Airport and by refusing to inspect planes which could be carry such items, the Government is facilitating genocide.

It's hoped a new road in Shannon can get at least as far as the planning permission stage this year in the interest of Shannon Airport's continued growth. It's just one of the projects being named as a priority by Clare's local elected representatives for 2025. Following the co-option of James and Conor Ryan last month, Clare County Council will meet for the first time this year next Monday, January 13th. Among the long-awaited projects expected to get over the line in the coming months is the Ennis Town Bus Service which was included by name in Budget 2025. The service will feature two routes, with one traversing Ennis from the Lahinch Road to the Tulla Road, while the second will go from Clarecastle to Ballymaley via Friar's Walk. Mayor of Ennis, Fianna Fáil Councillor Clare Colleran-Molloy, says the service will be in operation by the end of June. Moving to Clare's second town, a recent update from the local authority on the N19 Shannon Airport Access Road Improvement Scheme indicated that the design team are working towards finalising the documentation required for a planning application. The road, which has been in the works for a number of years, would go from the roundabout at Drumgeely to the airport, and would feature six controlled pedestrian crossings, new bus stops, cycle lanes, footpaths and public lighting. Cathaoirleach of the Shannon Municipal District, Cratloe Fianna Fáil Councillor Pat O'Gorman, believes if the Clare base is expected to grow, the road must be in place as soon as possible. Roads are also of major concern in the East Clare region which it's often argued has been historically under-funded when it comes to maintaining and improving the roads network. Leas Cathaoirleach of the Killaloe Municipal District, Maghera Fianna Fáil Councillor Pat Hayes claims many areas haven't seen adequate levels of investment in recent times. Turning to West Clare, all eyes appear to be on healthcare and specifically on access to emergency care. The HIQA report examining the viability of a second emergency department in the Midwest isn't due until June while an interim report has been promised by Taoiseach Simon Harris early this year. Cathaoirelach of the West Clare Municipal District and Doonbeg Fianna Fáil Councillor Rita McInerney, who's a member of the Regional Health Forum West, insists an new ED is needed and it must be in Ennis.

Every year, the release of the State Papers reveals a treasure trove of opinions, views and attitudes all committed to paper by ministers, diplomats and officials who wrote safe in the knowledge that the documents wouldn't be revealed to the public for 30 years.This year thousands of declassified documents are being released relating mostly to 1994. Irish Times journalists Mark Hennessy and Ronan McGreevy have spent a week reading through the files – from official memos to personal notes – in search of the stories, views and attitudes from 30 years ago that reveal a side to Irish officialdom previously under wraps.It was a pivotal year for politicians, the Catholic Church and Anglo-Irish affairs – and for Irish dancers when Riverdance debuted, the Irish football team at the world cup, for taoiseach Albert Reynolds who stood waiting – in vain – on the tarmac in Shannon Airport for an ‘unwell' Russian president Boris Yeltsin to make an appearance, and so much more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Clare shoppers are being reminded that by buying local, they're supporting the employees of a business as well as the business itself. Ennis Chamber and Shannon Airport Group have partnered again this year to present the 'Buy Local Fly Local' campaign aimed at encouraging people to support local businesses and opt for Shannon Airport when booking flights. Over 40 Clare outlets have taken part in the campaign. Ennis Chamber Chief Executive Officer Margaret O'Brien says she believes most people understand the positive impact of spending money locally.

Andrew Yates, Bus Éireann, Barry Kenny, Iarnród Eireann and Mary Considine, Shannon Airport, have the latest travel updates ahead of Christmas homecomings.

Phillip Duffy, tour director for CIE Tours, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report about the Ireland South Daytripper, which allows guests to stay in one hotel in Adare while taking daily excursions across Ireland. Highlights include the Cliffs of Moher, Dingle Peninsula, the Ring of Kerry, Blarney Castle, Cork, and the port of Cobh. Flying into Shannon Airport, the all-inclusive tour includes most meals and a day and night in Dublin. For more information, visit www.CIETours.com. All our Insider Travel Report video interviews are available on our Youtube channel (youtube.com/insidertravelreport), and as podcasts with the same title on Spotify, Pandora, Stitcher, PlayerFM, Listen Notes, Podchaser, TuneIn + Alexa, Podbean, iHeartRadio, Google,Amazon Music/Audible, Deezer, Podcast Addict, and iTunes Apple Podcasts, which supports Overcast, Pocket Cast, Castro and Castbox.

Ed Horgan is a founding member of the Shannon Watch campaign and has been monitoring the use of Shannon Airport and Irish airspace by the US military over the course of the last 25 years. Ed is a former Commandant and former UN Peacekeeper and has consistently highlighted the illegality and breaches of Irish and international law as the US continue to use Shannon airport for the transport of troops, munitions, and equipment.  In this episode we discuss Irish complicity in the genocide in Palestine on account of the Irish governments refusal to search or stop Shannon being used for the purposes of the US military. We also touch on Irish neutrality and the shift towards becoming a NATO country, as well the current situation in Lebanon with regards to the UNIFL and the steady escalation of hostilities of Israeli forces towards the presence of the UN Peacekeeping force. Rebel Matters is available on many of the usual podcast platforms and our website www.rebelmatters.ie. The show is supported in full by our followers over on Patreon. Link in bio to see our various tiers of support and find out how you can become a Patron.