Shannon Aviation Museum

31/10/2026

Happy Halloween from all the SAM Team and Pete the Spooky Pilot on duty for Fright Flights today!

Thanks to all who came along and were up for the occasion, especially great to meet two lovely Cashel brothers whose eyes lit up when they sat into the 737 sim. We will see you soon, and the Air Corps will see you both a little later on!

31/10/2026

We were delighted to hold the last Pilots of the Future day of 2026 today at SAM, and these guys got to spend the day with B737 First Officer Jordan Myers

Huge thanks to Jordan for volunteering his time and giving these aspiring pilots an inspiring, valuable experience, tonight they will be dreaming of flying, we hope!

Of course, the SAM Team joined later in the day, all happy to have their Guru back in the sim for some instruction time!

31/10/2026

Here’s a great evening from Foynes Flying Boat Museum!

Join us next Friday, 6th November, for a special evening celebrating the launch of our new AirNav Exhibition - marking 90 Years of radio communications & weather!

Enjoy complimentary entry from 6pm to 9pm and explore our fascinating new exhibition, which celebrates the pioneering history of radio communications, aviation and weather broadcasting.

Discover the important role Foynes played in transatlantic aviation and the development of communications and navigation across the North Atlantic.

Whether you're interested in aviation history, radio communications or simply want to discover something new, we'd love to welcome you!

📅 Friday, 6th November
⏰ 6pm – 9pm
🎟️ Complimentary Entry

This event is proudly funded by Department of Culture, Communications and Sport's Night-Time Economy - After Hours at the Museum Scheme.

Spread the word and join us for a night at the museum!

31/10/2026

Irish Air Corps Collection Wright Flyer replica aircraft elevator was reunited with the rest of the aircraft and safely secreted away until we can devise a plan!

Thanks to Atlantic Aviation Group, our heroes, for the safe storage space, plus, willing and able men Kasper and Roman, thanks for the help, and sorry you had to disassemble your door for us again!

Thanks to Irish Air Corps and A/M Andy Jennings for the safe delivery, and for the nice surprise, a sweet Fouga engine that we have a stand waiting for and some lovely Lear Jet Technical Books.

30/10/2026

Group bookings, opening hours, online tickets, gift cards, tour length... we get lots of different questions here at the museum.

For your convenience, we have our FAQ section on our website where you'll find answers to the above points.

Still got a question? Send us an email at [email protected]

28/10/2026

Looking for a unique way to celebrate your birthday... look no further!

Party in style at Shannon Aviation Museum, it’s a must for any budding pilot and their crew.

Dress up Top Gun style in your flights suits, learn how an aircraft flies, the forces that act on aircraft in-flight and get to take to the virtual skies yourself followed by a interactive guided tour the museum.. the sky is the destination not the limit!

Find out more on https://shannonaviationmuseum.com/birthday-party/

26/10/2026

We were delighted to host the 100th Anniversary Fianna Fáil Shannon Municipal District commemoration, with a focus on Seán Lemass and a very interesting presentation by Neil Donovan on his impact, including Rineanna Airport and the Shannon Region.

SAM is proud to be at the heart of the Shannon community, which is embedded in this unique and bold history.

Great to meet Cathal Crowe TD Timmy Dooley TD Tony Killeen Pat O'Gorman and all the Shannon team.

26/10/2026

Thanks to everyone who braved the storm to visit us for Open Cockpit Day!
Many thanks to the Óglaigh na hÉireann / Irish Defence Forces Roger Casement Branch team Jim O'Sullivan, Sean Collpoy, and Tony Mahon for manning the stations and chatting to everyone, along with the SAM Team.

We were delighted to find out we had a Ryanair BAC One Eleven Pilot in the house, but we missed getting his details. If you see this, please contact us, we have a few questions for you!

Great to see everyone enjoying the day, and thanks again for coming along from across the country.

Visit Clare

24/10/2026

We were delighted to host an evening of film and chat for
After Hours at the Museum Scheme, thanks to the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport and despite the terrible weather, we had a great attendance and a very interesting evening!

Thanks to everyone for attending, and to our speakers John Conneely and Peter McGarry

John spoke about the background and personal aspect to the story, followed by viewing of his video about the Sabena DC3 plane crash near Tarrea Pier Kinvara, in 1946, on a ferry flight from Labrador to Brussels. They were due to refuel at Rineanna but ran out of fuel and just made it to landfall, the pilots and navigator were injured but survived, and there followed a very interesting story of what happened to its remnants, including becoming their father's new garage roof! Check out Hidden Kinvara https://youtu.be/i1FRq7LLL1w

Peter McGarry Author of Falling Stars, has researched and gathered first-hand interviews exploring the air crashes linked to Shannon Airport. Today he spoke about the TWA Star of Cairo accident in Shannon almost 80 years ago and told of some of the individuals who survived, and some who were not so fortunate. Local people attended with relatives having living memory of this, so it was a meaningful reflection on a traumatic event for all.

23/10/2026

We still have a few spots remaining on the Airline Pilot of the Future course next Saturday October 31st.

'Airline Pilot of the Future' is a fantastic, exclusive experience for young people who want to become a commercial pilot. This course is ideal for young people aged 13-18. Conducted by a current airline pilot, this course combines a mix of theory, flight simulation and other general tips on the road to becoming a pilot.

Places are limited, find out more on https://shannonaviationmuseum.com/airline-pilot-of-the-future/