70th anniversary of Foynes landing

Today marks the 70th anniversary of the arrival of the first Yankee Clipper flying boat of Pan American at Foynes, Co. Limerick on Sunday, July 9 1939. The Limerick Leader newspaper reported that the aircraft appeared over Foynes at 12.50pm, circled the harbour and landed approximately 5 minutes later. The 19 passengers, most of whom were press, and including the Vice President of Pan American Airways, G.L. Rihl were greeted by Sean Lydon, secretary of the Department of Industry and Commerce who accompanied a launch which was dispatched to collect the passengers and crew and bring them ashore.

The flight marked the arrival of the first commercial flight linking Ireland and the US. The Yankee clipper departed later that afternoon for Southampton after it's short visit but returned on the following Wednesday when it arrived at 6.10pm to refuel before departing for Botwood, Newfoundland, en route New York. Between 1940 and 1942 over 40,000 passengers passed through Foynes, a considerable number given the relatively small seating capacity of the flying boats. A terminal and hotel were added to the facility at Foynes to cater for the growing passenger numbers and communications facilities were also built. It was during this time that Irish Coffee was famously invented in Foynes for warming the passengers as they arrived to the chilly Irish winter.

By the end of the Second World War Foynes had had it's hey day and land based aircraft were landing at Shannon airport just across the estuary. By 1949 the days of the flying boat at Foynes had all but disappeared with just a few charter flights passing through.

Twenty years ago the Foynes Flying Boat Museum was established and it too is celebrating it's anniversary this week.

The Foynes Festival is taking place this week and was opened on Monday by Martin Cullen, Minister for Arts, Sports and Tourism. The Festival ends on Sunday July 12. A full list of 'what's on' can be found at Foynes Festival.

Among the item of interest are an air display over the River Shannon at 4pm on Saturday afternoon and a Cri Cri on static display. The Cri Cri is the world's smallest aerobatic aircraft, pictures of which can be seen at Cri Cri. Unfortunately the Foynes web site does not list the aircraft taking part in the flying display.