A village and port situated on the Shannon Estuary which was also one of the biggest civilian airports in Europe during World War II. Foynes was the place from which the first transatlantic flights were operated by Pan Am, quickly followed by services to New York, Southampton, Montreal, Pool and Lisbon.
Foynes Flying Boat & Maritime Museum
A visit to the internationally renowned Foynes Flying Boat and Maritime Museum is a must for any visitor to the region. It is the only aviation museum in Ireland and the only dedicated flying boat museum in the world!
Visitors can board the only Boeing B314 Flying Boat replica in the world and step back in time in the museum’s first 3D holographic exhibition which recreates the night that Chef Joe Sheridan invented the first Irish Coffee in Foynes.
Maureen O'Hara
Explore the life and legacy of the legendary Irish-American actress Maureen O'Hara at the Foynes Flying Boat and Maritime Museum exhibit dedicated to the Hollywood icon. View her Oscar and other awards, costumes, red carpet outfits, accessories, correspondence with celebrities and world leaders, passports, and other personal possessions and memorabilia.
O’Hara was a dedicated patron of the museum up until her death in 2015, attending all major functions and celebrating her Birthday at the museum every year.
The Medieval Village of Askeaton
The nearby Medieval Village of Askeaton was once a stronghold of the Munster Geraldines, the Anglo-Norman Earls of Desmond. The focal point of Askeaton is the castle which stands in the centre of the town on a rocky island on the River Deel. Founded by William de Burgo in 1199, it became the dwelling place of the Kings of Munster. In the mid 14th century the castle was rebuilt and what you see today is the impressive ruins of Askeaton's Desmond Castle.
Local guide Anthony Sheehy conducts tours of the town by appointment or through Askeaton Tourist Information Point.
Glin Castle
No visitor to the village of Glin will leave without having seen a glimpse of Glin Castle, the ancestral home of the Knights of Glin, a branch of the Norman family Fitzgerald or Geraldines related to the Earls of Desmond and dating back to the early 14th century.
For a full list of historical attraction in the area click here.
