Foynes

Infobox Irish Place
name = Foynes
gaeilge = Faing
crest

motto =
map

pin coords = left: 40px; top: 40px
north coord = 52.60467
west coord = 9.1105
irish grid = R251512
area =
county = County Limerick
population = 1,045
census yr = 2006
province = Munster
web =
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Foynes ("Faing" in Irish) is a small town and major port in County Limerick in the midwest of Ireland, located at the edge of hilly land on the southern bank of the Shannon Estuary. The population of the town was 606 as of the 2006 census. [cite web | title=Census 2006 – Volume 1 – Population Classified by Area | work=Central Statistics Office Census 2006 Reports | publisher=Central Statistics Office Ireland | year=2007 |month=April | url=http://www.cso.ie/census/documents/census2006_volume_1_pop_classified_by_area.pdf | accessdate=2007-08-18}]

Foynes's role in aviation

It is noteworthy for having been, in the early years of aviation, the last port of call on the eastern shore of the Atlantic for flying boats. Surveying flights for flying boat operations were made by Charles Lindbergh in 1933 and a terminal was begun in 1935. The first transatlantic proving flights were operated on July 5, 1937 with a Pan Am Sikorsky S-42 service from Botwood, Newfoundland and Labrador on the Bay of Exploits and a BOAC Short Empire service from Foynes with successful transits of twelve and fifteen-and-a-quarter hours respectively. Services to New York, Southampton, Montreal, Poole and Lisbon followed, the first non-stop New York service operating on June 22 1942 in 25 hours 40 minutes.

All of this changed following the construction and opening in 1942 of Shannon Airport on flat bogland on the northern bank of the Estuary. Foynes flying-boat station closed in 1946. A college for the learning of the Irish language was opened in the former terminal in 1954. The Port Trustees purchased the building in 1980 and the Flying Boat Museum leased a portion in 1988.

One of Foynes's main claims to fame is the invention there of Irish Coffee. This came about, it is said, in order to alleviate the suffering of cold and wet passengers during its aviation days in the 1930s and early 40s. The "Foynes Flying Boat Museum" contains much memorabilia from that era, including the original radio and weather room, along with its equipment.

Foynes's role as seaport

Foynes as a port has a longer history, being first surveyed in 1837, and is now the location of a major deep water seaport operated by the Shannon Foynes Port Company, an amalgamation under the Harbours Act 2000 of the agencies operating the ports of Limerick and Foynes. It is anticipated that more traffic from the upstream Limerick Port will ultimately be diverted there as the latter portlands are redeveloped as commercial and residential properties. A railway line to Limerick via Patrickswell and Raheen is in existence but not operational. Iarnród Éireann's policy of concentrating on what it sees as more profitable passenger operations means the Port's traffic is entirely served by road.

Transport

Foynes railway station was opened on 29 April 1858, but closed to passenger traffic on 4 February 1963. [cite web | title=Foynes station | work=Railscot - Irish Railways | url=http://www.railscot.co.uk/Ireland/Irish_railways.pdf | accessdate=2007-10-14] A photographic survey of the station in September 2005 can be found here: [http://www.industrialheritageireland.info/railways/foynes/foynesphotos.htm Foynes Railway Station]

Places of interest

Foynes is near to Adare, a famous heritage town, and the city of Limerick. The main gateway to the region is Shannon Airport. Foynes is located on the N69 "coast road" to Tarbert and Tralee in County Kerry.

port

Saint Senan's GAA club draws its players from the parish centred around Foynes and the neighbouring town of Shanagolden. Although it has fielded hurling teams on occasions, it is primarily a Gaelic football club and, after winning the intermediate championship in 2003, Saint Senan's were narrowly beaten in the final of the 2006 Limerick Senior Football Championship. Its predecessor, the Foynes team, won its only senior championship in 1907.

ee also

* List of towns and villages in Ireland.

References

External links

* [http://collections.ic.gc.ca/earlyaviation/FoynesSub.asp Destination Foynes - the Flying Boat Era 1937-1945]
* [http://www.sfpc.ie/ Shannon Foynes Port Company]
* [http://www.snn.aero/ Shannon Airport]
* [http://flyingboatmuseum.com/ Foynes Flying Boat Museum]
* [http://www.irishcoffeefestival.com/index.html Irish Coffee Festival, Foynes]
* [http://www.transatlanticflightpby.com/ Transatlantic Re-enactment Flight]