The Foynes Flying Boat Museum

Housed in the original terminal building in Foynes, recalls that nostalgic era when Foynes became the centre of the aviation world from 1939 to 1945.

On July 9th 1939, Pan Am’s luxury Flying Boat, the “Yankee Clipper” landed at Foynes to become the first commercial passenger flight on a direct route from the USA to Europe. During the late 1930s and early 1940s, this quiet little town on the Shannon became the focal point for air traffic on the North Atlantic. Now the “Yankee Clipper is back – our latest exhibit is the world’s only full scale replica of the Boeing 314, “Yankee Clipper”. You can travel back in time and see for yourself what it was like to be a passenger in one of these wonderful flying boats.

In 1942, Brendan O ‘Regan opened a restaurant and coffee shop in the Foynes terminal building and employed a Chef named Joe Sheridan. It was not long before Joe realised that the passengers coming to wait in the terminal in cold and rainy weather needed something to make the coffee a bit stronger.

Thus, Irish Coffee was born.

The Foynes Flying Boat Museum is located in Foynes and is a 30 minute drive from Adare Manor.

Open Daily – March: 10.00h – 17.00h, April through
October: 10.00h – 18.00h
November: 10.00h – 16.00h
Website: flyingboatmuseum.com