Shannon Airport Officially Marks 80th Anniversary of Transatlantic Flights with Time Capsule Project

Repro Free: Pamela Brooks, Head of Operations at The Shannon Airport Group with senior infants pupils from Shannon Airport 1 NS (St. Senans) - Riea Carroll, Freddie Lake, Jack McMahon (front), Molly O'Mara and Jake Fleming (back). Photo by Arthur Ellis.

Shannon Airport is officially commemorating the 80th anniversary of the first transatlantic flight from the airport with a nostalgic, community-driven Time Capsule initiative that encapsulates the past, present and future.

To mark the anniversary, The Shannon Airport Group is inviting members of the public – including passengers, staff, community groups, local schools and children – to contribute to a Time Capsule that will be sealed and buried at the airport this October. Submissions may include stories, drawings, photographs, or reflections that capture life today and imagine the world of tomorrow. 

Head of Operations at The Shannon Airport Group, Pamela Brooks said: “Celebrating 80 years of transatlantic travel is a remarkable milestone – not just for Shannon Airport and the Mid-West, but for the global aviation community. It’s incredible to reflect on how far we’ve come since that first historic flight in 1945. Today, Shannon offers daily transatlantic services to New York, Chicago, and Boston, and we’ve even witnessed the European debut of the first electric aircraft this year. With so much progress behind us, we thought it would be exciting to also look ahead. Who knows what the next 80 years will bring? Through this Time Capsule project, we’re inviting our passengers, partners, and the wider community to imaginethat future with us – while also capturing what life looks like for us all at this moment in time.”

Those interested in contributing to The Shannon Airport Group “Time, Sealed and Delivered” project are encouraged to think about things such as future travel, technology, sustainability, culture and community. How would they share their hopes and predictions for the next 80 years, as well as what items might reflect life as it is now in 2025 – a photo, letter, small souvenir, newspaper article – or something completely unique!

The call for submission of ideas opens today and closes on September 29th, with selected, physical items required by October 10th. The capsule will be sealed during a special ceremony at Shannon Airport later that month to which chosen contributors will be invited.

For full details and to submit an idea, please go to www.snnairportgroup.ie/about-us/80-year-celebration/