- The Brendan O’Regan Centre has opened at Bunratty Castle & Folk Park.
- It features archive material on duty-free shopping started in 1951 at Shannon Airport.
- The centre covers regional development and hospitality education initiatives.
- Partners included Sixmilebridge Historical Society and Atlantic Aviation Group.
- A bronze statue and biographical film form part of the exhibition.
A new permanent interpretive centre that honours Brendan O’Regan has opened at Bunratty Castle & Folk Park in County Clare.
The centre presents archive material and exhibition space on his contributions to aviation and related fields. Dr O’Regan established the world’s first airport duty-free shop at Shannon Airport in 1951. He supported the development of the Shannon Free Zone and Shannon Town.
The project involved collaboration between Sixmilebridge Historical Society, Shannon Chamber and other partners with funding from Clare County Council.
The exhibition includes a bronze statue of Dr O’Regan and a short biographical film. It forms part of general admission to the Folk Park.
Siobhán McNulty shared “The centre is a fitting tribute to a man whose vision transformed aviation, tourism and economic development in County Clare and far beyond.”
