Shannon Development (legally the ''Shannon Free Airport Development Company Limited'' formerly known as SFADCO) was an important regional development body for the Shannon Region of
Ireland. Its area in the lower
River Shannon
The River Shannon ( ga, Abhainn na Sionainne, ', '), at in length, is the longest river in the British Isles. It drains the Shannon River Basin, which has an area of , – approximately one fifth of the area of the island of Ireland.
The Shan ...
basin comprised all of counties
Clare Clare may refer to:
Places Antarctica
* Clare Range, a mountain range in Victoria Land
Australia
* Clare, South Australia, a town in the Clare Valley
* Clare Valley, South Australia
Canada
* Clare (electoral district), an electoral district
* Cl ...
,
Limerick, and the former
North Tipperary, as well as north
Kerry and west
Offaly. Its key founder was
Brendan O'Regan.
Shannon Development worked with, but was not an agency of,
Forfás.
Responsibility
Shannon Development was set up as Shannon Free Airport Development Company by the
Irish Government in
1959
Events January
* January 1 - Cuba: Fulgencio Batista flees Havana when the forces of Fidel Castro advance.
* January 2 - Lunar probe Luna 1 was the first man-made object to attain escape velocity from Earth. It reached the vicinity of E ...
to promote the airport and region.
Shannon Airport was built at a strategic point on the early transatlantic flying route, but with the age of the jet, its fortunes declined. In 1969
Aer Rianta took responsibility of the airport.
Shannon Development was responsible for a number of areas of development of the region including tourism and industry similar to
IDA Ireland. The agency was responsible for
Shannon Free Zone and National Technology Park on which the
University of Limerick is located.
Shannon Town was also created and managed by the company until it was transferred to Clare County Council in 2004. This property transfer was the biggest property transaction in the history of the state.
Shannon Development also acted as a landlord for many companies in the region. Companies that qualify, paid rent to Shannon Development. In return the company can apply for
Enterprise Ireland grant funding through Shannon Development. This constitutes a symbiotic relationship.
The government reviewed the role of the agency in July 2005 and its functions are being realigned. Under the new arrangements, Shannon Development will have an enhanced regional economic development role with a particular emphasis on addressing the needs of the less developed parts of the Shannon region. It will also retain responsibility for the Shannon Free Zone industrial park. The existing enterprise support functions (carried out by Shannon Development in relation to both indigenous and overseas enterprises) will be assumed by the national agencies,
Enterprise Ireland and
IDA Ireland.
Shannon Development became part of Shannon Group plc on 10 November 2014. To emphasise a more commercially focused property remit, Shannon Development was renamed Shannon Commercial Enterprises Ltd, trading as Shannon Enterprises.
Shannon Heritage
Shannon Heritage, a member of the group, is a semi-state commercial body responsible for operating tourist sites including
the GPO,
Craggaunowen,
King John's Castle and
Bunratty Castle.
In August 2019
Fingal County Council
Fingal County Council ( ga, Comhairle Contae Fhine Gall) is the authority responsible for local government in the county of Fingal, Ireland. It is one of three local authorities that comprised the former Dublin County Council before its abolit ...
announced Shannon Heritage were to be appointed to run the
Fry Model Railway when it re-opens in addition to
Malahide Castle and Demesne which they already operate.
See also
*
Celtic Tiger
*
Economy of the Republic of Ireland
References
External links
Shannon DevelopmentEnterprise IrelandIDA Ireland
*https://web.archive.org/web/20110721125013/http://www.irishpressreleases.ie/printer-page.php?p=1538
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Economy of the Republic of Ireland
Defunct government agencies of Ireland