Foynes Air Show to hit the skies on 17th July

Foynes Air Show will be held on Sunday, 17th July, with a special appearance by one of the UK’s top aerobatic display pilots, Lauren Richardson, who will be making her Irish flying debut at Foynes. She will be joined by a host of other UK and Irish pilots, taking part in one of only two air shows occurring in Ireland this year. More than 15,000 people are expected to attend the free show, hosted by the Foynes Flying Boat and Maritime Museum, and Margaret O’Shaughnessy, Director of the museum said, “We are the only air show on the Wild Atlantic Way and this has increased the numbers of tourists, not only attending the show, but coming to the museum as well.” Spectators will have a chance to see rare and vintage aircraft, as well as unique and hand-built planes, including four Pitts Specials, a Russian Sukhoi 26, a WW1 replica fighter plane; the SE5a, a rare Malcolm Ducker prototype aerobatic aircraft, and a German high performance monoplane, the SBach 342. Four formation flying teams will thrill West Limerick this year, including the Wildcats from Norfolk, flying a pair of Pitts Special bi-planes. Audiences will also get a chance to see Ireland’s only civilian aerobatic display team, ‘Aer Dynamics’, flown by Limerick farmer Gerry Humphreys and his partner Eddie Goggins.

The free event will kick off at 12.30pm with a recital by the Band of An Garda Siochána, followed by carnival amusements, walk-about characters, music and children’s enter-tainment. Other events include a cliff climbing exercise by Ballybunion Sea and Cliff Rescue service, and a water safety demonstration by the Shannon-based Irish Coastguard.

A park and ride service will also be in operation to help ease traffic congestion at the site. For more information on the event go to www.foynesairshow.com.