Margaret O’Shaughnessy, who has been a stalwart of the Foynes Flying Boat Museum for decades, has announced her retirement.
A founding Director of Foynes Flying Boat Museum in 1987, and Managing Director ever since, Margaret has been a key spokesperson for the tourism industry in County Limerick.

She was a key organiser of the Foynes Irish Coffee Festival and instrumental in bringing Hollywood star Maureen O’Hara to the West Limerick village for the annual celebrations. The pair developed a close friendship as Maureen had a keen interest in the success of the Foynes Flying Boat Museum, given that her late husband, Captain Charles Blair, had been a pilot who had flown in and out of Foynes during the Flying Boat era.
Margaret is credited by many with bringing tourism and business to the village of Foynes and N69 route, and she fought a strong campaign to have the Shannon Estuary included as part of the Wild Atlantic Way.
Speaking on Live95’s Limerick Today on Tuesday, Margaret said she’s retiring after 37 years as CEO but will remain on the board and will always be available for advice and guidance for the museum.
The Foynes Flying Boat Museum is due to reopen in July with its new 12,000-square-foot develop-ment. The work is due to be completed shortly at a total cost of €4.4 million.