MARILYN Monroe and Bob Hope will be among the faces that will greet passengers flying out of Shannon from now on.
The Hollywood stars are among a sea of famous faces who have passed through the airport since the first commercial flight set down 70 years ago.
And the Shannon Group is now set to clear a collection of memorabilia for take-off in the transit lounge.
The collection is one of the initiatives to mark the 70th anniversary later this year of the first commercial flight to land at Shannon. It will be the first step towards developing a wider celebration of Ireland’s most historic airport.
Among the items in the collection, which is already open for viewing, will be various guest visitors’ books signed by global leaders and other VIPs who flew in and out of Shannon over the decades.
It will also include an array of model aircraft, including those from the early days of commercial aviation when Shannon was the first European gateway to the United States.
The collection will also include photographs and video footage taken of some of the world’s most famous people over the last century as they flew in and out of Shannon, among them stars of silver screen including Gene Kelly, Marilyn Monroe, Bob Hope and some of the world’s best known political and religious leaders.
The items will be drawn from the airport’s own archive collection, while members of the public, including former staff and their families who may also have suitable items for inclusion in the gallery, are being invited to donate/loan them to the gallery.
Airport Operations Director Niall Maloney said, “Shannon Airport’s significance in the world of aviation is unrivalled for an airport of its size and it’s only right that we would begin developing a collection that captures this. When you think of all the firsts that came out of Shannon, from being the original transatlantic gateway between Europe and the US to the home of duty free, there’s incredible history here and this initiative will help recognise that.”
Anyone with items they wish to have included in the collection such as photographs, autographs, posters and souvenirs purchased at the airport, should contact Dorothy Quinn, Terminal Operations, Shannon Airport. Tel. 061 712218 or email dorothy.quinn@shannonairport.ie.
