Ireland’s Shannon Story: Leaders, Visions and Networks - A Case Study in Local and Regional Development

This book covers one of IrelandA?A?A?A-s most significant single development efforts in the twentieth century. Beginning with the early era in the 1940s the book explains how the Shannon Airport experiment originated through local effort spurred by sympathetic political leaders. It developed into a multi-million pound enterprise in what was a remote location in the west of Ireland. Callanan examines the early 1960s initiatives which were typified by experimentation, trial and error; they led to the growth of an industrial estate, a new town, and emerging tourist attractions. Many of these projects were first viewed with suspicion and hostility; stoic bureaucracy had to be overcome. These barriers were overcome by a strong local leadership, closely associated with national policy makers, together with a clear vision of what could be achieved and supported by personal contacts and networks between decision-makers. The work draws out lessons that were learned by the inexperienced leaders from mistakes they made. General international conclusions indicate how development can be powered at local and regional level, linking the Shannon story to a wider development theory and practical experiences in other countries.