Shannon Town grew up as a direct result of the siting of the International Airport. Ireland's newest town is situated within 2 miles of the airport itself. It was built in the early 1960's, when houses were constructed to accommodate workers from the many international companies located at the Shannon Industrial Zone. Today it has a thriving town centre, to cater for its population of over 10,000 and has all the facilities of a modern town. It is now Clare's second largest town. Shannon is a pioneering crossroads of the aviation world and was a refuelling stop in the early days of transatlantic aviation. Shannon Airport is home to the world’s first Duty Free Store and the world’s first Free Industrial Zone where more than 100 corporations have subsidiaries and the first new town to emerge in Ireland for a century. Year-round Tourist Information centre at Shannon Airport.