Did you know that the America inspired the creation of airport Duty-Free shops?

The idea originated with the Shannon, Ireland airport’s catering comptroller, Brendan O’ Regan, a proud gentleman, determined to show skeptics that the Irish could run a world class airport. All he needed was money. O’ Regan found the solution at sea; sailing on a return voyage from the U.S to Ireland aboard the ocean liner S.S.America. “I discovered that I could buy duty –free goods aboard the ship. I thought: Wouldn’t this be an excellent idea if we could idea if we could implement such a duty-free service at Shannon Airport.” Upon his return O’Regan secured the enabling legislation establishing a no-man’s land tax zone at the airport and the world’s first duty-free shop opened in 1947. The shop generated revenue for airport improvements and was later expanded into a manufacturing duty free zone.

From that modest start, O’ Reagan went on to make airport Duty- Free shopping a world wide phenomenon.