WHBM, imagine a silly scene from Father Ted but a scene from the 1960s era rather than the present day. The 1960s when every airliner crossing the North Atlantic might be expected to dip into Shannon for fuel either going west or coming east. The kind of mindset which is still very much alive and well amongst the die hards in Shannon who want the stopover to continue. A lot of it has to do with money too, be they the crowd from the Shannon "Workforce" who have enjoyed easy conditions on the job or the local gangs organising onward tours for the sentimental US tourists who have had the presence of mind (Ha, ha!) to terminate their flights in Shannon. Rich pickings there, I can tell you. The parish pump works very well in Shannon.
Flaps out, plenty has all ready been discussed on these forums about Jetmagic. Check it out in your own time by using the search facility if you wish.
Runwaysedge, as for constructive comments other than Cork, Knock has a nice looooong runway, very handy for long transcontinental type flights! Another constuctive comment would be my concurring with you as regards Galway having more flights to the UK than Shannon. Very useful for flights from the western seaboard is Galway!
For what it is worth and in a post stopover world I still think there would be enough demand for near daily flights from Shannon to New York and Boston at least, even in winter. An A319LR like what Air France now use for cetain Asian and African destinations would be ideal platform. What do you think? W Walsh might have other ideas, of course. There, that was pretty constructive too? Cork has hardly had a mention now, has it!?