This doesn't look like the promised cull, at least not yet, so maybe best to hold fire with the tumbleweed for a little while longer. It looks more like a another re-jig to maximise profits / minimise losses (delete as appropriate) at SNN this summer.
It seems that there are also increases on the routes that will bring thousands of high-spending tourists to the Shannon region ... oh, hang on: SNN-GRO (4 -> 5 per week vs last summer), SNN-MJV (3 -> 4 per week), SNN-FAO (2 -> 4 per week), SNN -> ALC (2 -> 3 per week) and SNN -> AGP (4 -> 5 per week).*
With HHN (-2), LCJ (-2), BIQ (-3) and FUE (-1) all binned and the cuts on PIK (-3), LPL (-3) , STN (-7) and MAN (-2) mentioned elsewhere, it will be interesting to see what the final balance will be for Shannon this summer. My guess is that it will be only very slightly down as GDN (+3), KTW (+2) and NCL (+2) were all absent last summer.
* what a very strange coincidence: Most of these routes seem to have equivalents operated by Aer Lingus from an airport down the road
Ryanair based a sixth aircraft at Shannon last November. However they seem to be reducing back down to 5 from the end of March. A second aircraft may also be leaving at the start of July when 2 of the 3 daily SNN-STN frequencies switch from a Shannon based aircraft to a Stansted based aircraft.