As regards a US route from Cork affecting Shannon operations, I think it would to a limited extend but the vast majority of transatlantic travel to/from Cork goes via London Heathrow rather than Shannon.
Yes ccr it does and for good reason, one stop in LHR and then you can pretty much go direct to your destination as choice out of LHR is so vast. Flying out of SNN or A supposed ORK/NY you still have to stop in NY and then go on. So what I was getting at was you are reducing the SNN traffic if you start a ORK service. Those who fly out of LHR do it for better connectivity or better price.
As for traffic inbound from the States, the 2 keys are connectivity and price. Americans are used to traveling long distances by car so when they are told that Shannon is less than 100 miles from the Blarney stone-they think nothing of it.
Realistically, Cork is unlikely to see a direct US service. Ireland had 15 years of dramatic growth with a big increase in peoples disposable incomes. On the back of that EI, FR and Aer Arann based aircraft there to serve that demand. Cork even had its own airline, remember JetMagic? If there was not enough demand then for a profitable and sustainable direct US service, there certainly is not one now, and with the improvements in the roads network, there is unlikely to be one in the future.
Now-time for a beer!
Slainte-Patrick
ps have heard those rumours about west coast for next year too.