Editing Shanwick Oceanic Control (section)

==History==
Responsibility for the provision of air traffic services within international airspace is delegated to [[Member states of the United Nations|United Nations member states]] by the [[International Civil Aviation Organization|International Civil Aviation Organisation]] (ICAO). ICAO divides such airspace into flight information regions, parts of which may be deemed [[controlled airspace]] and, where appropriate, classified as an Oceanic Control Area.

Prior to 1966, both the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland were selected by ICAO to provide control and communications services to air traffic within adjacent areas of the north east Atlantic. The air/ground [[High Frequency]] (HF) radio communication station at Ballygirreen, near [[Shannon, County Clare]], Ireland, provided HF communications to the [[Irish Aviation Authority]] ATC centre at Shannon. The HF radio communication station at [[Birdlip]], England, provided HF communications to the [[Civil Aviation Authority (United Kingdom)|Civil Aviation Authority]] (now [[NATS Holdings|NATS]]) ATC centre at [[Prestwick]], Scotland.

The resulting duplication of work between ATC providers resulted in an agreement being reached between the UK and Irish governments, where Birdlip and Ballygirreen would work as a single unit. The Prestwick Centre assumed the control function of the joint area and Ballygirreen ultimately assumed sole responsibility for HF communications. The name Shanwick is a [[portmanteau]] of Shannon and Prestwick.