A group of American passengers disembarked from a Pan Am flight in Limerick on a cold Winter’s night in 1940. Joe Sheridan, the head chef at Foynes (the precursor to Shannon airport) put a little whiskey in their coffee to warm them and lo and behold the Irish whiskey was born.  Stanton Delaplane, a travel writer for the San Francisco Chronicle brought the beverage to America after sampling it in Shannon Airport.  It was first served in the Buena Vista Café in San Francisco on November 10, 1952. 

So, on this International Coffee Day, why not whip up a proper Irish Coffee?

Here's the International Bartenders Association (IBA)  recipe for Irish Coffee

* Served hot

40ml (2 parts) Irish whiskey

80ml (4 parts) hot coffee

30ml (1 and ½ parts) fresh cream

1 tsp brown sugar

Heat the coffee, whiskey and sugar; do not boil.

Pour into glass and top with cream.