Athlone
Encyclopedia
Athlone is a town on the River Shannon
near the southern shore of Lough Ree
, Ireland
.
Athlone is on the border of counties Roscommon
(province of Connacht
) and Westmeath
(province of Leinster
). Although the River Shannon forms the historic border between Roscommon and Westmeath, the Local Government Act of 1898
designated all of Athlone (Urban) as belonging to Westmeath, including areas west of the river. Much recent growth has occurred outside the official town boundaries. Monksland for example, a suburb on the west side of the town, is not within the official town boundaries, yet is the most populous area of County Roscommon.
The 2006 census records the population of the town at 17,544 – though this does not include some outlying suburbs.
The town has also been described as "the commercial capital of the Irish Midlands" and is governed by an elected town council
(which elects a Mayor).
The Geographical centre of Ireland
is located 8.85 kilometres N.N.W of Athlone Town.
. The ford of Athlone was strategically important, as south of Athlone the Shannon is impassable until Clonmacnoise
(where the Esker Riada
meets the Shannon), and north is Lough Ree
. In 1001 Brian Bóru
led his army from Kincora into the town, his fleet sailing up the river via Lough Derg to attend a gathering.
A bridge was built across the river in the 12th century, approximately 100 metres south of the current bridge. To protect this a fort was constructed on the west bank in the town by Turloch Mór Ó Conor. On a number of occasions both the fort and bridge were subject to attacks, and towards the end of the 12th century the Anglo-Normans constructed a motte-and-bailey
fortification here. This was superseded by a stone structure built in 1210 by Justiciar John Gray. The 12-sided donjon dates from this time. The rest of the castle was largely destroyed during the Siege of Athlone
and subsequently rebuilt and enlarged.
During the wars that racked Ireland in the seventeenth century, Athlone held a vital position, holding the main bridge over the River Shannon into Connacht
. In the Irish Confederate Wars
(1641–1653), the town was held by Irish Confederate troops until it was taken late in 1650 by Charles Coote, who attacked the town from the west, having crossed into Connacht at Sligo
.
Forty years later, during the pan-European War of the Grand Alliance
, the city was again of key strategic importance, being one of the Jacobite
strongholds defending the river-crossings into the confederate-held Province of Connacht
following their being routed at the battle of the Boyne
1 July 1690. In that year, the Jacobite forces of Colonel Richard Grace
repelled an attack by 10,000 men led by Commander Douglas. In the following year's campaign, the Siege of Athlone
saw a further assault by a larger allied force in which the invading troops of King William
and Queen Mary
eventually overran the entire city, forcing the defenders to flee further west toward the River Suck at such speed that eyewitnesses account they "flung their cannons into the morass" as they fled. The most recent account of the Siege of Athlone was discovered in 2004 in an archive in the Netherlands and written on 5 July 1691 after the attack had ended. The contemporary source was penned by the victorious commanding-officer from the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands, general lieutenant Godard van Reede, in letters written to his family-members on mainland Europe. In the account, the commanding allied officer reported half of the city's defenders had retreated westward towards the rest of their army, leaving almost 2000 dead within the city walls with over a hundred taken prisoner among whom were dozens of officers.
It was proposed in the Republican Éire Nua
programme to make Athlone the capital city
of a federal United Ireland
.
Company.
The RTÉ
All-Ireland Drama Festival takes place annually in Athlone, and brings together 9 amateur drama groups from across Ireland. The festival is supported by an active fringe which involves street theatre
, art exhibitions, workshops and events for young people.
Athlone Literary Festival is an annual event which began in 1999
as a week-end celebration of the life and works of John Broderick
(1924–1989), but which now features a great variety of speakers and debaters.
Count John McCormack was born in Athlone and for many years an annual festival celebrated this world-renowned tenor
.
The Athlone School of Music opened in October 2005 and is a grant aided project aimed at developing music education and services in the Midlands region.
references Athlone in his 1937 book Serenade, in a passage where two characters discuss tenor John McCormack:
"--There's the language he was born to. John McCormack comes from Dublin".
"He does not. He comes from Athlone".
"Didn't he live in Dublin?".
"No Matter. They speak a fine brogue in Athlone, almost as fine as in Belfast".
"It's a fine brogue, but it's not brogue. It's the English language as it was spoken before all the other countries of the world forgot how to speak it. There's two things a singer can't buy, beg or steal, and that no teacher, coach or conductor can give him. One is his voice, the other is the language that was born in his mouth. When McCormack was singing Handel he was singing English, and he sings it as no American and no Englishman will ever sing English".
, which opened on 3 October 1859, services the Galway
to Dublin and Dublin to Westport
/Ballina
lines. Bus Eireann
, the national bus operator, operates from beside the train station and covers most towns and cities in the country, including an hourly service to Dublin and Galway. Other private operators also provide services to some towns and cities. Bus Éireann also operates a local Athlone bus service. The town is also home to a number of privately operated services, including the Flagline bus company. Taxi service is widely available throughout the area.
The town is situated on the N6 road connecting Galway to Dublin with various smaller roads, such as the N62
, connecting from other areas. The new M6 motorway
now connects the town directly to Dublin and Galway, cutting travelling and commuting time considerably.
runs through Athlone and the town is a popular spot for people passing through on pleasure craft
, many of whom stop off at the Marinas. Lough Ree
, the largest lake on the Shannon, is a short distance upstream
from Athlone to the North of the town, and is popular among anglers, birdwatchers, and swimmers. The lake shore is easily accessed from Coosan Point
, and Hodson Bay. The town is also home to Lough Ree Yacht Club
. The promenade is also a popular spot for anglers.
Athlone is the main retail
centre in the Midlands, and The Golden Island Shopping Centre attracts shoppers from a wide radius. There was also the smaller Texas Shopping Centre (formerly known as Athlone Shopping Centre, prior to being acquired by the Texas department store
chain
). Another large-scale development opened on 1 November 2007, Athlone Town Centre comprises two internal streets, with 54 shops and a hotel
, and is the largest shopping and leisure centre in Ireland, outside Dublin. Athlone also has a vibrant town centre extending from Church street to Sean Costello street.
Athlone Regional Sports Centre is a facility (established May 2002) developed by the Town Council,this facility has a swimming pool, gym and astro turf pitches.
Sean's Bar
, located on the west bank of the river, is listed by the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest pub in Europe
.
Many boat hire companys work from here including
athlonecruisers
, the oldest hire boat company on the River Shannon,
Other popular attractions for visitors are the Glendeer Open Farm and the Viking
# Cruise of the Shannon. The town's tourist office is located at Athlone Civic Centre.
(pharmaceuticals), which originated in Athlone, Bioclin Laboratories (pharmaceuticals), Ericsson
(telecommunications), Tyco Healthcare (medical equipment), Alcatel
(cables), Utah Medical (medical equipment), Pharmaplaz (pharmaceuticals), Alienware
(computer hardware), (ICT Eurotel (contact centre), and Athlone Extrusions (polymers).
Athlone is the regional centre for a large number of state and semi-state organisations. The Department of Education & Science
, The State Examinations Commission
, Revenue Commissioners, FÁS
Midlands Region, Bus Éireann
, Iarnród Éireann
, IDA Ireland
, and Enterprise Ireland
all have bases in the town. Athlone is also a major Irish military
centre, Custume Barracks on the West bank of the Shannon is the headquarters of the Western Command of the Irish Army
.
Athlone Institute of Technology
(AIT) is the regional third level college. Athlone forms part of the Midlands Gateway
along with Mullingar
and Tullamore
. Alongside Waterford's Institute of Technology, AIT harbours ambitions of attaining university status, as there is no institution providing university-level education in the Irish Midlands.
There are five major secondary schools in the Athlone area. They are Athlone Community College
(mixed), Our Lady's Bower (girls only), Marist College (boys only), St. Aloysius' College (boys only) and Summerhill College (girls only).
In June 2010, Brian Cowen announced his support of the proposed Euro/China training hub in Athlone.
It operated at a power of 60 kW (further increased to 100 kW in the 1950s). As antenna a T-antenna was and is used, which is spun between two 100 metres tall guyed masts with square cross section and which are insulated against ground. Many old radio sets in Europe had the "Athlone" dial position marked near the end of their tuning scales.
In the late 1970s the station reopened on a new dial position of 612 kHz for "Radio 2" (later known as RTÉ 2fm
).
Moydrum was also the location of Ireland's short lived Shortwave international radio service that was closed down in 1948 due to lack of money.
Today, RTÉ
's Midlands studios are located in Athlone, at St. Mary's Square. The local radio station is Midlands 103
. Many also tune into Shannonside.
A new radio station i102-104fm has recently been launched. This station will be geared to the 18-34 age group in the midlands and north-east.
And again in affirmation of Athlone's broadcasting roots yet another station is about to be launched on a nationwide basis, using the 612 kHz band, with a Christian emphasis.
As well as this the Athlone Community Taskforce and several members of Roscommon community radio station RosFM have begun broadcasting from the Athlone area under the banner of Athlone Community Radio. The first broadcast was 15 March 2008 and was set to run every Saturday and Sunday for the following 15 weeks until the end of the temporary license they received.
.
Athlone will host the European Triathlon Championships in 2010. This is expected to bring 5,000 athletes for the event.
, France
. Student exchanges take place between Athlone and Chateaubriant on a regular basis. Student exchanges also take part between Athlone and the German towns of Ludwigshafen am Rhein
and Menden although they are not twinned.
River Shannon
The River Shannon is the longest river in Ireland at . It divides the west of Ireland from the east and south . County Clare, being west of the Shannon but part of the province of Munster, is the major exception...
near the southern shore of Lough Ree
Lough Ree
Lough Ree is a lake in the midlands of Ireland, the second of the three major lakes on the River Shannon. Lough Ree is the second largest lake on the Shannon after Lough Derg. The other two major lakes are Lough Allen to the north, and Lough Derg to the south, there are also several minor lakes...
, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
.
Athlone is on the border of counties Roscommon
County Roscommon
County Roscommon is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the town of Roscommon. Roscommon County Council is the local authority for the county...
(province of Connacht
Connacht
Connacht , formerly anglicised as Connaught, is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the west of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for...
) and Westmeath
County Westmeath
-Economy:Westmeath has a strong agricultural economy. Initially, development occurred around the major market centres of Mullingar, Moate, and Kinnegad. Athlone developed due to its military significance, and its strategic location on the main Dublin–Galway route across the River Shannon. Mullingar...
(province of Leinster
Leinster
Leinster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the east of Ireland. It comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Mide, Osraige and Leinster. Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the historic fifths of Leinster and Mide gradually merged, mainly due to the impact of the Pale, which straddled...
). Although the River Shannon forms the historic border between Roscommon and Westmeath, the Local Government Act of 1898
Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898
The Local Government Act 1898 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that established a system of local government in Ireland similar to that already created for England, Wales and Scotland by legislation in 1888 and 1889...
designated all of Athlone (Urban) as belonging to Westmeath, including areas west of the river. Much recent growth has occurred outside the official town boundaries. Monksland for example, a suburb on the west side of the town, is not within the official town boundaries, yet is the most populous area of County Roscommon.
The 2006 census records the population of the town at 17,544 – though this does not include some outlying suburbs.
The town has also been described as "the commercial capital of the Irish Midlands" and is governed by an elected town council
Town council
A town council is a democratically elected form of government for small municipalities or civil parishes. A council may serve as both the representative and executive branch....
(which elects a Mayor).
The Geographical centre of Ireland
Geographical centre of Ireland
The geographical centre of Ireland is where the 8° Meridian West meets the 53°30' North Latitude in the townland of Carnagh East, County Roscommon on the western shore of Lough Ree, opposite the Cribby Islands and 8.85 kilometres NNW of Athlone Town....
is located 8.85 kilometres N.N.W of Athlone Town.
History
At the heart of Athlone, both geographically and historically, is the castleCastle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
. The ford of Athlone was strategically important, as south of Athlone the Shannon is impassable until Clonmacnoise
Clonmacnoise
The monastery of Clonmacnoise is situated in County Offaly, Ireland on the River Shannon south of Athlone....
(where the Esker Riada
Esker Riada
Esker Riada, , is a system of ridges that stretch across the middle of Ireland, between Dublin and Galway.-Geography:The Esker Riada is a collection of eskers, that passes through the counties of Dublin, Meath, Kildare, Westmeath, Offaly, Roscommon and Galway...
meets the Shannon), and north is Lough Ree
Lough Ree
Lough Ree is a lake in the midlands of Ireland, the second of the three major lakes on the River Shannon. Lough Ree is the second largest lake on the Shannon after Lough Derg. The other two major lakes are Lough Allen to the north, and Lough Derg to the south, there are also several minor lakes...
. In 1001 Brian Bóru
Brian Boru
Brian Bóruma mac Cennétig, , , was an Irish king who ended the domination of the High Kingship of Ireland by the Uí Néill. Building on the achievements of his father, Cennétig mac Lorcain, and especially his elder brother, Mathgamain, Brian first made himself King of Munster, then subjugated...
led his army from Kincora into the town, his fleet sailing up the river via Lough Derg to attend a gathering.
A bridge was built across the river in the 12th century, approximately 100 metres south of the current bridge. To protect this a fort was constructed on the west bank in the town by Turloch Mór Ó Conor. On a number of occasions both the fort and bridge were subject to attacks, and towards the end of the 12th century the Anglo-Normans constructed a motte-and-bailey
Motte-and-bailey
A motte-and-bailey is a form of castle, with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised earthwork called a motte, accompanied by an enclosed courtyard, or bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch and palisade...
fortification here. This was superseded by a stone structure built in 1210 by Justiciar John Gray. The 12-sided donjon dates from this time. The rest of the castle was largely destroyed during the Siege of Athlone
Siege of Athlone
Athlone in central Ireland, was besieged twice during the Williamite War in Ireland . The town is situated on the River Shannon and commanded the bridge crossing the river into the Jacobite held province of Connaught...
and subsequently rebuilt and enlarged.
During the wars that racked Ireland in the seventeenth century, Athlone held a vital position, holding the main bridge over the River Shannon into Connacht
Connacht
Connacht , formerly anglicised as Connaught, is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the west of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for...
. In the Irish Confederate Wars
Irish Confederate Wars
This article is concerned with the military history of Ireland from 1641-53. For the political context of this conflict, see Confederate Ireland....
(1641–1653), the town was held by Irish Confederate troops until it was taken late in 1650 by Charles Coote, who attacked the town from the west, having crossed into Connacht at Sligo
Sligo
Sligo is the county town of County Sligo in Ireland. The town is a borough and has a charter and a town mayor. It is sometimes referred to as a city, and sometimes as a town, and is the second largest urban area in Connacht...
.
Forty years later, during the pan-European War of the Grand Alliance
War of the Grand Alliance
The Nine Years' War – often called the War of the Grand Alliance, the War of the Palatine Succession, or the War of the League of Augsburg – was a major war of the late 17th century fought between King Louis XIV of France, and a European-wide coalition, the Grand Alliance, led by the Anglo-Dutch...
, the city was again of key strategic importance, being one of the Jacobite
Jacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
strongholds defending the river-crossings into the confederate-held Province of Connacht
Connacht
Connacht , formerly anglicised as Connaught, is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the west of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for...
following their being routed at the battle of the Boyne
Battle of the Boyne
The Battle of the Boyne was fought in 1690 between two rival claimants of the English, Scottish and Irish thronesthe Catholic King James and the Protestant King William across the River Boyne near Drogheda on the east coast of Ireland...
1 July 1690. In that year, the Jacobite forces of Colonel Richard Grace
Richard Grace
Colonel Richard Grace was an Irish Royalist soldier who fought for Charles I, Charles II and James II.-Biography:Grace the younger son of Robert Grace, Baron of Courtstown, was born the early part of the 17th century, of a Kilkenny family that may have been descended from Odo, Count of Champagne...
repelled an attack by 10,000 men led by Commander Douglas. In the following year's campaign, the Siege of Athlone
Siege of Athlone
Athlone in central Ireland, was besieged twice during the Williamite War in Ireland . The town is situated on the River Shannon and commanded the bridge crossing the river into the Jacobite held province of Connaught...
saw a further assault by a larger allied force in which the invading troops of King William
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
and Queen Mary
Mary II of England
Mary II was joint Sovereign of England, Scotland, and Ireland with her husband and first cousin, William III and II, from 1689 until her death. William and Mary, both Protestants, became king and queen regnant, respectively, following the Glorious Revolution, which resulted in the deposition of...
eventually overran the entire city, forcing the defenders to flee further west toward the River Suck at such speed that eyewitnesses account they "flung their cannons into the morass" as they fled. The most recent account of the Siege of Athlone was discovered in 2004 in an archive in the Netherlands and written on 5 July 1691 after the attack had ended. The contemporary source was penned by the victorious commanding-officer from the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands, general lieutenant Godard van Reede, in letters written to his family-members on mainland Europe. In the account, the commanding allied officer reported half of the city's defenders had retreated westward towards the rest of their army, leaving almost 2000 dead within the city walls with over a hundred taken prisoner among whom were dozens of officers.
It was proposed in the Republican Éire Nua
Éire Nua
Éire Nua, or "New Ireland", was a political strategy of the Provisional IRA and Sinn Féin during the 1970s and early 1980s. It was particularly associated with the Dublin based leadership group centred around Ruairí Ó Brádaigh and Dáithí Ó Conaill who were the authors of the policy...
programme to make Athlone the capital city
Capital City
Capital City was a television show produced by Euston Films which focused on the lives of investment bankers in London living and working on the corporate trading floor for the fictional international bank Shane-Longman....
of a federal United Ireland
United Ireland
A united Ireland is the term used to refer to the idea of a sovereign state which covers all of the thirty-two traditional counties of Ireland. The island of Ireland includes the territory of two independent sovereign states: the Republic of Ireland, which covers 26 counties of the island, and the...
.
Music, theatre and culture
There are three theatres in Athlone: The Dean Crowe Theatre and Arts Centre ,The Little Theatre, and Passionfruit TheatrePassionfruit Theatre
The Passionfruit Theatre is a theatre and theatre company based in Athlone, County Westmeath, Ireland. It was founded by Irish playwright and novelist Joe Ducke, Old Vic graduate Emily Campbell, and lighting designer Emma Lohan...
Company.
The RTÉ
RTE
RTÉ is the abbreviation for Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the public broadcasting service of the Republic of Ireland.RTE may also refer to:* Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 25th Prime Minister of Turkey...
All-Ireland Drama Festival takes place annually in Athlone, and brings together 9 amateur drama groups from across Ireland. The festival is supported by an active fringe which involves street theatre
Street theatre
Street theatre is a form of theatrical performance and presentation in outdoor public spaces without a specific paying audience. These spaces can be anywhere, including shopping centres, car parks, recreational reserves and street corners. They are especially seen in outdoor spaces where there are...
, art exhibitions, workshops and events for young people.
Athlone Literary Festival is an annual event which began in 1999
as a week-end celebration of the life and works of John Broderick
(1924–1989), but which now features a great variety of speakers and debaters.
Count John McCormack was born in Athlone and for many years an annual festival celebrated this world-renowned tenor
Tenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
.
The Athlone School of Music opened in October 2005 and is a grant aided project aimed at developing music education and services in the Midlands region.
Literature
American crime writer James M. CainJames M. Cain
James Mallahan Cain was an American author and journalist. Although Cain himself vehemently opposed labeling, he is usually associated with the hardboiled school of American crime fiction and seen as one of the creators of the roman noir...
references Athlone in his 1937 book Serenade, in a passage where two characters discuss tenor John McCormack:
"--There's the language he was born to. John McCormack comes from Dublin".
"He does not. He comes from Athlone".
"Didn't he live in Dublin?".
"No Matter. They speak a fine brogue in Athlone, almost as fine as in Belfast".
"It's a fine brogue, but it's not brogue. It's the English language as it was spoken before all the other countries of the world forgot how to speak it. There's two things a singer can't buy, beg or steal, and that no teacher, coach or conductor can give him. One is his voice, the other is the language that was born in his mouth. When McCormack was singing Handel he was singing English, and he sings it as no American and no Englishman will ever sing English".
Transport
Given its central location, Athlone is a natural hub for transport, with frequent bus and rail schedules. Athlone railway stationAthlone railway station
Athlone railway station serves the town of Athlone in County Roscommon and County Westmeath. The station is at the junction between the railway lines between Dublin-Galway and Dublin-Westport. There was a railway line to Mullingar but it is now disused...
, which opened on 3 October 1859, services the Galway
Galway
Galway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
to Dublin and Dublin to Westport
Westport, County Mayo
Westport is a town in County Mayo, Ireland. It is situated on the west coast at the south-east corner of Clew Bay, an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean....
/Ballina
Ballina, County Mayo
Ballina is a large town in north County Mayo in Ireland. It lies at the mouth of the River Moy near Killala Bay, in the Moy valley and Parish of Kilmoremoy, with the Ox Mountain range to the east and the Nephin Beg mountains to the west...
lines. Bus Eireann
Bus Éireann
Bus Éireann provides bus services in Ireland with the exception of those operated entirely within the Dublin Region, which are provided by Dublin Bus. Bus Éireann, established as a separate company in 1987, is a subsidiary of Córas Iompair Éireann. The logo of Bus Éireann incorporates a red Irish...
, the national bus operator, operates from beside the train station and covers most towns and cities in the country, including an hourly service to Dublin and Galway. Other private operators also provide services to some towns and cities. Bus Éireann also operates a local Athlone bus service. The town is also home to a number of privately operated services, including the Flagline bus company. Taxi service is widely available throughout the area.
The town is situated on the N6 road connecting Galway to Dublin with various smaller roads, such as the N62
N62 road (Ireland)
The N62 road is a national secondary road in Ireland. It links the M6 motorway east of Athlone, County Westmeath with junction 6 of the M8 motorway south-east of Thurles in County Tipperary...
, connecting from other areas. The new M6 motorway
M6 motorway (Ireland)
The M6 motorway is a motorway in Ireland, which runs from Dublin to Galway. The M6 extends from its junction with the M4 at Kinnegad all the way west to the outskirts of Galway City, but the Athlone bypass and the approach to Galway city - while of dual carriageway standard - have not been...
now connects the town directly to Dublin and Galway, cutting travelling and commuting time considerably.
Tourism and amenities
The River ShannonRiver Shannon
The River Shannon is the longest river in Ireland at . It divides the west of Ireland from the east and south . County Clare, being west of the Shannon but part of the province of Munster, is the major exception...
runs through Athlone and the town is a popular spot for people passing through on pleasure craft
Pleasure craft
A pleasure craft is a boat used for personal, family, and sometimes sportsmanlike recreation. Typically such watercraft are motorized and are used for holidays, for example on a river, lake, canal or waterway. Pleasure craft are normally kept at a marina...
, many of whom stop off at the Marinas. Lough Ree
Lough Ree
Lough Ree is a lake in the midlands of Ireland, the second of the three major lakes on the River Shannon. Lough Ree is the second largest lake on the Shannon after Lough Derg. The other two major lakes are Lough Allen to the north, and Lough Derg to the south, there are also several minor lakes...
, the largest lake on the Shannon, is a short distance upstream
Source (river or stream)
The source or headwaters of a river or stream is the place from which the water in the river or stream originates.-Definition:There is no universally agreed upon definition for determining a stream's source...
from Athlone to the North of the town, and is popular among anglers, birdwatchers, and swimmers. The lake shore is easily accessed from Coosan Point
Coosan
Coosan is a suburb just north of Athlone, County Westmeath. Surrounded on three sides by Lough Ree and one side by Athlone town itself, its population has grown since the Celtic Tiger from around 400 in the 1990s to roughly 5000 in the early 21st century. Due to its location on the edge of Lough...
, and Hodson Bay. The town is also home to Lough Ree Yacht Club
Lough Ree Yacht Club
Lough Ree Yacht Club is a sailing club based in Ballymore, Coosan, near Athlone, Ireland. Founded in the year 1770, albeit under a different original name, it claims to be one of the oldest yacht clubs in the world, although another Irish yacht club, The Royal Cork Yacht Club has proven to be the...
. The promenade is also a popular spot for anglers.
Retail
Retail consists of the sale of physical goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be...
centre in the Midlands, and The Golden Island Shopping Centre attracts shoppers from a wide radius. There was also the smaller Texas Shopping Centre (formerly known as Athlone Shopping Centre, prior to being acquired by the Texas department store
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
chain
Chain store
Chain stores are retail outlets that share a brand and central management, and usually have standardized business methods and practices. These characteristics also apply to chain restaurants and some service-oriented chain businesses. In retail, dining and many service categories, chain businesses...
). Another large-scale development opened on 1 November 2007, Athlone Town Centre comprises two internal streets, with 54 shops and a hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
, and is the largest shopping and leisure centre in Ireland, outside Dublin. Athlone also has a vibrant town centre extending from Church street to Sean Costello street.
Athlone Regional Sports Centre is a facility (established May 2002) developed by the Town Council,this facility has a swimming pool, gym and astro turf pitches.
Sean's Bar
Sean's Bar
Sean's Bar is a pub in Athlone, Ireland. It claims to be the oldest pub in Ireland, dating back to 900, and received a certificate from Guinness World Records repeating the claim....
, located on the west bank of the river, is listed by the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest pub in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
Many boat hire companys work from here including
athlonecruisers
, the oldest hire boat company on the River Shannon,
Other popular attractions for visitors are the Glendeer Open Farm and the Viking
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
# Cruise of the Shannon. The town's tourist office is located at Athlone Civic Centre.
Education & Industry
Athlone's major employers include companies such as ÉlanÉlan
Élan Corporation plc is a major drugs firm based in Athlone, County Roscommon, Ireland which has major interests in the United States. In the late 1990s its value on the Irish Stock Exchange reached over €20bn. It has secondary listings on the London Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange....
(pharmaceuticals), which originated in Athlone, Bioclin Laboratories (pharmaceuticals), Ericsson
Ericsson
Ericsson , one of Sweden's largest companies, is a provider of telecommunication and data communication systems, and related services, covering a range of technologies, including especially mobile networks...
(telecommunications), Tyco Healthcare (medical equipment), Alcatel
Alcatel
Alcatel Mobile Phones is a brand of mobile handsets. It was established in 2004 as a joint venture between Alcatel-Lucent of France and TCL Communication of China....
(cables), Utah Medical (medical equipment), Pharmaplaz (pharmaceuticals), Alienware
Alienware
Alienware is an American computer hardware subsidary of Dell, Inc. It mainly assembles third party components into desktops and laptops with custom enclosures for high-performance gaming. These products also support graphically intense applications such as video editing, simulation, and audio editing...
(computer hardware), (ICT Eurotel (contact centre), and Athlone Extrusions (polymers).
Athlone is the regional centre for a large number of state and semi-state organisations. The Department of Education & Science
Department of Education and Science (Ireland)
The Department of Education and Skills is a department of the Government of Ireland. It is led by the Minister for Education and Skills who is assisted by two Ministers of State.-Departmental team:...
, The State Examinations Commission
State Examinations Commission
The State Examinations Commission is the organisation that replaced the Department of Education and Science, Examinations Branch of the Minister for Education and Science in the Republic of Ireland...
, Revenue Commissioners, FÁS
Fas
Fas can mean the following:* Fas receptor, an important cell surface receptor protein of the TNF receptor family known also as CD95, that induces apoptosis on binding Fas ligand.* Fes, Morocco, the third largest city in Morocco, as an alternate spelling...
Midlands Region, Bus Éireann
Bus Éireann
Bus Éireann provides bus services in Ireland with the exception of those operated entirely within the Dublin Region, which are provided by Dublin Bus. Bus Éireann, established as a separate company in 1987, is a subsidiary of Córas Iompair Éireann. The logo of Bus Éireann incorporates a red Irish...
, Iarnród Éireann
Iarnród Éireann
Iarnród Éireann is the national railway system operator of Ireland. Established on 2 February 1987, it is a subsidiary of Córas Iompair Éireann . It operates all internal intercity, commuter and freight railway services in the Republic of Ireland, and, jointly with Northern Ireland Railways, the...
, IDA Ireland
IDA Ireland
IDA Ireland is the agency responsible for industrial development in Ireland. The agency was founded in 1949 as the Industrial Development Authority and placed on a statutory footing a year later...
, and Enterprise Ireland
Enterprise Ireland
Enterprise Ireland is the Irish leading state economic development agency focused on helping Irish-owned business deliver new export sales. The core mission of Enterprise Ireland is to accelerate the development of Irish enterprises capable of achieving strong positions in global markets resulting...
all have bases in the town. Athlone is also a major Irish military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
centre, Custume Barracks on the West bank of the Shannon is the headquarters of the Western Command of the Irish Army
Irish Army
The Irish Army, officially named simply the Army is the main branch of the Defence Forces of Ireland. Approximately 8,500 men and women serve in the Irish Army, divided into three infantry Brigades...
.
Athlone Institute of Technology
Athlone Institute of Technology
Athlone Institute of Technology is the only higher education institution in the midlands of Ireland. Established in 1970 as Athlone Regional Technical College, it has expanded in size, scope, and influence over the period...
(AIT) is the regional third level college. Athlone forms part of the Midlands Gateway
Midlands Gateway
-Midlands Gateway or Lake-Counties Gateway:Centered between the major Irish airports, of Dublin, Shannon, and Knock, with ever improving ground infrastructure, the Irish government and local authorities plan to alleviate urban problems, by decentralising to growing gateways such as the Midlands...
along with Mullingar
Mullingar
Mullingar is the county town of County Westmeath in Ireland. The Counties of Meath and Westmeath Act of 1542, proclaimed Westmeath a county, separating it from Meath. Mullingar became the administrative centre for County Westmeath...
and Tullamore
Tullamore
Tullamore is a town in County Offaly, in the midlands of Ireland. It is Offaly's county town and the centre of the district.Tullamore is an important commercial and industrial centre in the region. Major international employers in the town include 'Tyco Healthcare' and 'Boston Scientific'. In...
. Alongside Waterford's Institute of Technology, AIT harbours ambitions of attaining university status, as there is no institution providing university-level education in the Irish Midlands.
There are five major secondary schools in the Athlone area. They are Athlone Community College
Athlone Community College
Athlone Community College is a mixed gender school in the town of Athlone in the Irish Midlands. Athlone Community College consists of a student body of 900 students and employs more than 70 teachers.-History:...
(mixed), Our Lady's Bower (girls only), Marist College (boys only), St. Aloysius' College (boys only) and Summerhill College (girls only).
In June 2010, Brian Cowen announced his support of the proposed Euro/China training hub in Athlone.
Broadcasting
Between 1931 and 1975 the main radio transmission centre for Irish radio was located at Moydrum, Athlone (GC: 53°25′14"N 7°52′52"W). The original call-sign was 2RN (a wordplay on the song "Come back to Erin"). It subsequently became known as "Radio Athlone" and could clearly be heard throughout Europe, and as far as Moscow. This changed as bandwidth allocations were accorded at the Treaty of Helsinki.It operated at a power of 60 kW (further increased to 100 kW in the 1950s). As antenna a T-antenna was and is used, which is spun between two 100 metres tall guyed masts with square cross section and which are insulated against ground. Many old radio sets in Europe had the "Athlone" dial position marked near the end of their tuning scales.
In the late 1970s the station reopened on a new dial position of 612 kHz for "Radio 2" (later known as RTÉ 2fm
RTÉ 2fm
RTÉ 2fm, or 2FM as it is more commonly referred to, is Raidió Teilifís Éireann's second national radio station. It broadcasts popular music programming aimed at a young Irish audience.- History :...
).
Moydrum was also the location of Ireland's short lived Shortwave international radio service that was closed down in 1948 due to lack of money.
Today, RTÉ
RTE
RTÉ is the abbreviation for Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the public broadcasting service of the Republic of Ireland.RTE may also refer to:* Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 25th Prime Minister of Turkey...
's Midlands studios are located in Athlone, at St. Mary's Square. The local radio station is Midlands 103
Midlands 103
Midlands 103 is an Irish local radio station broadcasting to Laois, Offaly and Westmeath.The station's headquarters is in Tullamore, and it also has studios in Athlone, Mullingar, and Portlaoise.- Presenters :*Aidan Barry...
. Many also tune into Shannonside.
A new radio station i102-104fm has recently been launched. This station will be geared to the 18-34 age group in the midlands and north-east.
And again in affirmation of Athlone's broadcasting roots yet another station is about to be launched on a nationwide basis, using the 612 kHz band, with a Christian emphasis.
As well as this the Athlone Community Taskforce and several members of Roscommon community radio station RosFM have begun broadcasting from the Athlone area under the banner of Athlone Community Radio. The first broadcast was 15 March 2008 and was set to run every Saturday and Sunday for the following 15 weeks until the end of the temporary license they received.
Sports
As well as having a Regional Sports Centre, Athlone has a variety of sporting organisations, including the Athlone Town Association Football ClubAthlone Town A.F.C.
Athlone Town F.C. is an Irish football club from Athlone, playing in the League of Ireland. The club was founded in 1887. First elected to the League of Ireland in 1922, they play their home matches in Lissywoollen their new stadium which opened in 2007...
.
Athlone will host the European Triathlon Championships in 2010. This is expected to bring 5,000 athletes for the event.
People
- The noted tenorTenorThe tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
, John McCormack was born in Athlone in 1884 at the BawnBawnA bawn is the defensive wall surrounding an Irish tower house. It is the anglicised version of the Irish word badhún meaning "cattle-stronghold" or "cattle-enclosure". The Irish word for "cow" is bó and its plural is ba...
. - Eugene Daly, a survivor of the Titanic disaster, was born in Athlone in 1883
- Stephen DonohoeStephen DonohoeStephen Donohoe is a flat racing jockey, British Champion Apprentice 2006. The Athlone man rode 44 winners in 2006 and finished four ahead of his main challengers, capturing the hearts of the nation when he claimed the title in late October.He sealed the prestigious award with victory on a 14/1...
, Famous jockeyJockeyA jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...
and sailorSailorA sailor, mariner, or seaman is a person who navigates water-borne vessels or assists in their operation, maintenance, or service. The term can apply to professional mariners, military personnel, and recreational sailors as well as a plethora of other uses... - Birthplace of T. P. O'ConnorT. P. O'ConnorThomas Power O'Connor , known as T. P. O'Connor and occasionally as Tay Pay, was a journalist, an Irish nationalist political figure, and a Member of Parliament in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland for nearly fifty years.-Biography:O'Connor was born in...
(18481848 in Ireland-Events:* Thomas Francis Meagher flies the Irish Tricolour in Waterford, the first recorded usage of the flag which is now the national flag of the Republic of Ireland.*12 May - Kilkenny railway station opened....
– 19291929 in Ireland-Events:*January 17 - All cats from abroad, except Great Britain, are to be kept in quarantine for a period of six months to avoid rabies.*February 8 - A Belfast court sentences Fianna Fáil leader, Éamon de Valera, to one month in jail for illegally entering County Armagh.*February 20 -...
), journalist and Member of ParliamentMember of ParliamentA Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
in the British House of Commons. - Birthplace of George Thomas StokesGeorge Thomas StokesGeorge Thomas Stokes was an Irish ecclesiastical historian.Stokes was born on December 28, 1843 in Athlone, Ireland. He studied at Galway grammar school and at Queens College Galway. He graduated from Trinity College, Dublin with a B.A. in 1864, an M.A. in 1871, a B.D. in 1881, and a D.D...
(18431843 in Ireland-Events:*January - Daniel O'Connell proclaims 1843 as the "Repeal Year".*31 January - Queen's Bridge in Belfast opens.*21 February - Repeal debate in Dublin Corporation....
– 18981898 in Ireland-Events:*6 July - Guglielmo Marconi conducts a test radio telegraph transmission for Lloyd's between Ballycastle, County Antrim, and Rathlin Island.*12 August - James Connolly launches the first issue of the Workers' Republic newsletter....
), ecclesiastical historian. - John Larkan RN of HMS Pandora (1779)HMS Pandora (1779)HMS Pandora was a 24-gun Porcupine-class sixth-rate post ship of the Royal Navy launched in May 1779. She is best known as the ship sent in 1790 to search for the Bounty and the mutineers who had taken her...
came from Athlone. - Birthplace of John Broderick (writer)John Broderick (writer)-Biography:Broderick was born in Athlone, Ireland, in 1924. Apart from a year or two spent in Paris and Rome, he lived most of his life in the Irish Midlands, except for his last eight years when he relocated to Bath, England...
(1924–1989) Irish novelist - Birthplace of Michael Joseph CurleyMichael Joseph CurleyMichael Joseph Curley was an Irish-born clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. Originally a priest and bishop in the Diocese of St...
(October 12, 1879 - May 16, 1947) - Catholic Archbishop and Educationalist - Birthplace of Declan LynchDeclan LynchDeclan Lynch is an Irish journalist, writer and playwright. Lynch was born in Athlone, Ireland, and now works for the Sunday Independent....
Irish novelist and playwright
Twin city
Athlone is twinned with ChateaubriantChâteaubriant
-Coat of arms:Two coats of arms are attributed :*First Pale: Blue, three gold fleurs de lys, Pales split in two by a shortened staff with a red hache....
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Student exchanges take place between Athlone and Chateaubriant on a regular basis. Student exchanges also take part between Athlone and the German towns of Ludwigshafen am Rhein
Ludwigshafen am Rhein
Ludwigshafen am Rhein is a city in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Ludwigshafen is located on the Rhine opposite Mannheim. Together with Mannheim, Heidelberg and the surrounding region, it forms the Rhine Neckar Area....
and Menden although they are not twinned.
See also
- History of AthloneHistory of AthloneAt the heart of Athlone in Ireland, both geographically and historically, is the castle. The ford of Athlone was strategically important, as south of Athlone the River Shannon is impassable until Clonmacnoise , and north is Lough Ree...
- County WestmeathCounty Westmeath-Economy:Westmeath has a strong agricultural economy. Initially, development occurred around the major market centres of Mullingar, Moate, and Kinnegad. Athlone developed due to its military significance, and its strategic location on the main Dublin–Galway route across the River Shannon. Mullingar...
- County RoscommonCounty RoscommonCounty Roscommon is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the town of Roscommon. Roscommon County Council is the local authority for the county...
- Sean's BarSean's BarSean's Bar is a pub in Athlone, Ireland. It claims to be the oldest pub in Ireland, dating back to 900, and received a certificate from Guinness World Records repeating the claim....
- MullingarMullingarMullingar is the county town of County Westmeath in Ireland. The Counties of Meath and Westmeath Act of 1542, proclaimed Westmeath a county, separating it from Meath. Mullingar became the administrative centre for County Westmeath...
- TullamoreTullamoreTullamore is a town in County Offaly, in the midlands of Ireland. It is Offaly's county town and the centre of the district.Tullamore is an important commercial and industrial centre in the region. Major international employers in the town include 'Tyco Healthcare' and 'Boston Scientific'. In...
- Lough ReeLough ReeLough Ree is a lake in the midlands of Ireland, the second of the three major lakes on the River Shannon. Lough Ree is the second largest lake on the Shannon after Lough Derg. The other two major lakes are Lough Allen to the north, and Lough Derg to the south, there are also several minor lakes...
- River ShannonRiver ShannonThe River Shannon is the longest river in Ireland at . It divides the west of Ireland from the east and south . County Clare, being west of the Shannon but part of the province of Munster, is the major exception...
- List of towns and villages in Ireland
- Market Houses in IrelandMarket Houses in the Republic of IrelandMarket houses are a notable feature of many Irish towns with varying styles of architecture, size and ornamentation making for a most interesting feature of the streetscape. Originally there were three, four or even five bays on the ground floor which were an open arcade. An upper floor was...
- Midlands GatewayMidlands Gateway-Midlands Gateway or Lake-Counties Gateway:Centered between the major Irish airports, of Dublin, Shannon, and Knock, with ever improving ground infrastructure, the Irish government and local authorities plan to alleviate urban problems, by decentralising to growing gateways such as the Midlands...
- Midland Railway Action GroupMidland Railway Action GroupMidland Railway Action Group was established to improve the internal infrastructure of the Irish Midlands, in particular, Mullingar, Tullamore, and Athlone, the Midland Railway Action Group is a pressure group striving to have the Athlone to Mullingar rail line re-opened, in order to serve the...
- RTÉ RadioRTÉ RadioRTÉ Radio is a department of Irish national broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann. RTÉ Radio broadcasts four analogue channels and five digital channels....
External links
- Athlone.ie – Official Town Portal
- EuroFestival.ie – Euro-Festival Athlone 2010