AN IRISH POSTCARD – ATHLONE

Here we are – pretty much at the centre of the country, in a town split by the mighty River Shannon – welcome to Athlone!

Looking back on our history, this was always an obvious spot for a settlement. A chain of eskers (low mounds of sediment, etc formed by a glacier), running across the country, created a natural ford when it reached the Shannon. The shallow waters, formed by the ridge, provided the only river crossing for miles in either direction. Findings on the river bed date its use back to the Bronze Age while grave slabs suggest an early Christian monastery of some sort.

Roll on to 900AD when a local called Luain earned his living by guiding travellers and animals across the river. The enterprising gent established an inn to provide accommodation and refreshments for those en route. The place became known as Áth Luain – the Ford of Luain … which became ATHLONE.

Back in the day, Ireland was divided into five provinces, each governed by a monarch. Turlough O’Connor – king of Connaught (later High King of Ireland) – recognised the strategic importance of the settlement that was growing around Áth Luain. In 1129, he built a wicker bridge and the first castle on the site.

By 1200, the Normans had reached the Shannon and work began on a new bridge and a stone castle. From then on, almost every war and invasion saw battles here and so, while there are still elements of that original castle in place today, various upgrades and additions were made to the town’s defences due to its violent history.

Extensive navigation works in the 1840’s finally opened the Shannon to boat traffic through the town….

This guy is causing a bit of controversy around the place! In 2019, the Council commissioned a piece of art to represent Athlone and selected this 11 ft statue – Mask of the Shannon – in recognition of the importance of the river to the town’s existence and development.

But…….the image was inspired by the neoclassical river god heads that adorn the Custom House in Dublin – a building still considered by some as a reminder of British administration in Ireland.

and – it gets worse….

The river is named after the Goddess Sionann

So the use of a male colonial figure to represent the Shannon has NOT gone down well at all!!!

Dominating the river bank and directly across the road from the castle, the imposing Church of St Peter and Paul is often mistaken for a cathedral. Its main exterior features are its twin towers whilst inside it boasts impressive stained glass windows mostly produced in the Harry Clarke workshop.

Across the river, this particular site is thought to have been home to various religious foundations from the 8th century. A grave slab of one of Connaght’s kings , dated 764 was found here (it’s on display in the castle museum). These ruins were part of a Franciscan Abbey started in 1687 but never finished due to war.

I particularly love the laneway of memorial slabs – mostly dating from the 18th /19th centuries….

Story Boards in this area remind us of a tragic period in our history. The road beside the abbey was known as Cosan na Marbh (Pathway of the Dead). This was the route to the nearby Workhouse – one of 163 in operation in the country until the 1920’s. They were established under the Poor Law Act of 1838 to provide for those who could not provide for themselves. A fever hospital here was added in the mid 19th century. Indeed, the field beside the Abbey was used for mass buriels during the famine and became known as The Cholera Field.

Athlone has remained a military town since the first barracks were constructed in 1691. The present barracks, prominently located along the river, have evolved into a large complex. Additions over the years include fine examples of Victorian and Georgian architecture (but you won’t be allowed in to see them of course!)

On 28th February, 1922 the barracks was formally handed over to the Free State Army. Since independence, it has remained an important part of life in Athlone and the Midlands. During the Troubles, it was heavily involved in border patrols while its troops have been deployed on a wide range of missions abroad.

While most retail outlets have retreated into the shopping centres and suburban retail parks, the town is caters well for tourists so you won’t go hungry or thirsty!!

Athlone as a Tourist Base

Within the town itself there are walking trails along by the river…

…Viking tours and cruiser hire….

…. and cycle paths – The Old Rail Trail Greenway, 42km in total, follows the historic Midlands Great Western Railway track through beautiful countryside.

Nearby..

….you have all the amenities of beautiful Lough Ree, just a few kilometres away

… the Early Christian monastic site of Clonmacnoise…. (YES!!!! The sun DOES shine in these here parts!!) (24kms)

… and even the Corlea Trackway – a stretch of road across the bog dated to 148BC! (29kms)

After all that, you’ve surely earned a pint in Sean’s Bar – Yes – formally known as the one and only Luain’s Inn, this is officially the Oldest Pub in Ireland (its documented history back to 900AD has been researched by the Guinness Book of Records) with expectations that it may earn the title Oldest Pub in the World if nothing older turns up!