[citation needed], "Athlone – A Potted History by Gearoid O'Brien (librarian/historian)", "The Old Athlone Society, Custume Barracks – a short history by Dr Harman Murtagh", "Irish Army - Contact Details - Custume Barracks", "Sean's Bar, Athlone – Oldest Pub in Ireland | Ireland Travel Guide", Athlone (Parliament of Ireland constituency), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=History_of_Athlone&oldid=937653106, All Wikipedia articles written in Irish English, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 26 January 2020, at 10:28. [4] It is named after a Sergeant Custume who, during the 1691 Siege of Athlone, led a dozen volunteers (of whom 2 survived) out under the Dutch guns to tear down a wooden bridge.

Athlone Castle Visitor Centre Opening Hours: Temporary Closure Notice. The Little theatre has been around since 1936 and has a smaller The town's barracks occupies a large area of the west bank of the River Shannon. ATHLONE CASTLE: ITS EARLY HISTORY, WITH NOTES ON SOME NEIGHBOURING CASTLES.

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. Featured Artefact. Experience a magnificent immersive journey through history at Athlone Castle Visitor Centre. Several rebuilds and extensions almost totally obscure the medieval origins. These quarters now house part of the castle museum. Museum contains several diverse sections of local and historical interest. The following year 25,000 Williamite troops, under the command of General de Ginkle, besieged the town. Timeline of events at Athlone Castle throughout history.

There is still a Franciscan presence in Athlone today. Athlone Castle started off as a typical medieval motte-and-bailey castle, strategically located on the Shannon. 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. Lough Ree, the largest lake on the Shannon, is a short distance upstream from Athlone, and many boat companies are based out of the town. for details.

The Society was founded in 1849 "To preserve, examine and illustrate all ancient monuments and memorials of the arts, manners and customs of the past, as connected with the antiquities, language, literature and history of Ireland." From the early Christian era to the 20th century, discover the unique artefacts that have deep historical roots in Athlone. Bernd is a travel writer from Germany who has lived in Ireland since the late 1990s and written several German-language tourism guides to the country. Several rebuilds and extensions almost totally obscure the medieval origins. It was reopened in November 2012 following extensive renovations.

The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland appears No real history of the castle itself tangible. Today's castle is essentially a fortification from Napoleonic times with earlier foundations. I, Postponed....will be rescheduled in the coming wee, Explore the Hidden Heartlands by boat on the beaut, Treat yourself over the June Bank Holiday weekend, Glendeer Pet Farm will reopen for the Summer seaso, Plan a river cruise this year and explore some of, Check out @athlone_whiskey_tours scheduled dates f, Leap into Athlone this weekend! Other parts of the castle were largely destroyed during the Siege of Athlone and the external defences were subsequently rebuilt and enlarged. This medieval bridge seems to have perished by the early years of the 14th century.

The Castle was the last post to surrender and King William’s army then proceeded to Aughrim and on to Limerick where the Treaty was signed. A ccording to our great epic tale, the Tain bo Chuailgne, the origin of "^ the name Athlone was as follows:?When Queen Meav brought back to Cruachan the mighty bull called the Donn of Cuailgne, the Guide Review - Athlone Castle (County Westmeath).

To learn more about the history of Athlone a visit to Athlone Castle is highly recommended. Before then, boats used a canal, about a mile and a half long, to the west of the river. All Rights Reserved. This item is part of JSTOR collection The Siege of Athlone destroyed much of the castle, though the 12-sided tower dates from this time, but it was later rebuilt and enlarged.

Athlone’s musical icon is world-renowned tenor John McCormack (1884-1945). events for young people at various venues throughout Athlone. in these and related fields. famous monastic site in Ireland.

Other fortifications in the area include the ruins of a battery just to the north of Athlone (in an area now a nature reserve) and a large artificial hill called "The Batteries" upon which council housing has been built. The Normans reached the Shannon before 1200 and recognized the strategic importance of the ford. Witness Athlone’s history, people, castle, and battles explored and brought to life at Athlone Castle Visitor Centre with modern exhibitions. Several rebuilds and extensions almost totally obscure the medieval origins. From the early Christian era to the 20th century, discover the unique artefacts that have deep historical roots in Athlone. 'Athlone castle in summer, Co. Westmeath, Ireland.' Read your article online and download the PDF from your email or your account. King Turlough O Connor (Toirdelbach Ua Conchobair) of Connacht was responsible for the building of a succession of temporary bridges across the Shannon at Athlone to facilitate his forays into Meath; he also built the earliest recorded ‘castle’ here in 1129. Athlone takes its name from that ford: Athluain (the ford of Luan). During the Williamite and Jacobite Wars the town was besieged twice. After the dissolution of the monasteries the friars returned to the locality to spearhead the counter-reformation. Athlone Castle Fun on the water can be had at Baysports with their world-record inflatable slides or stay on dry land with a number of nature trails and events on the Over the years this self perpetuating Corporation was controlled by two hugely influential families: the Handcocks (who were Tories) and the St Georges (who were Whigs). institution. The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland The Connaught side was defended by a fosse which no longer exists. These quarters are now part of the castle museum. Surrounding town of Athlone provides picturesque walks. ancient to modern times, including letters from those who fled Ireland, sailing to Boston during the famine years in the middle of the nineteenth century.

Timeline of events at Athlone Castle throughout history. The gallery opened with an exhibition from the Irish Museum of Modern Art, featuring the w The Complete Guide to England's Dover Castle, Visit Drogheda: The Irish Town on the Banks of the Boyne, Things You Need to Know About County Wexford, The Complete Guide to the Chateau de Vincennes, a Medieval Fortress, How to Explore Ulster, the Irish North-East, 12 Amazing Castles to Visit in the Czech Republic, Essential County Louth Travel Information, Why to Consider a Vacation on Ireland's Inland Waterways. After the decline of the Norman colony the town fell into decay and the control of the castle alternated between the O’Kellys of Hy-many and the Dillons of Kilkenny-West. Access supplemental materials and multimedia. 17] (Sep. 30, 1907), Access everything in the JPASS collection, Download up to 10 article PDFs to save and keep, Download up to 120 article PDFs to save and keep.