68-474: The Westmeath Independent is a local newspaper serving County Westmeath , Ireland . It is based in the town of Athlone . Publication is weekly on Wednesdays. It is owned by Celtic Media Group . Circulation as of 2012 was 7726. This Ireland newspaper–related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . County Westmeath County Westmeath ( / w ɛ s t ˈ m iː ð / ; Irish : Contae na hIarmhí or simply An Iarmhí )
136-638: A battle for the High Kingship – only to have Máel Sechnaill, abandoned by his kinsmen of the Northern Uí Néill , submit to Brian without a fight. A bridge was built across the river in the 12th century, approximately 100 metres (330 ft) south of the current structure. In 1129, to protect the bridge, the High King Turloch Mór Ó Conor constructed a fort on the river's west bank, within Athlone. On
204-438: A coeducational school; Our Lady's Bower School, a girls' school; Marist College , a boys' school; Coláiste Chiaráin, the new secondary school resulting from the amalgamation of St. Aloysius' College and St Joseph's College, Summerhill. In June 2010, Taoiseach Brian Cowen announced his support of a proposed European and Chinese training hub in Athlone. In May 2012, the project was granted permission by An Bord Pleanála . It
272-505: 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 are 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
340-576: A life-sized male figure, dressed in a typical IRA uniform from the period, and was created by Dublin-based sculptor Desmond Broe . Also on Custume Place is a sculpture, the "Mask of the Shannon", which was erected in 2020 - despite some controversy about the choice of figure used to personify the River Shannon . A figurative statue , representing the "contributions the Marist Brothers have made to
408-517: A number of hotels, including chains such the Radisson Blu and Sheraton hotels, as well as several locally-owned ones. The promenade on the River Shannon is popular among anglers , birdwatchers and swimmers . The lakeshore is accessed from Coosan Point and Hodson Bay. Athlone Castle is open to the public as a museum and there is a tourist office on Church Street. Sean's Bar , located on
476-460: 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 there. This earthen fort was followed by a stone structure built in 1210 by Justiciar John de Gray . The 12-sided donjon , or tower, dates from this time; however, the rest of the original castle was largely destroyed during
544-506: A number of trains passing through towns in the county. The Dublin–Westport/Galway railway line runs through the county, with services from Dublin Heuston to Galway / Westport / Ballina inter-city train service stops at Athlone , while the Dublin-Sligo railway line service stops at Mullingar . The line from Athlone via Moate railway station to Mullingar is disused and converted into
612-481: A pharmaceutical company that succeeded Elan in Athlone; Bioclin Laboratories, another pharmaceutical company; Ericsson , a telecommunications business; Tyco Healthcare , a medical equipment supplier; Utah Medical, another medical equipment supplier; Pharmaplaz, another pharmaceutical company; Alienware , a computer hardware business; ICT Eurotel, a contact centre; and Athlone Extrusions, a polymer supplier. Athlone
680-569: A right to elect two MPs to the Irish House of Commons until 1801. After the Acts of Union 1800 , it was represented in the United Kingdom House of Commons by one MP. A commissioners' report dated 1833 stated: "To the prosperity of Athlone the corporation have at no time contributed, nor is it likely that, as at present constituted, they ever will. The strongest feeling of hostility exists between
748-513: Is a county in Ireland . It is in the province of Leinster and is part of the Eastern and Midland Region . It formed part of the historic Kingdom of Meath , which was named Mide because the kingdom was located in the geographical centre of Ireland (the word Mide meaning 'middle'). Westmeath County Council is the administrative body for the county, and the county town is Mullingar. At the 2022 census,
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#1732858618018816-563: Is a town on the border of County Roscommon and County Westmeath , Ireland . It is located on the River Shannon near the southern shore of Lough Ree . It is the second most populous town in the Midlands Region with a population of 22,869 in the 2022 census . Most of the town lies on the east bank of the river, within the townland of the same name ; however, by the terms of the Local Government Act of 1898 , six townlands on
884-643: Is also home to a number of privately operated services, including the Flagline bus company, which operates local bus routes as well as service to Tullamore . Bus Éireann continues to operate a local Athlone bus service in and around the town. The local services are as follows: Route A1: Bus Station, Willow Park (Norwood Court) via Golden Island Shopping Centre, Dublin Road and Athlone Institute of Technology; and Route A2: Monksland (River Village); Garrycastle (Moydrum Road) via Galway Road, St. Peter's Avenue, Saint Anne's Terrace,
952-442: Is an annual event which began in 1999, originally as a weekend celebration of the life and works of John Broderick , but which now features a great variety of speakers and debaters. The tenor John McCormack was born in Athlone and, for many years, an annual festival was held in the town to celebrate his life. Athlone School of Music opened in 2005 and is a grant-aided project aimed at developing music education and services in
1020-513: Is distilled in Kilbeggan and tobacco is processed in Mullingar. The county has an extensive beef and dairy trade. In recent times, the manufacturer Alkermes has located in Athlone. The eastern part of the county is home to commuters, many of whom work at the technology parks on the western side of Dublin . Mullingar is renowned for the high quality of its beef and veal. Weaned cattle from the west of
1088-581: Is part of the municipal district of Athlone— Moate . Theatres in Athlone include the Dean Crowe Theatre & Arts Centre and the Little Theatre . RTÉ All-Ireland Drama Festival takes place annually in Athlone, bringing together nine amateur drama groups from across Ireland. The festival is supported by a number of "fringe" events that include street theatre , art exhibitions , workshops and activities for young people. Athlone Literary Festival
1156-463: Is the regional centre for a large number of state-run and semi-state-run organisations. The Department of Education , 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, as the Custume Barracks , which lie on the west bank of
1224-556: The Acts of Union 1800 , Athlone continued as a constituency , sending one MP to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1885. In the 1970s the Republican Éire Nua programme proposed making Athlone the capital of a federal United Ireland . With the two counties divided by the river, the part of the town that lies east of the Shannon is in the province of Leinster ,
1292-694: The Dublin-Galway Greenway . Other major infrastructural projects and plans for the county include Transport 21 . Roads are of good quality in the county. As part of the Transport 21 infrastructure programme undertaken by the government, both the N4 and N6 roads have been upgraded to motorway or dual carriageway standard. All towns that these roads passed through are now bypassed, such as Mullingar , Athlone , Moate and Kinnegad . Both Dublin and Galway are within commuting distance from Westmeath following
1360-664: The Jacobite strongholds that defended the river-crossings into the Jacobite-held Province of Connacht following the Battle of the Boyne on 1 July 1690. That same year, Colonel Richard Grace 's Jacobite forces in Athlone 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, during which
1428-612: The Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 , the town became an urban district and the board of commissioners was upgraded to an urban district council. The portion of the urban sanitary district which had been in County Roscommon was transferred to County Westmeath. In 2002, the urban district council became a town council. In 2003, the area of jurisdiction of the town was enlarged. In 2014, in common with all town councils in Ireland, it
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#17328586180181496-720: The Rio de Janeiro State University , one of the largest universities in the Brazilian city. AIT also has agreements with the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais , one of the largest Brazilian private universities. The institute also founded agreements with two leading Beijing universities, the Capital University of Economics and Business and the Beijing Union University . The agreements were signed by
1564-738: The Shannon are fattened for market on the lush grasslands of Meath and Westmeath. The cattle are also used to maintain grassland to help sustain wildlife in the areas fringing the Bog of Allen . Westmeath is home to many stud farms. The plains of Westmeath, covered in calcium-rich marl , contribute significantly to calcification of foal bones during their formative years. Westmeath mares are usually put into foal in spring to facilitate summer growth. Pregnancy lasts for approximately 335–340 days and usually results in one foal. Horses mature when they are around four years old. Westmeath also has railway infrastructure with
1632-570: The St. Peter and St. Pauls , a Franciscan friary and a chapel of the Society of Saint Pius X . However, seven townlands , or sections of the town, lie west of the Shannon: Athlone and Big Meadow, Bellaugh, Bogganfin, Canal and Banks, Doovoge, part of Monksland, and Ranelagh. Although surrounded by County Roscommon in the province of Connacht , they are designated as part of County Westmeath to preserve
1700-684: The Westport / Ballina lines as well as to Athenry , Oranmore and Galway . Connections from Athlone via a train transfer at Athenry railway station extend to Ennis and Limerick , while a transfer at Portarlington connects Limerick Junction and Limerick . There are trains from Portarlington to Mallow , and from Mallow to Cork , Killarney , Farranfore and Tralee . Travel between Athlone and Killdare enables connections to Carlow , Kilkenny and Waterford . For many years state-owned bus operator Bus Éireann provided hourly services to Dublin and Galway from its bus station in Athlone located beside
1768-502: The sheriff of Meath . As a part of the better administration of the newly established Kingdom of Ireland , the Parliament of Ireland passed the Counties of Meath and Westmeath Act 1543 , the eastern portion retaining the name Meath and the western portion called Westmeath. Westmeath is the 20th largest of Ireland's 32 counties by area and the 22nd largest in terms of population. It is
1836-463: The 1691 Siege of Athlone and subsequently rebuilt and enlarged. In 1607, Athlone was granted a municipal charter by James I. This entitled it to send two MPs to the Irish House of Commons . Throughout the wars that wracked Ireland in the 17th century, Athlone contained the vital, main bridge over the River Shannon into Connacht . During the Irish Confederate Wars (1641–53), the town
1904-594: The 2011 census, 51.9% of Westmeath households have at least one member reporting an ability in Irish. Westmeath is one of the few counties in Ireland where some census records from 1841 are still available. Some of the records of that census have been digitised and maintained by the National Archives of Ireland. As of the 2022 census, Westmeath had a population of 95,840, consisting of 47,522 males and 48,318 females. The Central Statistics Office also said that despite
1972-479: The Arcadia Retail Park and Athlone Institute of Technology rather than the bus station. Such private bus companies that stop in Athlone include Citylink and a new Aircoach bus route (Galway-Athlone-Dublin) which was established soon after Bus Éireann's decision, to cope with the demand. There are also services to Limerick , Dundalk , Waterford , Cavan , Belfast , Longford and Roscommon . The town
2040-590: The Batteries, Connaught Street, Northgate Street, Bus Station, Golden Island Shopping Centre , Dublin Road and Athlone Institute of Technology . The Athlone Town service became Ireland's first fully electric bus service in January 2023. The town is located alongside the N6 dual carriageway , which is effectively a section of the M6 motorway connecting Galway to Dublin. The N6 passes along
2108-812: The Chinese Ambassador to Ireland and university representatives. Other agreements exist between the AIT and TVTC , in Saudi Arabia, and a memorandum of understanding exists with the Georgia Institute of Technology . Further agreements exist with the Bharati Vidyapeeth , one of the largest universities in India . There are four major secondary schools in the Athlone area, the Athlone Community College ,
Westmeath Independent - Misplaced Pages Continue
2176-713: The Dublin—Galway Greenway, along the old railway corridor between Athlone and Mullingar, was constructed in 2015. The Royal Canal Greenway takes tourists from the county boundary to Mullingar, and then on towards Longford. Those wishing to use the Dublin-Galway Greenway can transfer from the Royal Canal route to the old rail corridor onwards towards Athlone. The development of industry in Westmeath has been mainly based on food processing and consumer products. Whiskey
2244-630: The Gaeltacht, opened with an exhibition of works from the Irish Museum of Modern Art . Burgess Park stands near the centre of the town, on the banks of the River Shannon . Other nearby tourist attractions include the Glendeer Open Farm and the Viking Cruise of the Shannon. Baysports , a boat training and watersports centre with the world's largest floating inflatable water slide, is located on
2312-726: The Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure Studies building, built in 2003; the Nursing and Health Science building, built in 2005; the Midlands Innovation and Research Centre, also built in 2005; the Engineering and Informatics building, built in 2010; and the Postgraduate Research Hub, also built in 2010. RTÉ's Midlands studio and office are located at AIT. The Athlone Institute of Technology has memorandum of understanding with
2380-570: The League of Ireland Championship on two occasions, in 1980 and 1982, and the FAI Cup in 1924. Westmeath Ladies won the 2011 All-Ireland Intermediate Football Championship. Athlone Institute of Technology boasts a €10 million international athletics arena, which opened in early 2013. The International Arena has a footprint of 6,818m2 and an overall building floor area of 9,715m2. Some 850 tonnes of structural steel and fifty thousand concrete blocks went into
2448-551: The Midlands region. Abbey Road Artists' Studios launched in 2011 in a building constructed in 1841. These artists' studios, which provide a dedicated space for local and visiting artists, consist of four individual studios as well as a multi-purpose space which is used community cultural events, exhibitions, performances and workshops. The Abbey Road artists' studios work closely with the Luan Art Gallery . In 1954, Athlone became
2516-655: The Netherlands. The account 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 in mainland Europe. In the account, the commanding allied officer reported that half of Athlone's defenders retreated westward, towards the rest of their army, leaving almost 2,000 dead within the city walls and more than 100 taken prisoner, including dozens of officers. Following
2584-753: The Shannon in the town, is the headquarters of the Western Command of the Irish Army . The Athlone Institute of Technology (AIT) is a constituent institute of the Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest , (TUS). Athlone forms part of the Midlands Gateway , an in-progress infrastructure initiative, along with Mullingar and Tullamore . The AIT has a campus size of 44 acres, and has new, purpose-built facilities include
2652-568: The century following the Great Famine, with many leaving for better opportunities in America. The largest town in the county is Athlone , followed by Mullingar. Westmeath is the largest county by population in the Irish Midlands . Important commercial and marketing centres include Moate , Kilbeggan , Kinnegad , Ballinahown , Delvin , Rochfortbridge , Killucan and Castlepollard . According to
2720-615: The coming of the Midland Great Western Railway network in the nineteenth century. Tourism in Westmeath is generally based on its many water amenities. The county lakes include Lough Derravaragh , Lough Ennell , Lough Owel , Lough Lene , Lough Sheelin and Lough Ree . The River Shannon (Ireland's key tourism waterway) has a modern inland harbour in Athlone. In 2017 the largest employment sectors within Westmeath were: Two major "Greenway" projects are intended to improve cycling facilities. The Athone—Mullingar section of
2788-447: The completion of the M6 motorway in December 2009. Westmeath is an active sporting county. The Westmeath GAA senior football team won the Leinster Senior Football Championship , the Delaney Cup, in 2004. They also won the National Football League Division 2 in 2001, 2003 and 2008. The Westmeath senior hurling team has enjoyed much recent success winning the Christy Ring Cup in 2005, 2007 and 2010. Athlone Town F.C. have won
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2856-635: The construction of the facility, which can house two thousand spectators. Westmeath Snooker Ranking Tournaments officially recognised by The Republic of Ireland Billiards & Snooker Association are organised and run by St Mary's Snooker Club Bishopgate Street Mullingar. The Ranking events in Junior, Intermediate and Senior events are: Notable Westmeath natives include: 53°30′N 7°30′W / 53.500°N 7.500°W / 53.500; -7.500 Athlone Athlone ( / æ θ ˈ l oʊ n / ; Irish : Baile Átha Luain , meaning 'The town of Luan's ford ' [ˌbʲlʲɑː ˈl̪ˠuənʲ] )
2924-422: The county of Westmeath , the barony of Brawny , and the civil parish of St Mary's. Unusually, the barony is coterminous with a single civil parish. In terms of ecclesiastical boundaries, the eastern part of the town is in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise and the parish of St Mary's. There are several other churches in the town including a Church of Ireland ( St. Mary's , Anglican ),
2992-441: The east. Located centrally is the Athlone Town Centre , a shopping centre built in 2007, containing 54 shops, cafés and a four-star hotel. The Golden Island Shopping Centre , which opened in 1997, is also located in the town centre. Athlone Regional Sports Centre, developed by the former Town Council in 2002, is located on the outskirts of the town. The facility contains a swimming pool, gym and AstroTurf pitches. Athlone has
3060-445: The first branch of the Inland Waterways Association of Ireland and the town had a large part in the organisation's creation. American crime writer James M. Cain refers to 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
3128-400: The inhabitants and its members." The municipal corporation was abolished under the Municipal Corporations (Ireland) Act 1840 . It was disfranchised by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 . Athlone was later granted town commissioners under the Towns Improvement (Ireland) Act 1854. Following the Public Health (Ireland) Act 1878 , Athlone was designated as an urban sanitary district. Under
3196-480: The integrity of the town. These townlands lie in St Peter's civil parish in the barony of Athlone South . In terms of ecclesiastical boundaries, the townlands west of the Shannon are part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Elphin and the parish of Saints Peter and Paul. Athlone is a common stop for pleasure craft along the River Shannon. Lough Ree , the largest lake on the Shannon, is a short distance upstream from Athlone, and many boat companies are based out of
3264-410: The invading troops of King William and Queen Mary eventually overran the entire city. The defenders were forced to flee further west, toward the River Suck , at such speed that eyewitness accounts record that they "flung their cannons into the morass" as they fled. The most recently discovered account of the Siege of Athlone, written after the attack, on 5 July 1691, was found in 2004 in an archive in
3332-447: The lowest county top in Ireland. The head office of Westmeath County Council is located in Mullingar . There are currently 20 councillors. The three local electoral areas of Westmeath are Athlone (7 seats), Mullingar–Coole (7 seats) and Mullingar–Kilbeggan (6 seats). The Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 provided the framework for the establishment of County Councils throughout Ireland. The first meeting of Westmeath County Council
3400-406: The northern side of the town, crossing the River Shannon into County Roscommon . A number of national secondary roads connect Athlone with other towns and regions, namely the N55 to Ballymahon and Cavan , the N61 to Roscommon and the N62 to Birr , Roscrea , and Southern Ireland. Athlone was granted a municipal charter by James I in 1607. This created a parliamentary borough with
3468-422: The outskirts of the town at Hodson Bay. Examples of public art and sculpture in Athlone include the IRA Memorial which was erected near the corner of Church Street and Custume Place in the early 1950s. It is dedicated to the Athlone Brigade of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) that participated in the Irish War of Independence (1919–1921) and Irish Civil War (1922–1923). The limestone statue consists of
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#17328586180183536-536: The overall increase in population, the rural population had still fallen (2016 census). 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 gained considerable advantage from the development of the Royal Canal . The canal facilitated cheap transport of produce to Dublin, Britain and Europe. Athlone and Mullingar expanded further with
3604-408: The population of the county was 95,840. Following the Norman invasion of Ireland , the territory of the Gaelic Kingdom of Meath formed the basis for the Anglo-Norman Lordship of Meath granted by King Henry II of England to Hugh de Lacy in 1172. Following the failure of de Lacy's male heirs in 1241, the Lordship was split between two great-granddaughters. One moiety, a central eastern portion,
3672-599: The railway station, but in July 2021 these routes, 20 and X20 Expressway, were cancelled indefinitely. The company cited "continuing losses [..] resulting from the severe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic " as the reason. Bus Éireann services between Dublin and Belfast, Cork and Limerick were also cut following a "viability review" of 18 routes in September 2020. It was noted that from July 2021 onwards, bus journeys between Athlone and Galway, Ballinasloe , Moate , Dublin city or Dublin airport would be operated by private companies only, with passengers being dropped off or picked up at
3740-408: The sixth largest of Leinster's 12 counties in size and eighth largest in terms of population. The Hill of Uisneach in the barony of Moycashel is sometimes regarded as the notional geographical centre of Ireland although the actual geographic centre of Ireland lies in neighbouring County Roscommon . The summit of Mullaghmeen is the highest point in County Westmeath. At just 258 metres this makes it
3808-427: The town of Athlone", was unveiled on St. Mary's Square in 2012. The Old Rail Trail greenway runs for 42 kilometres from Athlone to Mullingar , along the disused Athlone-Mullingar Railway . It will eventually form part of the Dublin–Galway Greenway . A new cycle and pedestrian bridge over the River Shannon was built beside the Luan Gallery and opened in August 2023. Athlone's major employers include Alkermes,
3876-463: The town. For craft to pass through Athlone, it is necessary to use a lock in the river, which is beside the weir and downstream of the current road bridge. The lock, weir, and bridge were all constructed by the Shannon navigation commissioners in the 1840s. Before then, boats used a canal, about a mile and a half long, to the west of the river. The canal was built by Thomas Omer for the Commissioners of Inland Navigation. Work started in 1757 and involved
3944-412: The west bank of the Shannon, formerly in County Roscommon, were incorporated into the town, and consequently, into the county of Westmeath. Around 100 km west of Dublin , Athlone is near the geographical centre of Ireland . Athlone Castle , situated on the western bank of the River Shannon, is the geographical and historical centre of Athlone. Throughout its early history, the ford of Athlone
4012-404: The west bank of the river, was certified by the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest pub in Ireland. The Luan Gallery was opened in 2012. It is the first purpose-built, modern visual art gallery in the Midlands. It was designed by Keith Williams , who also designed the Athlone Civic Centre. The gallery, which was officially opened by Jimmy Deenihan , the Minister for Arts, Heritage and
4080-502: The work of over 300 men. Omer built a single lock, 120' X 19' with a rise of 4.5', but there was also a guard lock, further upstream, with a single set of gates to protect the canal against floods. There were also two lay-bys, or harbours, one above the lock and another at the upstream end. The old canal is no longer navigable. Athlone railway station opened on 3 October 1859, with Irish Rail services travelling eastwards to Portarlington , Kildare and Dublin Heuston and westwards to
4148-406: Was 2RN, a wordplay on the song "Come back to Erin". The station subsequently became known as "Radio Athlone" and could clearly be heard throughout Europe, and as far away as Moscow. This changed as bandwidth allocations were accorded at the Helsinki Declaration. The station originally operated at a power of 60 kW, which during the 1950s, was increased to 100 kW. For an antenna, a T-antenna
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#17328586180184216-444: Was abolished. The urban district council was based at the old civic offices, which had been crudely extended over time and were demolished to make way for the new Athlone Civic Centre, which was completed in 2004. In County Roscommon, Athlone is a six-seat local electoral area (LEA) to Roscommon County Council which forms its own municipal district. In County Westmeath, Athlone is a five-seat LEA to Westmeath County Council which
4284-404: Was awarded to Maud (de Geneville) as the liberty of Trim ; the other moiety, comprising north-eastern and western portions, went to Maud's sister Margery (de Verdun) and in 1297 became the royal county of Meath . The liberty and royal county were merged in 1461. While the east of the county was in the English Pale , the west was Gaelicised in the fourteenth century and outside the control of
4352-402: Was held by Irish Confederate troops until it was taken in late 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 (1688–97), the town was again of key strategic importance. In the Irish phase of the conflict (the Williamite War in Ireland of 1688–1691), Athlone was one of
4420-418: Was held on 22 April 1899. Westmeath's population growth has been stronger than the national average. After the Great Famine , the population of Westmeath declined dramatically. It stabilised in the middle of the 20th century, and has continued to grow. Westmeath's proximity to Dublin , with good motorway facilities and frequent rail service, has made commuting popular. County Westmeath's population fell in
4488-533: Was planned to comprise a total of nine exhibition halls, nine smaller independent exhibition buildings, one temporary exhibition space, several offices, administrative services, some living quarters, hotels, shops, restaurants, pubs, a school and railway station. It was never built. Between 1931 and 1975 the main radio transmission centre for Irish radio was located at Moydrum, Athlone ( 53°25′14″N 7°52′52″W / 53.42056°N 7.88111°W / 53.42056; -7.88111 ). The original call sign
4556-408: Was singing Handel he was singing English, and he sings it as no American and no Englishman will ever sing English". The Irish poet Aubrey Thomas de Vere wrote a poem The Ballad of Athlone which is an account of an incident in the 1691 siege. Athlone is a retail destination within the Midlands region of Ireland. The town centre extends from Church Street in the west to Seán Costello Street in
4624-438: Was strategically important, as south of Athlone the Shannon is impassable until Clonmacnoise , where the Esker Riada meets the Shannon, while to the north the Shannon flows into Lough Ree . In 1001 Brian Bóru sailed his army up river from Kincora and through Lough Derg to attend a gathering in Athlone. The following year, Brian met the High King of Ireland Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill at Athlone, intending to engage him in
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