History of Athlone

Athlone (Irish: Baile Átha Luain, meaning "town of Luan's ford") is a town on the River Shannon near the southern shore of Lough Ree in Ireland. Located on the border between County Westmeath and County Roscommon, the development of the Athlone owes much to the location of a strategic ford (river crossing point) on the Shannon.^[1]

Foundation

The ford at this point on the River Shannon has been in use since at least the Bronze Age,^[1] and the settlement (including an early Christian site)^[1] expanded around this river-crossing. The ford of Athlone was strategically important, as south of Athlone the River Shannon is impassable until Clonmacnoise (where the Esker Riada meets the Shannon), and north is Lough Ree.

Bridge and defences

By the 11th century,

During the wars that took place in Ireland during the seventeenth century, Athlone held a strategic position, holding the main bridge over the 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

The current bridge was built in the 19th century to replace the old bridge which was becoming dangerous to the increasing volume of traffic. Originally the bridge had a moveable section which was decommissioned in the mid 20th century. Also during the mid-19th century, the Board of Works built a weir wall south of Athlone to improve the navigation of the river.

Other structures

Custume Barracks

The town's barracks occupies a large area of the west bank of the River Shannon. Athlone Barracks, named Victoria Barracks in 1837, was re-named Custume Barracks in 1922 by General Sean MacEoin, independence fighter and first GOC Western Command.

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 Connaught side was defended by a fosse which no longer exists. The noted tenor John McCormack was born in here in 1884 in an area known as "the Bawn".^[6]

Oldest pub

Sean's Bar is considered by some to be Ireland's oldest pub.^[7][8][9] It was established on the west bank of the River Shannon on Main Street. In 1970, during renovations, the walls of the bar were found to be made of wattle and wicker.^[10] Historical surveys, as recorded in the Record of Monuments and Places and the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage, date the building to the 17th or 18th century, while "possibly containing the fabric of earlier buildings".^[11][12]

Workhouse

On the east side of town, off North Gate Street, is an intact example of a Famine-era workhouse. The building, renamed St Mary's Hall, now hosts several youth groups and includes a large meeting room. Within sight of the workhouse building is a historic abbey.^{[citation needed]}

Annalistic references

From the Annals of Inisfallen

• AI998.2 Brian, son of Cennétig, [went] to Áth Luain, took the hostages of Connachta in one week, and handed them over to Mael Sechnaill.
• AI1001.5 A great obstruction against the men of
  Leth Cuinn
  .
• AI1002.2 A hosting of the men of Mumu into Connachta, and they took the hostages of Connachta at Áth Luain, and the hostages of Mael Sechnaill.

References