Sights in Athlone
- Sort by:
- Popular
-
Athlone Castle Visitor Centre
The Athlone Castle Visitor Centre contains some informative displays on the Siege of Athlone, the flora and fauna of the Shannon, and the Shannon’s role in the production of hydroelectricity. Other highlights are an old gramophone that belonged to the great Athlone tenor John McCormack (1884–1945); and a military and folk museum with two sheila-na-gigs. An hour is probably enough time to take it all in.
reviewed
-
Dún na Sí Heritage Centre
This folk park 16km east of Athlone just off the M6 near Moate, features a recreated ring fort, portal dolmen, lime kiln, mass rock, farmhouse and forge. There's also a genealogy centre to help trace your roots, a ćeiĺi on the first Friday of the month year-round and a traditional session with music, song, dance and storytelling at 9pm on Fridays in summer.
reviewed
-
Athlone Castle
The ancient river ford at Athlone was an important crossroads on the Shannon and was the cause of many squabbles over the centuries. By 1210, the Normans had asserted their power and built a castle here. In 1690 the Jacobite town survived a siege by Protestant forces, but it fell a year later – under a devastating bombardment of 12,000 cannonballs – to William of Orange's troops. The castle was soon remodelled and further major alterations took place over the following centuries.
At the time of writing the imposing and well-preserved castle and its visitor centre were closed for refurbishment. Both should reopen in summer 2012.
reviewed
