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The River Shannon
The River Shannon divides Ireland almost in two and dominates the midlands landscape. It has acted as a formidable barrier to movement from East to West while providing a marine highway from North to South.
The Roman cartographer Ptolemy mapped the river in 300 BC, when it was an important trade route from Europe and during the first millennium AD Viking long boats sailed up through the mists of the midland bogs to loot the medieval monastery at Clonmacnoise and found a town at Rindoon on Lough Ree.
In the year 1210 the Norman’s built a castle at Athlone, which still stands.
Today the only foreign invaders hire luxurious modern cabin cruisers to explore the ancient waterway, to enjoy its unique peacefulness and to relax in the many hostelries along its banks.
The Shannon is the backbone of a vast network of inland waterways, joined to the Erne via the restored Shannon-Erne link. The Grand Canal connects it to Dublin and the East coast, while the Barrow navigation makes it possible to travel to the south east, entering the sea at New Ross. Sailing southwards downriver brings the traveller through Limerick and out to the Atlantic Ocean with the possibility of sailing to New York if the fancy takes them.
The river is one of natures treasure houses.
Everywhere there is first class fishing. Salmon may be caught in Lough Derg, while all along the river, trout, pike, bream, roach, rudd and tench abound. Bird life is abundant with over one hundred and twenty native or visiting species. Swans, teal, mallard, waterhens, curlews and snipe are just a few of the varieties to be seen, while the callows immediately south of Athlone are one of the last remaining habitats of the corncrake in Western Europe. Plant life is prolific with scores of aquatic and riparian plants. The range of animal life is endless, deer, squirrels, badgers, weasels, mink, bats, pine martens, hedgehogs and on and on and on.
Shannon River:
W: www.shannon-river.com
T: 00353 (0)766 709928/00353 (0)71 9658964
E: info@shannon-river.com |
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Cruising on the River Shannon
Athlone is the perfect starting point for a cruising holiday. In addition to its central location, the river immediately to the south is ideal for beginners, while for the experienced, Lough Ree to the north is a magnificent ground. Navigation is simple with the deep channel being marked to keep sailors on course. The Erne has only one lock, the Shannon six and the Shannon Erne link sixteen.
Sailing on Lough Ree, 16 miles long and 6 miles wide is a virtual inland sea and provides excellent sailing, whether the choice is boards, dinghies or cruisers. Lough Ree Yacht Club is the second oldest in the world and hosts an Annual Regatta in August.
The towns and villages along the way are well provided with shops, hostelries and restaurants. Each has its own harbour, where visitors can safely moor for the night while sampling the delights ashore especially the nightly music sessions and the creamy pints.
Viking Tours:
W: www.vikingtoursireland.ie
T: (086) 262 1136
E: vikingmike@vikingtoursireland.ie
Hodson Bay Water Sports Athlone:
W: www.hodsonbaywatersports.com
T: 353 (0) 71 77720
E: adventure@hodsonbay.com
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Athlone Castle
Dominating the town centre, built in Norman times, 1210 is Athlone Castle, with panoramic views of Athlone town and the River Shannon. Athlone Castle, built by John De Gray, Bishop of Norwich, King John’s Irish justiciar, commands the traditional gateway to the west of Ireland.
Today the castle is a centre of tourism, housing the tourist office, a visitors centre, a museum and a specially commissioned tribute to John Count McCormack, the world famous tenor. Other features include exhibitions on the siege of Athlone, River Shannon wildlife and history, together with folklore and military museums.
The museum, established by the Old Athlone Society is well worth a visit. Local artists frequently exhibit in the tea rooms while the Castle is often used for theatrical and musical events.
Athlone Castle is closed for renovation work with an anticipated completion date in late summer 2012.
W: www.athloneartandheritage.ie/athlone-castle
T: 00 353 (0) 90 6442130
E: info@athloneartandheritage.ie
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Shopping
The town has a wide range of shops selling Irish handmade pottery, jewellery, handloomed sweaters, sculpture, designer fashions, antique jewelery and furniture, Irish linen, porcelain dolls, hand painted pictures and lots more.
For something a bit different, indigenous crafts to the area include Athlone Crystal, Bog Oak Sculptures hand crafted furniture, individually turned wooden pieces, personalised shirts and blouses and many more.
Inquire from the Gifts Shops for further information.
Shopping centres in Athlone:
Athlone Towncentre:
W: www.athlonetowncentre.com
T: +353 90 64 84387
E: info@athlonetowncentre.com
Golden Island:
W: www.goldenislandsc.com
T: 090 64 76760
E: goldenislandshoppingcentre@eircom.net
Dunnes Stores:
W: www.dunnesstores.ie
T: 0906 472792 / 475212
E: service.customer@dunnes-stores.ie
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Town Trail
Anyone wishing to explore Athlone and to learn more should follow the town trail. The walk takes approximately three hours to complete, but can be divided into two walks, a Connaught and a Leinster walk, of almost equal duration. An explanatory booklet is available from the tourist office or contact 090 6472466 for your own personal guided walks. |
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Golfing
Glasson Golf & Country Club a Christy O’Connor Jnr design, overlooking Lough Ree:
W: www.glassongolfhotel.ie
T:
090 6485120
E: info@glassongolf.ie
Mount Temple Championship Golf Course, 150 acres of unspoiled natural terrain :
T:
090 6481957
Athlone Golf Academy:
W: www.athlonegolfacademy.ie
T: +353 (0) 906 489 004
E: info@athlonegolfacademy.ie
Athlone Golf Club, overlooking Hodson Bay:
W: www.athlonegolfclub.ie
T:
090 6492073
E: athlonegolfclub@eircom.net |
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Athlone Leisure World
The ideal venue for school tours, club outings and summer camp excursions they offer a wide variety of activities from bowling, championship snooker tables, kiddies adventure land, indoor football, kart racing, restaurant and bar. - Contact 090 6494766.
W: www.leisureworld.ie
T: 090 6494766
E: info@leisureworld.ie
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Athlone radio transmitter
On 6 February 1933, Taoiseach Eamon de Valera officially opened the new high-powered radio station located at Athlone. In his speech, de Valera described the installation in symbolic terms:
"Droichead nua Átha Luain is ea é, droichead idir na Gaeil in Éirinn agus Gaeil in imirce" (Translation: "It is the new bridge of Athlone, a bridge between the Irish in Ireland and the emigrant Irish.") |
Interesting Facts
Near Banagher you will find the grave of the Boylyn family. Here rests the sisters and cousins of Anne Boylyn. They fled from England, after Henry VIII had her murdered.
At the Protestant church in Banagher you will find the grave of the Reverend Mr Nichols. He was the husband of Charlotte Bronte, and when she died he moved over to Banagher, where they had earlier spent his honeymoon.
Anthony Trollope, the English novelist, was stationed quite a while in Banagher. He established the rural postal service in Ireland and was reputed to be the inventor of the pillar-box.Shannonbridge boasts of two renowned sons, Michael McCann and George Brent. Michael McCann was a journalist and newspaper editor, but his most famous composition was the rousing war-song O’Donnell Aboo.
George Brent was born in Shannonbridge, George Nolan, and as a young boy he was one of Michael Collin’s trusted IRA dispatch riders. The British offered a large reward for his capture, dead or alive, and he had to flee from Ireland on a fishing trawler to Canada, where he got a job in a theatrical company and eventually made his way to Hollywood and became a world famous film actor as George Brent. He was a matinee idol in the days of Clark Gable, Tyrone Power and Robert Taylor, and starred in over one hundred film before he retired in the fifties.
Rindoon Point was where Turgesius, King of the Danes, has his castle from which he controlled Lough Ree.
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