Athlone Castle

Athlone Castle is a Castle located in Athlone, Westmeath, Ireland dating from the 12th century and is a popular tourist destination.

History

The earliest recorded “castle” of Athlone was a wooden structure built in 1129, by King Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair of Connacht, possibly on the site of the present castle. The stone castle which survives today dates from 1210 and was built for King John by his Irish Justiciar, Bishop John de Gray of Norwich. It was built to defend the crossing point of the river at Athlone and to provide a bridgehead to facilitate the Norman advance into Connaught.

The castle of 1210 was a free standing polygonal tower built on a newly built (or existing) ‘motte’ or man-made hill. This tower, though greatly altered, can still be seen as the central keep or ‘donjon’ of the castle today. At the time the castle was built the Shannon, as it passed through Athlone, was very different from today. It is likely that in the early days of its existence the castle enjoyed the protection of a fosse or moat.

Athlone

Athlone (/æθˈloʊn/; 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. It is the largest town in the Midlands Region. Most of the town lies on the east bank of the river; however, by the terms of the Local Government Act of 1898, six townlands on the west bank of the Shannon were deemed to be part of the town and, therefore, part of County Westmeath.

The 2011 Census of Ireland recorded the population of the town at 20,153, a 14.8% increase from 2006. Recent growth has also occurred outside the town's boundaries.

Athlone is near the geographical centre of Ireland, which is 8.85 kilometres (5.50 mi) north-northwest of the town, in the area of Carnagh East in County Roscommon.

History

Athlone Castle is the geographical and historical center of Athlone. Throughout its early history, the ford of Athlone was strategically important, as south of Athlone the Shannon is impassable until Clonmacnoise, where the Esker Riada meets the Shannon, while to the north it 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.

Athlone, Edmonton

Athlone is a residential neighbourhood in north west Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The neighbourhood is named after the Earl of Athlone, Canada's Governor-General from 1940-46. The western portion of the neighbourhood is also called Dunvegan, after the Dunvegan Yards a railway depot that existed on the site for some 70 years.

The most common type of residence in the neighbourhood, according to the 2005 municipal census, is the single-family dwelling. These account for four out of every five (80.2%) of all the residences in the neighbourhood. Row houses account for another one in seven (14.9%) of all residences. Most of the remaining residences are duplexes. Just under three out of every four (73%) of all residences are owner-occupied with just over one out of every four (27%) being rented.

There are three schools in the neighbourhood. Athlone Elementary School and Wellington Junior High School are operated by the Edmonton Public School System, while Sir John Thompson Catholic Junior High School is operated by the Edmonton Catholic School System.

Athlone (disambiguation)

Athlone is a major town and River Shannon crossing in County Westmeath in Ireland.

Athlone may also refer to:

In geography: (by country)

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