Ireland
Athlone is located in the centre of Ireland and is the largest town on the River Shannon south of Lough Ree with a population of just over 21,000 inhabitants.
Athlone (in Irish AthLuain or the ford of Luan) is one of 21 Irish Walled towns and is steeped in history. The town is home to several historical landmarks, most notably Athlone Castle which was built as a fortification in 1210 during the Anglo-Norman times re-opened as a state of the art visitor attraction in 2013. Another award winning landmark is Luan Gallery, the first purpose-built, modern visual art gallery located in the midlands. It is also the first new visual art gallery to be opened in the country in over three.
Athlone is one of the fastest growing inland urban areas and has undergone significant changes and developments in all sectors during the last fifteen years. The town is renowned for its location on the banks of the River Shannon, which flows through the town centre. Lough Ree, just north of the town is one of the largest lakes on the Shannon and Lakelands Region of Ireland and provides the perfect backdrop for water activities such as angling, cruising, water skiing, wind surfing and sailing.
The town is easily accessed by rail and road and with ever improving national and local infrastructure is within a short driving distance of Dublin, Galway and Knock airports.
Many of the amenities such as shopping, restaurants, hotels and theatres are located in the town centre which makes it an ideal location to visit for leisure or business.
Visit www.athlone.ie to find out more about Athlone.