Athlone, Ireland
The Roundabout of Ireland
"Right in the middle of everywhere, going nowhere fast"
Official Coat of Arms
A shield bisected by the River Shannon, bearing a pewter pint glass rampant in honour of Sean's Bar's dubious 'oldest pub' claim, flanked by two crossed traffic cones representing the eternal N6 roadworks, all beneath a battlement from Athlone Castle looking mildly unimpressed.
TripAdvisor Review
★★★☆☆ 3/5
"Stopped in Athlone for lunch on the way to Galway and ended up staying three hours because the N6 traffic had other plans. The castle by the Shannon is genuinely lovely and Sean's Bar claims to be the oldest pub in Ireland which is a great way to justify a lunchtime pint. Town centre feels like it's perpetually under roadworks but the river walk makes up for it. Would recommend as a stopover, wouldn't necessarily plan a whole trip around it."— Barry McAllister, Mullingar
Property Listing
Nestled at the beating crossroads of the nation, this vibrant riverside hub offers unrivalled connectivity to absolutely everywhere else in Ireland! Enjoy castle views, a storied pub scene, and the simple joy of watching other people's cars queue on the bypass while you stay put.
Twinned With
Crewe — Both towns exist primarily as places you pass through on the way to somewhere more exciting.
Supporting Evidence
Athlone sits almost exactly at the geographical centre of Ireland and straddles the border between County Westmeath and County Roscommon, meaning locals can argue about which county the chipper is in.