About our rating systemBuilt in 1210 for King John of England, this mighty stone fortress sits on the edge of the Shannon, atop the ruins of an earlier fort built in 1129 as the seat of the chiefs of Connaught. Besieged for almost 6 months in 1641, the castle was attacked again in 1690 and finally fell in 1691 after an intense bombardment by forces sent by William of Orange. The fall of Athlone was a key event in the war that would cement the Protestant establishment in Ireland and ensure British rule, all the way up to the War of Independence in the 1920s. (The Dutch military commander who took the town, Godard van Glinkel, was rewarded for his efforts with the earldom of Athlone.) Three centuries later, in 2012, the castle underwent a multimillion-euro renovation; it now houses eight separate galleries on the history of Athlone, particularly the 1690-91 siege, with plenty of high-tech wizardry. The castle’s original medieval walls have been preserved, as have two large cannons dating from the reign of George II and a pair of 25cm (10-inch) mortars cast in 1856.
Counties Galway, Westmeath and Offaly› Attraction
Athlone Castle
Athlone, Co. Westmeath
Our Rating
Hours
June–Aug Mon–Sat 10am–6pm, Sun noon–6pm; Mar–May and Sept–Oct Tues–Sat 11am–5pm, Sun noon–5pm; Nov–Feb Wed–Sat 11am–5pm, Sun noon–5pm. Last admission 1 hr. before closing
Phone
090/644-2130
Prices
Admission €8 adults; €6 seniors and students; €4 children 5–15; children 4 and under free; €20–€25 families
Web site
Athlone Castle
Other
On the riverbank, signposted from all directions
Hours
June–Aug Mon–Sat 10am–6pm, Sun noon–6pm; Mar–May and Sept–Oct Tues–Sat 11am–5pm, Sun noon–5pm; Nov–Feb Wed–Sat 11am–5pm, Sun noon–5pm. Last admission 1 hr. before closing
Phone
090/644-2130
Prices
Admission €8 adults; €6 seniors and students; €4 children 5–15; children 4 and under free; €20–€25 families
Web site
Athlone Castle
Other
On the riverbank, signposted from all directions
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
