Athlone Castle (Caisleán Bhaile Átha Luain)

A Norman fortress guarding the great crossing of the Shannon.

Athlone Castle has commanded the Shannon crossing at the very centre of Ireland since around 1210, its curved keep besieged during the Williamite wars of 1690-91. Nearby stands Sean's Bar, reputed to be Ireland's oldest pub.

At a glance

• Norman castle from c. 1210
• Guards the Shannon at Ireland's centre
• Besieged in the Williamite war

In County Westmeath

Athlone Castle is in County Westmeath, An Iarmhí in Irish, which means “west Meath”.

More in Westmeath

• The Hill of Uisneach (Uisneach): The mythical sacred centre of Ireland, where the ancient provinces were said to meet.
• Fore Abbey (Mainistir Fhobhair): A Benedictine abbey in a valley famed for its 'Seven Wonders'.
• Lough Ennell (Loch Ainninn): A broad limestone lake near Mullingar with royal associations.

Other places of this kind

• The Cliffs of Moher (Aillte an Mhothair): Sea cliffs located at the southwestern edge of the Burren region.
• Newgrange (Sí an Bhrú): A prehistoric monument in County Meath, older than Stonehenge and the Pyramids.
• The Giant's Causeway (Clochán an Aifir): Around 40,000 interlocking basalt columns on the Antrim coast, a UNESCO site wrapped in the legend of Finn McCool.
• Glendalough (Gleann Dá Loch): A beautiful glacial valley of two lakes, home to one of Ireland's most important early monastic settlements.
• The Rock of Cashel (Carraig Phádraig): A dramatic outcrop crowned with medieval buildings, once the seat of the kings of Munster.
• Clonmacnoise (Cluain Mhic Nóis): A great early monastery on the banks of the Shannon, once a renowned centre of learning.

The Irish name

The Irish form of Athlone Castle is Caisleán Bhaile Átha Luain. You can hear it spoken, and take apart names like it, in the Placename Explorer. The authoritative record for any Irish place-name is logainm.ie.