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Athlone thread

24567…95

Comments

  • #32
    Dr. Kenneth Noisewater
    Registered Users Posts: 3,236 ✭✭✭Dr. Kenneth Noisewater


    blast06 wrote: »
    Do you really think so ?!
    Starting with the GAA .... you have 4 GAA clubs that have part of their catchment area in Athlone town ... Garrycastle, Athlone, St Bridgids and Clann na Gael. They all have serious operations and 3 of them have appeared in the the All-Club final town on St Patricks Day - there is not another town in Ireland that could come near to such a boast. Not to mention Caulry, Tubberclair, Castledaly, etc all within a few miles of the town

    Rugby .... relatively speaking, Buccaneers consistently rank higher in rugby club ranking than Athlone Town do in League of Ireland club ranking

    Even other less 'mass participation sports' are well organised and have high numbers participating with superb facilities .... swimming, athletics, hockey, etc

    I could buy the argument of Athlone being a soccer town 40-50 years ago but i really think things have moved on in terms of diversity of sports and facilities. If anything, soccer is falling behind .... attendance at Athlone Town games in past few seasons is often bordering on pathetic. And personally, i hate the 'find-the-next-star-at-all-costs' attitude that is often prevalent in ADSL, very quickly casting aside those who do not cut it.

    You're right about the GAA, the area has a strong Gaelic Football tradition, although Athlone themselves have won very little since Garrycastle went out on their own and I suppose my point is that soccer is still more prevalent in the more central parts of the town. Clann na nGael and St Brigids are operating in overspill areas which always would have been much more GAA focused down the years. Just my theory.

    You're right too about the paltry attendances at Lissywollen but I think there have been a number of contributing factors (not least the way the club is being run) that have resulted in a certain amount of apathy among the soccer public to the club. I genuinely think if they got their house in order and did things properly, maybe manage to get promoted again, you'd have more healthy attendances. We're a long way off that at this moment in time, unfortunately.


  • #33
    Sunny Dayz
    Registered Users Posts: 5,298 ✭✭✭Sunny Dayz


    Steven81 wrote: »
    Fuel in Topaz for 61c for 61 minutes tomorrow starting at 1.06pm
    Did ye all get your cheap fuel in Topaz?!! :P
    Can't believe the photos on facebook of the mayhem in the town!


  • #34
    Dr. Kenneth Noisewater
    Registered Users Posts: 3,236 ✭✭✭Dr. Kenneth Noisewater


    Sunny Dayz wrote: »
    Did ye all get your cheap fuel in Topaz?!! :P
    Can't believe the photos on facebook of the mayhem in the town!

    Queues of traffic back out to the college if what I've been hearing is true! Madness.

    In all fairness, 1pm was a stupid time to do it, they could have waited til 7.30 or 8pm this evening, you knew it was going to cause mayhem in the town at that hour and we know Athlone traffic can be sluggish enough anyway!


  • #35
    PMBC
    Registered Users Posts: 1,102 ✭✭✭PMBC


    Well done, good idea this thread. I always felt Athlone was a lovely town with the river, Hodson Bay, Athlone castle and interesting side streets rather than boring gridiron layout.
    I lived some distance away but fifty years ago it did have 'a bad name', which I don't think was deserved. Was that because of the ArmyThe few people new from thre or thereabouts were as good as any, you could meet. With the RC and its location on the river and approx. midway across Ireland, it should be thriving. I was at some great weddings in Shamrock Lodge and others in my time. The major part of the economic re-birth has been in Dublin so possibly it has gained very little in the same way as with other midland towns such as Portlaoise, Mullingar and Tullamore. A midlander described them all recently to me as 'ghost towns', business wise he meant. What ever happened to the plan for the Chinese invasion? What is the current state socially, culturally and economically.


  • #36
    Sunny Dayz
    Registered Users Posts: 5,298 ✭✭✭Sunny Dayz


    Dr. Kenneth Noisewater wrote: »
    Queues of traffic back out to the college if what I've been hearing is true! Madness.

    In all fairness, 1pm was a stupid time to do it, they could have waited til 7.30 or 8pm this evening, you knew it was going to cause mayhem in the town at that hour and we know Athlone traffic can be sluggish enough anyway!

    It was well advertised on social media all yesterday evening giving people plenty of notice. Few people telling there were people waiting since 7am for it, had they nothing else to do all day! Seen a video up of the queue of traffic out to Kilmartins roundabout. Heard that someone got vexed and blocked the road outside Topaz.


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  • #37
    L.Jenkins
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 19,240 Mod ✭✭✭✭L.Jenkins


    It's funny to see how cracked people go over cheap petrol. iRadio with the Esso station on the old tuam road did it a few years back. The Gardai had to put a stop to it, given the build up of traffic coming out of town.


  • #38
    Dr. Kenneth Noisewater
    Registered Users Posts: 3,236 ✭✭✭Dr. Kenneth Noisewater


    PMBC wrote: »
    Well done, good idea this thread. I always felt Athlone was a lovely town with the river, Hodson Bay, Athlone castle and interesting side streets rather than boring gridiron layout.
    I lived some distance away but fifty years ago it did have 'a bad name', which I don't think was deserved. Was that because of the ArmyThe few people new from thre or thereabouts were as good as any, you could meet. With the RC and its location on the river and approx. midway across Ireland, it should be thriving. I was at some great weddings in Shamrock Lodge and others in my time. The major part of the economic re-birth has been in Dublin so possibly it has gained very little in the same way as with other midland towns such as Portlaoise, Mullingar and Tullamore. A midlander described them all recently to me as 'ghost towns', business wise he meant. What ever happened to the plan for the Chinese invasion? What is the current state socially, culturally and economically.

    I'd say Athlone has probably recovered slightly better than either Mullingar or Tullamore from the recession (I can't speak for Portlaoise, haven't been there in about 2 years). There are still a few vacant units in Church Street but the town usually seems to be busy with shoppers, the pubs are very busy at the weekends and there's plenty of life about the place in general.


  • #39
    bennyineire
    Registered Users Posts: 2,466 ✭✭✭bennyineire


    Athlone is certainly the best town in the Midlands at the moment, best nighlife/resturants and of course the river/lake and all that goes with it (this from a Tullamore man),

    Tullamore has suffered from to many retail units being built on the outskirts of the town, this has sucked the life out of the town however the planned shopping centre in the center of the town along with the urban street rejuvenation looks like it might bring a bit of life back to to town over the next few years

    Mullingar has the biggest population but not as good as Athlone for shopping, not a bad town but not a whole lot going on there either.

    Portlaoise is the fastest growing town (and it still growing fast) and no doubt will most likely over take all the towns in population over the next 10/20 years due to it's proximity to Dublin (also has the best links to Dublin as it's on the suburban rail network). However in my opinion Portlaoise is the east desirable town, it has 1 old street, a new street/old bypass that is horrible looking. Has a drug problem and a huge influx of people from all over.

    Just my opinion BTW hope not to offend anyone


  • #40
    veryangryman
    Registered Users Posts: 5,528 ✭✭✭veryangryman


    O Neill's pub. 2 questions...

    1) Insurance scam?
    2) Why not replaced yet?


  • #41
    Sunny Dayz
    Registered Users Posts: 5,298 ✭✭✭Sunny Dayz


    veryangryman wrote: »
    O Neill's pub. 2 questions...

    1) Insurance scam?
    2) Why not replaced yet?
    It's up for sale isn't it?


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  • #42
    bennyineire
    Registered Users Posts: 2,466 ✭✭✭bennyineire


    bennyineire wrote: »
    Athlone is certainly the best town in the Midlands at the moment, best nighlife/resturants and of course the river/lake and all that goes with it (this from a Tullamore man),

    Tullamore has suffered from to many retail units being built on the outskirts of the town, this has sucked the life out of the town however the planned shopping centre in the center of the town along with the urban street rejuvenation looks like it might bring a bit of life back to to town over the next few years

    Mullingar has the biggest population but not as good as Athlone for shopping, not a bad town but not a whole lot going on there either.

    Portlaoise is the fastest growing town (and it still growing fast) and no doubt will most likely over take all the towns in population over the next 10/20 years due to it's proximity to Dublin (also has the best links to Dublin as it's on the suburban rail network). However in my opinion Portlaoise is the east desirable town, it has 1 old street, a new street/old bypass that is horrible looking. Has a drug problem and a huge influx of people from all over.

    Just my opinion BTW hope not to offend anyone

    Wow, Portlaoise now has the biggest population of all the Midlands towns according to the latest census information released today
    http://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-cp2tc/cp2pdm/pd/


  • #43
    Addle
    Registered Users Posts: 4,812 ✭✭✭Addle


    Sure it's practically a suburb of Dublin.


  • #44
    Dr. Kenneth Noisewater
    Registered Users Posts: 3,236 ✭✭✭Dr. Kenneth Noisewater


    bennyineire wrote: »
    Wow, Portlaoise now has the biggest population of all the Midlands towns according to the latest census information released today
    http://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-cp2tc/cp2pdm/pd/
    Addle wrote: »
    Sure it's practically a suburb of Dublin.

    Yeah, in context, Portlaoise's impressive growth is probably a lot to do with its proximity to Dublin. It has now almost doubled in population in 15 years!

    I was expecting Athlone to go up by around 1,000 or so. There hasn't been much (or any) building since the last census so you wouldn't have been expecting a big increase, more I'd say a lot of empty properties have been filled since. After Kilkenny, it's the second fastest growing town over 10,000 outside the Dublin commuter belt towns.


  • #45
    charlieIRL
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,189 Mod ✭✭✭✭charlieIRL


    tayto lover wrote: »
    Anyone remember the famous Shannon Queen?
    Many a good night I had on her.

    we used to fish off the remains of it as kids.

    One hull is still on the water to this day as well.


  • #46
    charlieIRL
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,189 Mod ✭✭✭✭charlieIRL


    Speaking of filling stations, wonder has the court case concluded over the new filling station on the motorway outside Athlone?


  • #47
    nhunter100
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,990 ✭✭✭nhunter100


    PMBC wrote:
    Well done, good idea this thread. I always felt Athlone was a lovely town with the river, Hodson Bay, Athlone castle and interesting side streets rather than boring gridiron layout. I lived some distance away but fifty years ago it did have 'a bad name', which I don't think was deserved. Was that because of the ArmyThe few people new from thre or thereabouts were as good as any, you could meet. With the RC and its location on the river and approx. midway across Ireland, it should be thriving. I was at some great weddings in Shamrock Lodge and others in my time. The major part of the economic re-birth has been in Dublin so possibly it has gained very little in the same way as with other midland towns such as Portlaoise, Mullingar and Tullamore. A midlander described them all recently to me as 'ghost towns', business wise he meant. What ever happened to the plan for the Chinese invasion? What is the current state socially, culturally and economically.


    Athlon is thriving but faces challenges like all mid size towns that have good transport links to larger urban areas.
    Golden Island on the weekend is a sign of the rise in the economy.
    The Chinese trade area was nothing more than a white elephant one of the key components was apartments that stand alone wouldn't have a hope of permission.
    The town attracks of hen parties ( good thing/ bad thing matter of opinion but they spend).
    Culturally the town hosts the drama festival and has done for years.
    Basically Athlone is a nice centrally located town good transport links and some due to the river and Lough Ree some excellent amenities.


  • #48
    Dr. Kenneth Noisewater
    Registered Users Posts: 3,236 ✭✭✭Dr. Kenneth Noisewater


    charlieIRL wrote: »
    Speaking of filling stations, wonder has the court case concluded over the new filling station on the motorway outside Athlone?

    Funny you should mention it http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/forecourt-firms-end-legal-fight-over-service-stations-35687623.html


  • #49
    whyulittle
    Registered Users Posts: 3,878 ✭✭✭whyulittle


    Looking past the populations figures alone around Athlone versus Portlaoise.

    2,500 IDA-backed jobs in Westmeath, against 97 in Laois.

    http://www.leinsterexpress.ie/news/home/230793/new-ida-jobs-sees-laois-left-further-behind-in-midlands.html

    A map of commuting in Ireland; Athlone drawing in lots from its hinterland, Portlaoise acting as part of Dublin's hinterland.

    https://twitter.com/2ha_magazine/status/847054488951275521


  • #50
    TheRiverman
    Registered Users Posts: 6,037 ✭✭✭TheRiverman


    The centre of Athlone needs a major facelift.Church Street which is the main street down the centre is a shambles,and was totally neglected in favour of the Town Centre Shopping Centre during the "boom".Another area that is a disgrace is the site of the old Shopping Centre with it's crude, completely misguided and now derelict "multi-storey carpark"It is a horrendous eyesore and should be demolished.Connaught Street on the west side of the town is another drab dead area of the town.
    The Golden Island Shopping Centre and the surrounding area of Belhavel/John Broderick Street is the best part of the town for shopping.


  • #51
    Zubeneschamali
    Registered Users Posts: 16,686 ✭✭✭✭Zubeneschamali


    TheRiverman wrote: »
    Church Street which is the main street down the centre is a shambles,and was totally neglected in favour of the Town Centre Shopping Centre during the "boom"

    The council had a plan to one way and upgrade it, but a combination of CIE dog in the manger and the old Athlone traders knocked it on the head.

    I see the protest signs are back in windows in town, the council must be trying again.


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  • #52
    roosterman71
    Registered Users Posts: 5,335 ✭✭✭roosterman71


    Zubeneschamali wrote: »
    The council had a plan to one way and upgrade it, but a combination of CIE dog in the manger and the old Athlone traders knocked it on the head.

    I see the protest signs are back in windows in town, the council must be trying again.

    The one way system is coming back
    http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/news/features/articles/2017/04/24/4138892-council-makes-final-decision-on-athlone-oneway-plan/


  • #53
    TheRiverman
    Registered Users Posts: 6,037 ✭✭✭TheRiverman


    Zubeneschamali wrote: »
    The council had a plan to one way and upgrade it, but a combination of CIE dog in the manger and the old Athlone traders knocked it on the head.

    I see the protest signs are back in windows in town, the council must be trying again.

    Yes they are,ongoing plans to rejuvenate Church Street includes one way traffic westbound.


  • #54
    The Red Lad
    Registered Users Posts: 451 ✭✭The Red Lad


    It's currently raining in Athlone


  • #55
    L.Jenkins
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 19,240 Mod ✭✭✭✭L.Jenkins


    TheRiverman wrote: »
    Yes they are,ongoing plans to rejuvenate Church Street includes one way traffic westbound.

    I believe they're still waiting on permission or the go ahead to develop an additional lane past the station.
    The Red Lad wrote: »
    It's currently raining in Athlone

    It is indeed.


  • #56
    blast06
    Registered Users Posts: 228 ✭✭blast06


    The water sensor in the Shannon in the town - just down river from the bridge - recorded a 10 year low earlier today (it may be longer record but i can only find data going back 10 years) .... fully 3cm lower than previous low.
    For this to occur in May (rather than say September when water tables would be at their lowest) is remarkable ... albeit that rainfall has been extremely low - a mere 14.4mm of rain in Mullingar met station since April 1st for example.


  • #57
    flazio
    Registered Users Posts: 12,781 ✭✭✭✭flazio


    If only we could find a way to tank the flood waters whenever that happens.


  • #58
    Zubeneschamali
    Registered Users Posts: 16,686 ✭✭✭✭Zubeneschamali


    A snap (with notes) from a hundred years ago.

    preview:
    10833970264_3ddafd1702.jpg
    hvmVUL


  • #59
    L.Jenkins
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 19,240 Mod ✭✭✭✭L.Jenkins


    A modern day photo of the same street.

    splash.JPG

    Many of the buildings could do with a face lift. The same can be said for Connaught Street.

    a1c64425-ef2b-404a-8105-9e405c70b4f2_l.jpg

    76d3e426-a177-4771-94bc-dc76c31ad8ec


  • #60
    Mena Mitty
    Registered Users Posts: 5,929 ✭✭✭Mena Mitty


    flazio wrote: »
    If only we could find a way to tank the flood waters whenever that happens.

    I've been saying it for years build the reservoirs and fill them up with flood water and then there'll be water for the rainy day...so to speak.

    But this is Ireland and Trump's wall would cost less to build than one reservoir and not half as much red tape.


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  • #61
    nice_guy80
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,723 ✭✭✭nice_guy80


    Mena Mitty wrote: »
    I've been saying it for years build the reservoirs and fill them up with flood water and then there'll be water for the rainy day...so to speak.

    But this is Ireland and Trump's wall would cost less to build than one reservoir and not half as much red tape.

    where will you put the reservoirs?


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