Athlone

Athlone Baile Átha Luain
City
The River Shannon and the Church of Saints Peter and Paul.
Coat of arms
Motto: Urbes Stant Legibus
Athlone Location in Ireland
Coordinates: 53°26′00″N 7°57′00″W / 53.4333°N 7.9500°W / 53.4333; -7.9500Coordinates: 53°26′00″N 7°57′00″W / 53.4333°N 7.9500°W / 53.4333; -7.9500
Country	Ireland
Province	Leinster and Connacht
County	County Westmeath and County Roscommon
Dáil Éireann	Longford–Westmeath
Elevation	56 m (184 ft)
Population (2011)
• Total	20,153
Eircode	N37
Irish Grid Reference	N033420
Dialing code	090, +353 90
Website	www.athlone.ie

Athlone (/æθˈloʊn/; Irish: Baile Átha Luain, meaning "town of Luan's ford") is a town on the River Shannon near the southern shore of Lough Ree in Ireland. It is the largest town in the Midlands Region. Most of the town lies on the east bank of the river; however, by the terms of the Local Government Act of 1898, six townlands on the west bank of the Shannon were deemed to be part of the town and, therefore, part of County Westmeath.

The 2011 Census of Ireland recorded the population of the town at 20,153, a 14.8% increase from 2006. Recent growth has also occurred outside the town's boundaries.

Athlone is near the geographical centre of Ireland, which is 8.85 kilometres (5.50 mi) north-northwest of the town, in the area of Carnagh East in County Roscommon.

Athlone Castle is the geographical and historical centre of Athlone. Throughout its early history, the ford of Athlone was strategically important, as south of Athlone the Shannon is impassable until Clonmacnoise, where the Esker Riada meets the Shannon, while to the north it flows into Lough Ree. In 1001 Brian Bóru sailed his army up river from Kincora and through Lough Derg to attend a gathering in Athlone.