Author Archives: athlonehistory

Field Trip to Boyle, Saturday 21 September 2019

9.45 am – Saturday 21st September, 2019 Field Trip to King House and Boyle Abbey On Saturday, 21 September, the Society will travel to Boyle on its latest field trip. A bus is available, which leaves at 9.45am from the … Continue reading

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The Billy English Memorial Lecture, 2019 – ‘Unlocking the Myths of the 1970 Arms Crisis’

Tuesday, 30 April, at 8.30pm in the Wineport Lodge, Athlone Talk by Dr Michael Heney Summary The lecture will explain how new research on the 1970 Arms Crisis challenges the conventional view of events in 1969-70. In a revisionist approach, … Continue reading

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The Deserted Anglo-Norman Town and Castle of Rindoon

Wednesday, 27 March, at 8.15pm in the Sheraton Hotel, Athlone Talk by Dr Kieran O’Conor Summary The elements that make up the archaeological complex at Rindoon, Co. Roscommon, consist of a hospital, town wall, house platforms, church, castle, quays, windmill, fishponds and a possible deer-park, all mostly … Continue reading

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Uisneach – from cult centre to royal centre

Wednesday, 6 March, at 8.15pm in Lough Ree Yacht Club Talk by Dr Roseanne Schot Summary The Hill of Uisneach, Co. Westmeath, is celebrated as the sacred ‘centre’ of Ireland and meeting place of the ancient provinces and is often ranked in early Irish … Continue reading

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Irish Revolutionary Women and the Wider World

Tuesday, 12 February, at 8.15pm in the Officers’ Mess, Custume Barracks Talk by Dr Kate O’Malley Summary In the aftermath of the Easter Rising and the Irish Revolution, the Irish struggle for independence was watched closely by nationalists in other parts of the British Empire, most notably … Continue reading

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A Genomic Compendium of an Island

Tuesday, 22 January, at 8.15pm in the Sheraton Hotel, Athlone Talk by Dr Lara Cassidy Summary Over the past six years the emerging field of ancient genomics has revolutionized our understanding of human prehistory. Novel DNA sequencing technologies have rendered the genomes of ancient humans as accessible … Continue reading

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The Fenian Invasion of Canada, 1866

Wednesday, 5 December, at 8.15pm in the Sheraton Hotel, Athlone Talk by Dr David Doolin Summary This talk will focus on the 1866 Fenian Brotherhood’s incursions into British North America. It will show that this relatively little known and often derided episode is of greater importance … Continue reading

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The early diaries (1922-1934) of Athlone journalist, Peter Kilroy (1907-1971)

Wednesday, 14 November, at 8pm in Athlone Public Library Talk by Prof John Horgan and Presentation by Sr Anne Kilroy Summary Prof Horgan will discuss the life and career of Peter Kilroy, an Athlone journalist. Kilroy was a journalist for nearly fifty years, beginning in 1923 until … Continue reading

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The Old Athlone Society – Lecture series, 2018-2019

The Society’s lecture programme for 2018-2019 is as follows. Please note that, unless otherwise stated, lectures start at 8.15pm. Venues for some lectures will be decided at a later date: October, Tuesday 9th (8.15pm) ‘The Burning of the Custom House, 1921’ … Continue reading

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From Farm to Table – Agriculture and Diet in Medieval Ireland

Tuesday, 30 October, at 8.15pm in the Sheraton Hotel, Athlone Talk by Dr Margaret Murphy Summary This talk will examine the variety of sources that can be used to reconstruct diet and farming practices in Ireland. Dr Murphy will explore patterns of food production and consumption in … Continue reading

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