3 Best Sights in Athlone, The Midlands

The Luan Gallery has created a much-needed municipal space to showcase the work of local artists from throughout the Midlands. Since its opening in 2012, Athlone's cultural status has risen a few notches, and this contemporary visual-arts gallery, idyllically sited on the River Shannon, has been well supported by both townspeople and tourists. While it organizes exhibitions and guided tours featuring both emerging and established local artists, the Luan also draws on the national and international permanent collection of the Irish Museum of Modern Art in Dublin.

Coined the “Camelot on the Shannon” by romantic souls, Rindoon was built in 1227 and the population at its height was 1,000 people---a significant town in its day. By the late 13th and early 14th centuries the town was destroyed---and forgotten as the centuries passed.  Today, its town wall, castle, bee bole, medieval hospital, windmill, gatehouse, church, and mill are quite remarkably preserved.

Sparkling with its restored granite walls, St. Peter and St. Paul Catholic Church is a striking Baroque ecclesiastical landmark that many come to see. Built in a completely different style from that generally adopted in Ireland, the church opened on June 29, 1937 (the feast day of the patron saints of St. Peter and St. Paul). Repair work on the impressive interior included redecoration of the vaulted ceiling, walls, floors, and pews. Dominating the skyline for many miles around, the twin campaniles symbolize the saints, while the squat copper dome adds to the overall grace of this much-loved building. Look out for the six fine stained-glass windows from the famed Harry Clarke Studios in Dublin. The tribute window to St. Patrick is a riot of glorious color.