Atelier Aterui: Image Index: Athlone

JOYCEAN PICS 2008

Athlone

Contents of This Page

  Athlone Bus/Railway Station
  River Shannon
  St. Peter & Paul's Church Athlone
  Bust of John McCormack
  Athlone Castle
  Sean's Bar, 13 Main Street (the oldest Irish pub)
  "Subway," Church Street
  Church Street
  St. Mary's Parish Church

CONTENTS 2008

1	Tours IJJF Symposium 2008: "Re-Nascent Joyce"

2	Tours and Joyce

3	Tours: miscellanea

4	La Maison du Vouvray

5	Boat Trip down the Loire

6	Chateau Royal or the Da Vinci Court, Amboise

7	Paris and Joyce

8	Paris: miscellanea

9	Mont-Saint-Michel

10	Dublin, Jew and Joyce: "Jublin"

11	Dublin: miscellanea

12	Athlone

13	Clonmacnoise (Cluain Mhic Nois)

14	Belfast: "You Are Now Entering Loyalist Sandy Row"

15	Carrickfergus Castle

16	The Hurry Head, East Antrim (Co. Antrim)

17	Carrick-a-Rede

18	The Old Bushmills Distillery Co. Ltd.

19	Dunluce Castle

20	The Giant's Causeway

21	Seoul JJSK Conference 2008

22	Seoul: miscellanea 2008

Athlone 23 June 2008

  Athlone (Irish: Baile Atha Luain, meaning Town of the Ford of Luan) is a town that lies on the River Shannon near the southern extremity of Lough Ree, Ireland.  Athlone is the largest town of central Ireland and also the commercial capital of the Irish midlands, and is located close to the geographical centre of Ireland, on the border of two counties, Roscommon and Westmeath, which are in the provinces of Connacht and Leinster respectively.  The current population of 19,387 is based on the preliminary 2006 Census Report: Athlone Urban 6,970 Athlone East Rural 6,804 Athlone West Rural 3,114 Moydrum 2,499.
  The town is governed by an elected town council which elects a Mayor.  Although the River Shannon which runs through the town forms the historic border between County Roscommon and County Westmeath, the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 included much of the town entirely in Westmeath, including areas west of the river. Much recent growth has been outside the official town boundaries.  Monksland, a suburb on the west side of the town is not within the town boundaries, yet is the most populous area of County Roscommon.  (Main reference: the site of Wikipedia.)

IMAGE IMAGE NO. DATA

Stations      Athlone Bus/Railway Station

ath2008-001 (Monday 23 June) Athlone Bus Station

ath2008-003 (Monday 23 June) Athlone Railway Station



River Shannon      The River Shannon (Sionainn or Sionna in Irish) is, at 386 km (240 miles), the longest river in Ireland, and indeed the whole of the British Isles.  It divides the west of the island of Ireland (principally the province of Connacht) from the east and south (Leinster and most of Munster).  County Clare, being west of the Shannon but part of the province of Munster, is the major exception.  The river represents a major physical barrier between east and west, with fewer than twenty crossing-points between Limerick city in the south and the town of Carrick on Shannon in the north.
  The Shannon has been an important waterway since antiquity, having first been mapped by the Graeco-Egyptian geographer Ptolemy.  The river flows generally southward from the Shannon Pot in County Cavan before turning west and emptying into the Atlantic Ocean through the 113 km (70 mi) long Shannon Estuary.  Limerick city stands at the point where the river water meets the sea water of the estuary.  The Shannon is unaffected by sea tides east of Limerick. (Referred to the site of Wikipedia.)

ath2008-004 (Monday 23 June) River Shannon, viewed from the Bridge of Athlone

ath2008-027 (Monday 23 June) River Shannon, viewed from the Bridge of Athlone

ath2008-028 (Monday 23 June) River Shannon, viewed from the Bridge of Athlone

ath2008-029 (Monday 23 June) River Shannon, viewed from the Bridge of Athlone



St. Peter & Paul's Church Athlone      St. Peter & Paul's Church Athlone (Roman Catholic) is located in the west bank of River Shannon: Market Square, Grace Road, Athlone, County Westmeath.  It was built between 1937-1939.  It is a triumph of twentieth century classicism by Ralph Byrne (1877-1946), a widely read architect who brought a range of international influences to create a unique fusion of historical style with a contemporary interpretation.

ath2008-006 (Monday 23 June) St. Peter & Paul's Church Athlone in the west bank of River Shannon

ath2008-009 (Monday 23 June) The twin towers of St. Peter & Paul's Church Athlone

ath2008-010 (Monday 23 June) General information board of St. Peter & Paul's Church Athlone

ath2008-011 (Monday 23 June) Statue of Jesus Christ on the top of St. Peter & Paul's Church Athlone

ath2008-013 (Monday 23 June) Interior of St. Peter & Paul's Church Athlone

ath2008-014 (Monday 23 June) The altar of St. Peter & Paul's Church Athlone

ath2008-015 (Monday 23 June) The altar of St. Peter & Paul's Church Athlone

ath2008-016 (Monday 23 June) The entrance (backward) of St. Peter & Paul's Church Athlone

ath2008-017 (Monday 23 June) A stained glass of St. Peter & Paul's Church Athlone

ath2008-018 (Monday 23 June) A stained glass of St. Peter & Paul's Church Athlone

ath2008-019 (Monday 23 June) St. Peter & Paul's Church Athlone



Bust of John McCormack      Bust of John McCormack by the west bank of River Shannon (close to St. Peter & Paul's Church Athlone).
  John McCormack (14 June 1884 - 16 September 1945), was a world-famous Irish tenor and recording artist, celebrated for his performances of the operatic and popular song repertoires, and renowned for his flawless diction and superb breath control.
  John Francis McCormack was born in Athlone, Ireland, the fourth of eleven children of Andrew McCormack and Hannah Watson on 14 June 1884, and was baptized in St. Mary's Church, Athlone on 23 June 1884.  His parents were employed at the Athlone Woollen Mills.
  In 1904 James Joyce shared the stage of the tenor competition at the Feis Ceoil with John McCormack who won a scholarship for a year's vocal study in Italy (Ellmann 151).  Later in 1920 in Paris he met with James Joyce for the first time since 1904.  Joyce was greatly interested in McCormack's talent and career.  He had followed it closely, and there are many allusions to McCormack's singing and repertoire in Finnegan's Wake.
  *A life-sized bronze statue of John McCormack, by sculptor Elizabeth O' Kane, was unveiled in Dublin Ireland, on 19 June 2008.  The statue stands in the Iveagh Gardens.

ath2008-020 (Monday 23 June) Bust of John McCormack by the west bank of River Shannon

ath2008-021 (Monday 23 June) Bust of John McCormack by the west bank of River Shannon

ath2008-022 (Monday 23 June) Bust of John McCormack by the west bank of River Shannon

ath2008-023 (Monday 23 June) Bust of John McCormack by the west bank of River Shannon

ath2008-024 (Monday 23 June) Bust of John McCormack by the west bank of River Shannon

ath2008-025 (Monday 23 June) Bust of John McCormack by the west bank of River Shannon



Athlone Castle      In 1129 King Turlough O'Connor recognized it's strategic importance and built a wooden castle here.  In 1210 King John of England ordered the building of a stone castle and bridge.  The Castle was built by John de Gray, Bishop of Norwich.
  The castle's strategic position meant that it saw a good deal of military action.  In 1691 it suffered the heaviest bombardment in Irish history: Williamite General Ginkel attacked with over 600 bombs, 12,000 cannon balls and huge quantities of stones (The Siege of Athlone).  The whole castle was rebuilt from 1793 to 1815, reduced in height and strengthened for the mounting of heavy cannon in efforts to fortify the Shannon against French invasion.  The lower storey of de Grey's polygonal tower is the only part of the medieval fabric to survive.
  Now the castle is functioned both as the museum and as the tourist office.

ath2008-030 (Monday 23 June) Athlone Castle

ath2008-031 (Monday 23 June) Athlone Castle



Sean's Bar      Sean's Bar, 13 Main Street, Athlone, Co Westmeath (near the Norman castle by River Shannon).  According to the Guinness Book of Records, this is the oldest Irish pub whose history can be back to the tenth century (900 AD).  Drinks only; no food available here.

ath2008-036 (Monday 23 June) Sean's Bar, 13 Main Street, Athlone, Co Westmeath

ath2008-037 (Monday 23 June) Sean's Bar, 13 Main Street, Athlone, Co Westmeath

ath2008-038 (Monday 23 June) Sean's Bar, 13 Main Street, Athlone, Co Westmeath

ath2008-039 (Monday 23 June) Sean's Bar, 13 Main Street, Athlone, Co Westmeath

ath2008-040 (Monday 23 June) Sean's Bar, 13 Main Street, Athlone, Co Westmeath

ath2008-042 (Monday 23 June) Interior of Sean's Bar, 13 Main Street

ath2008-043 (Monday 23 June) Interior of Sean's Bar, 13 Main Street

ath2008-044 (Monday 23 June) Interior of Sean's Bar, 13 Main Street



"Subway"      "Subway," Church Street, Athlone where I took a quick lunch after visiting Sean's Bar.

ath2008-045 (Monday 23 June) "Subway," Church Street, Athlone



Athlone Brigade IRA      "Athlone Brigade IRA," an Irish statue standing near Subway, Church Street, Athlone

ath2008-046 (Monday 23 June) "Athlone Brigade IRA," an Irish statue standing near Subway, Church Street, Athlone

ath2008-047 (Monday 23 June) "Athlone Brigade IRA," an Irish statue standing near Subway, Church Street, Athlone

ath2008-048 (Monday 23 June) "Athlone Brigade IRA," standing near Subway, Church Street, Athlone.  The script says:

  "We declare the right of the people of Ireland to the ownership of Ireland, and to the unfettered control of Irish destinies, to be sovereign and indefeasible." (P. H. Pearse)



Church Street      Church Street is the main shopping street of Athlone.

ath2008-049 (Monday 23 June) An eastern view of Church Street



St. Mary's Parish      St. Mary's Parish Church, Church Street, Athlone.
The parish of St. Mary's in the Diocese of Ardagh & Clonmacnois, includes that part of the town of Athlone situated on the east bank of the river Shannon.  The parish of St. Mary's is first recorded in a papal document of 1484.  It extends over an area of ten thousand and seventy acres.Today the population of St. Mary's is put at 14,500 people.  This figure should not be confused with the population of Athlone situated in the parish of St. Peter's and the diocese of Elphin.  (Referred to the official site.)

ath2008-050 (Monday 23 June) St. Mary's Parish Church, viewed from Church Street

ath2008-051 (Monday 23 June) St. Mary's Parish Church

ath2008-052 (Monday 23 June) St. Mary's Parish Church, viewed from Church Street

Maintained by Eishiro Ito

IMAGE	IMAGE NO.	DATA
Stations		Athlone Bus/Railway Station
	ath2008-001	(Monday 23 June) Athlone Bus Station
	ath2008-003	(Monday 23 June) Athlone Railway Station

River Shannon		The River Shannon (Sionainn or Sionna in Irish) is, at 386 km (240 miles), the longest river in Ireland, and indeed the whole of the British Isles. It divides the west of the island of Ireland (principally the province of Connacht) from the east and south (Leinster and most of Munster). County Clare, being west of the Shannon but part of the province of Munster, is the major exception. The river represents a major physical barrier between east and west, with fewer than twenty crossing-points between Limerick city in the south and the town of Carrick on Shannon in the north. The Shannon has been an important waterway since antiquity, having first been mapped by the Graeco-Egyptian geographer Ptolemy. The river flows generally southward from the Shannon Pot in County Cavan before turning west and emptying into the Atlantic Ocean through the 113 km (70 mi) long Shannon Estuary. Limerick city stands at the point where the river water meets the sea water of the estuary. The Shannon is unaffected by sea tides east of Limerick. (Referred to the site of Wikipedia.)
	ath2008-004	(Monday 23 June) River Shannon, viewed from the Bridge of Athlone
	ath2008-027	(Monday 23 June) River Shannon, viewed from the Bridge of Athlone
	ath2008-028	(Monday 23 June) River Shannon, viewed from the Bridge of Athlone
	ath2008-029	(Monday 23 June) River Shannon, viewed from the Bridge of Athlone

St. Peter & Paul's Church Athlone		St. Peter & Paul's Church Athlone (Roman Catholic) is located in the west bank of River Shannon: Market Square, Grace Road, Athlone, County Westmeath. It was built between 1937-1939. It is a triumph of twentieth century classicism by Ralph Byrne (1877-1946), a widely read architect who brought a range of international influences to create a unique fusion of historical style with a contemporary interpretation.
	ath2008-006	(Monday 23 June) St. Peter & Paul's Church Athlone in the west bank of River Shannon
	ath2008-009	(Monday 23 June) The twin towers of St. Peter & Paul's Church Athlone
	ath2008-010	(Monday 23 June) General information board of St. Peter & Paul's Church Athlone
	ath2008-011	(Monday 23 June) Statue of Jesus Christ on the top of St. Peter & Paul's Church Athlone
	ath2008-013	(Monday 23 June) Interior of St. Peter & Paul's Church Athlone
	ath2008-014	(Monday 23 June) The altar of St. Peter & Paul's Church Athlone
	ath2008-015	(Monday 23 June) The altar of St. Peter & Paul's Church Athlone
	ath2008-016	(Monday 23 June) The entrance (backward) of St. Peter & Paul's Church Athlone
	ath2008-017	(Monday 23 June) A stained glass of St. Peter & Paul's Church Athlone
	ath2008-018	(Monday 23 June) A stained glass of St. Peter & Paul's Church Athlone
	ath2008-019	(Monday 23 June) St. Peter & Paul's Church Athlone

Bust of John McCormack		Bust of John McCormack by the west bank of River Shannon (close to St. Peter & Paul's Church Athlone). John McCormack (14 June 1884 - 16 September 1945), was a world-famous Irish tenor and recording artist, celebrated for his performances of the operatic and popular song repertoires, and renowned for his flawless diction and superb breath control. John Francis McCormack was born in Athlone, Ireland, the fourth of eleven children of Andrew McCormack and Hannah Watson on 14 June 1884, and was baptized in St. Mary's Church, Athlone on 23 June 1884. His parents were employed at the Athlone Woollen Mills. In 1904 James Joyce shared the stage of the tenor competition at the Feis Ceoil with John McCormack who won a scholarship for a year's vocal study in Italy (Ellmann 151). Later in 1920 in Paris he met with James Joyce for the first time since 1904. Joyce was greatly interested in McCormack's talent and career. He had followed it closely, and there are many allusions to McCormack's singing and repertoire in Finnegan's Wake. *A life-sized bronze statue of John McCormack, by sculptor Elizabeth O' Kane, was unveiled in Dublin Ireland, on 19 June 2008. The statue stands in the Iveagh Gardens.
	ath2008-020	(Monday 23 June) Bust of John McCormack by the west bank of River Shannon
	ath2008-021	(Monday 23 June) Bust of John McCormack by the west bank of River Shannon
	ath2008-022	(Monday 23 June) Bust of John McCormack by the west bank of River Shannon
	ath2008-023	(Monday 23 June) Bust of John McCormack by the west bank of River Shannon
	ath2008-024	(Monday 23 June) Bust of John McCormack by the west bank of River Shannon
	ath2008-025	(Monday 23 June) Bust of John McCormack by the west bank of River Shannon

Athlone Castle		In 1129 King Turlough O'Connor recognized it's strategic importance and built a wooden castle here. In 1210 King John of England ordered the building of a stone castle and bridge. The Castle was built by John de Gray, Bishop of Norwich. The castle's strategic position meant that it saw a good deal of military action. In 1691 it suffered the heaviest bombardment in Irish history: Williamite General Ginkel attacked with over 600 bombs, 12,000 cannon balls and huge quantities of stones (The Siege of Athlone). The whole castle was rebuilt from 1793 to 1815, reduced in height and strengthened for the mounting of heavy cannon in efforts to fortify the Shannon against French invasion. The lower storey of de Grey's polygonal tower is the only part of the medieval fabric to survive. Now the castle is functioned both as the museum and as the tourist office.
	ath2008-030	(Monday 23 June) Athlone Castle
	ath2008-031	(Monday 23 June) Athlone Castle

Sean's Bar		Sean's Bar, 13 Main Street, Athlone, Co Westmeath (near the Norman castle by River Shannon). According to the Guinness Book of Records, this is the oldest Irish pub whose history can be back to the tenth century (900 AD). Drinks only; no food available here.
	ath2008-036	(Monday 23 June) Sean's Bar, 13 Main Street, Athlone, Co Westmeath
	ath2008-037	(Monday 23 June) Sean's Bar, 13 Main Street, Athlone, Co Westmeath
	ath2008-038	(Monday 23 June) Sean's Bar, 13 Main Street, Athlone, Co Westmeath
	ath2008-039	(Monday 23 June) Sean's Bar, 13 Main Street, Athlone, Co Westmeath
	ath2008-040	(Monday 23 June) Sean's Bar, 13 Main Street, Athlone, Co Westmeath
	ath2008-042	(Monday 23 June) Interior of Sean's Bar, 13 Main Street
	ath2008-043	(Monday 23 June) Interior of Sean's Bar, 13 Main Street
	ath2008-044	(Monday 23 June) Interior of Sean's Bar, 13 Main Street

"Subway"		"Subway," Church Street, Athlone where I took a quick lunch after visiting Sean's Bar.
	ath2008-045	(Monday 23 June) "Subway," Church Street, Athlone

Athlone Brigade IRA		"Athlone Brigade IRA," an Irish statue standing near Subway, Church Street, Athlone
	ath2008-046	(Monday 23 June) "Athlone Brigade IRA," an Irish statue standing near Subway, Church Street, Athlone
	ath2008-047	(Monday 23 June) "Athlone Brigade IRA," an Irish statue standing near Subway, Church Street, Athlone
	ath2008-048	(Monday 23 June) "Athlone Brigade IRA," standing near Subway, Church Street, Athlone. The script says: "We declare the right of the people of Ireland to the ownership of Ireland, and to the unfettered control of Irish destinies, to be sovereign and indefeasible." (P. H. Pearse)

Church Street		Church Street is the main shopping street of Athlone.
	ath2008-049	(Monday 23 June) An eastern view of Church Street

St. Mary's Parish		St. Mary's Parish Church, Church Street, Athlone. The parish of St. Mary's in the Diocese of Ardagh & Clonmacnois, includes that part of the town of Athlone situated on the east bank of the river Shannon. The parish of St. Mary's is first recorded in a papal document of 1484. It extends over an area of ten thousand and seventy acres.Today the population of St. Mary's is put at 14,500 people. This figure should not be confused with the population of Athlone situated in the parish of St. Peter's and the diocese of Elphin. (Referred to the official site.)
	ath2008-050	(Monday 23 June) St. Mary's Parish Church, viewed from Church Street
	ath2008-051	(Monday 23 June) St. Mary's Parish Church
	ath2008-052	(Monday 23 June) St. Mary's Parish Church, viewed from Church Street