The keep at Athlone Castle.
We stopped at Athlone Castle on a whim. But, I'm glad we made time to see it. The castle is an impressive structure in the center of town. It sits right on the banks of the River Shannon. The view from the battlements across the river to the other part of town is quite impressive. It must have been equally impressive to King James II's forces in their battle with William of Orange's forces during the Glorious Revolution to determine who would sit on the British throne. William's forces won; but not before James' forces used the castle's cannons to blow up large portions of the town on the other side of the river. The whole story is detailed in story boards located on the battlements.
There's no charge to get into the castle. But, there is a charge to get into the keep, which is the castle's oldest part. The keep holds a museum; but, I didn't go into it. I was pretty "castled out" by then and couldn't stand the thought of seeing another mediocre exhibit about the history of a particular area. However, I did go into a passageway behind the keep in the castle's walls. This passageway isn't lit. The only light comes from the door leading into it, and a couple of small windows cut into the wall. It's very dark, kind of wet, and extremely narrow. This must have been what castles were really like before electricity.
The castle has posted hours of 10 a.m to 4:30 p.m. But, we stopped there the next day to hit the gift shop at 5 p.m. and it was still open. So, it might pay to make a visit even if you think it will be closed.
Also, take a look at the Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul across the
street from the castle. I didn't go into it because a funeral was going
on. However, it's a very impressive structure with a tarnished bronze dome
and two magnificent bell towers. If the inside is as impressive as the outside,
then it's an attraction worth visiting.
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