Digital story map of Athlone’s No. 1 Gun Battery launched

By Rebekah O'Reilly

A new digital storymap celebrating the history of Athlone’s No. 1 Gun Battery has been launched by the Athlone No 1 Gun Battery Heritage Group, offering visitors and locals an interactive way to explore one of the town’s most significant heritage sites.

The storymap, created by Abarta Heritage with support from Westmeath County Council, brings the story of the historic battery to life through maps, photographs and historical information. QR codes linking directly to the digital resource have now been installed at the battery locations around Athlone, allowing the public to access the material while visiting the sites.

The project marks another milestone for the heritage group, which has been working to preserve and promote the military history of the area.

The Athlone No. 1 Gun Battery Heritage Group was founded in 2016 with the aim of preserving the town's only surviving remnant of the massive fortifications built to defend the town during the Napoleonic Wars.

The group also announced that it has secured funding under the The Heritage Council Community Grant Scheme for a further phase of conservation works on the site, as well as the conservation of archaeological finds uncovered at the No. 1 Gun Battery.

The new funding is expected to support the continued preservation of the site and enhance public understanding of Athlone’s military heritage.