Athlone ‘the envy of many provincial towns’: O’Rourke
By Rebekah O'Reilly
Addressing more than 100 attendees at the recent Athlone Tidy Towns Gardens and Estates Awards, Deputy Mayor Cllr Aengus O’Rourke described Athlone as a “truly wonderful town” and “the envy of many provincial towns around Ireland.”
“I meet many public representatives from across the country in my role, and they are often very quick to ask about the successes that Athlone has experienced, whether it’s our ever-growing tourism offering, our business reputation as the capital of the Midlands, or our designation as a Regional Growth Centre in the National Development Plan.”
He pointed to major developments such as the near-capacity IDA Business Park in Garrycastle, the planned IDA car park on the Ballymahon Road, and the continued growth of the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS), Athlone Campus.
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Pierce Murphy receiving a long service award from Gerry Johnson at the Athlone Tidy Towns Garden and Estate competition awards in the Shamrock Lodge Hotel last week. PaulMolloy 2025Image 2 of 2
Sean Leydon from The Elms, second in the small estates category receiving the award from John Henson. PaulMolloy 2025“It’s the jewel in the crown, ever growing, ever impressive, providing us with the talent we need to feed our businesses and the foreign direct investment we’re attracting. We’re a very successful location for pharmaceuticals, medtech, and business across the board.” Cllr O’Rourke praised Destination Athlone for its work in promoting the town as a tourist destination.
“As I came into town, I noticed five CIE buses along the barracks wall, with streams of people in heavy rain heading to the Luan Gallery and across town, and I’m sure down to Sean’s Bar. There aren’t many provincial towns in Ireland that have five CIE tour buses in their town centre today.”
He emphasised the importance of maintaining Athlone’s appearance: “The estates, the streets, the way we present ourselves, it’s really important, not just for residents but for visitors and investors. Working together is crucial.”