Lorraine from Athlone Library talks about 44 Scotland Street by Alexander McCall Smith: This hugely entertaining book centers around 44 Scotland Street, a fictitious building in a real street in Edinburgh occupied by a wide range of interesting characters. The characters are so well drawn they become like old friends as the series progresses: among […]
Do you feel that the routes you take for regular exercise are currently “On Repeat”? Well here is your opportunity to shake that up! With the “Fresh Eyes” project, you are being asked to observe, notice, admire; then capture what you loved in a photo. Of my local routes, the favourite I have chosen for […]
Aine reviews two titles: Homes and Experiences by Liam Williams and The Art of Travel by Alain de Botton
In January 2021, the Old Athlone Society launched a new website - midlandshistory.com. This site, which the society will update regularly, provides articles and information on the War of Independence and the Civil War. The site was developed as an initiative under the Decade of Centenaries programme. While it concentrates on the Midlands, many articles […]
During November and December 2020, Westmeath County Council partnered with Midlands 103 to broadcast a series of documentaries written and narrated by Ian Kenneally, Historian in Residence for the centenary of 1920. Ian also produced a number of short videos. Below, we provide a brief overview and links to each of the documentaries. Further videos […]
In the final post of the series on 1920, we assess the situation in Westmeath as the year came to a close and the War of Independence continued to rage. We discuss the shooting of alleged spies, the IRA’s Athlone Brigade and persistent turmoil related to the ownership of land. For Westmeath, the months between […]
The Scandal by Fredik Backman review by Anne Byrne The Scandal is set in a small Swedish town called Beartown, and the community of Beartown live for hockey. They hope to win the league so that people with invest in their town. The author helps us understand the characters, and their hopes dreams, fears and […]
Margaret from Kilbeggan Library reviews The Living Mountain by Nan Shepherd. Nan Shepherd offers a depth of scientific knowledge and lived experience from the point of view that "each of the senses is a way into what the mountain can give". The mountain being the Caingorms of Scotland. It is an invitation into a world […]
In our previous post, we examined the Mullingar Brigade’s kidnapping of Resident Magistrate Maxwell Moore and his colleague Gustavus Hyde, a justice of the peace. Here, we focus on the aftermath during which the Crown forces dealt a debilitating blow to the brigade. The IRA’s decision to release Moore and Hyde saved Castlepollard and Mullingar […]
In earlier posts, we discussed the development of the IRA in Westmeath and the creation of brigades in Athlone and Mullingar. Here, we focus on the Mullingar Brigade. During 1920, that brigade struggled to arm and organise its battalions, leaving it ill-equipped to carry out offensive actions against the Crown forces. Throughout 1919, the IRA […]