Home About Athlone
Visiting
Living
Business
Council
Deals
Contact
Athlone.ie » Genealogy

Genealogy

A Short Resume of Sources by Gearoid O'Brien, Senior Executive Librarian, Westmeath County Library Services.

Athlone poses certain problems for the amateur genealogist as the river Shannon divides Athlone into two parishes, two diocese, two counties and two provinces. The parishes are St. Mary's to the east and St Peter's to the west. St. Mary's is in the Roman Catholic diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise but the Church of Ireland diocese of Meath. St. Peter's is in the Roman Catholic diocese of Elphin. In the case of the Church of Ireland church for the St. Peter's Parish, it was united with that of St. Mary's parish and thus the records are retained with those of St. Mary's.

The town of Athlone is in County Westmeath for administrative purposes but prior to 1899 the town west of Athlone was in Co. Roscommon while that to the east of Athlone was in Co. Westmeath. If one has 19th century records relating to Athlone, Co. Westmeath or Athlone, Co. Roscommon one can make the assumption that the Roscommon ones refer to the west Athlone. Westmeath is in the province of Leinster while Roscommon is in Connaught. One explanation for several unusual surnames being found in nineteenth century Athlone relates to the fact that Athlone was a garrison town for the British army from c. 1697 to 1922.


     
Top