Athlone – the heart of Ireland

I consider us fortunate that our 6th full day here is our first of steady rain. Fortunately, it was mostly a driving day, and any fool can drive in the rain – self included. We stopped in Kilkenny for a short stroll in the rain and a coffee for the rest of the drive. We saw her beautiful castle! Soon enough, we arrived in Athlone, “the center of Ireland”. It is certainly close to center geographically, but our stop here was planned for different reasons. I wish I knew more about my lineage. The passing of Dad in 2021, then Sean in 2022, and Mom last month, strengthens those desires. We’re all gone too quickly. Grandma grew up 20 minutes from here, and I wanted to at least drive, and hopefully walk, those same fields. She sure loved a good walk. I can still hear that Irish brogue as we skipped together in my youth…

“Wherever I may roam… On land or sea or foam, You can always hear me Singing a song, Show me the way to your home…”

I must also admit that this was strategically planned as a laundry stop at the halfway point! This Air BnB has a washer and dryer. 😉

After we arrived, we put a load of laundry in and settled down for afternoon naps. We woke up and traversed the bridge outside our door across the River Shannon. Within 5 minutes, we arrived at Sean’s Bar. It is said to be the oldest Pub in Ireland, dating back to 900 AD based on some of the ancient building materials found during renovations over the centuries. I toasted my brother Sean with a single malt scotch – his favorite. It was a good swallow. RIP Brother.

Our slow walk along the streets was full of comforting views

I’m happy to be here on the river, close to some of my roots. Time passes too quickly, and I always meant to get here sooner. Now, we just look forward…