A very interesting article Dr Hughes. Thank you. I am sure the children learnt a lot thanks to the school and are now able to form their own opinion of the history. I lived very close to the castle in the early 1980's had no knowledge of the history but did suspect something of the sort. Our boys would have loved to have seen your video back then whilst they played in and around the ruins. It is a very good article on the important history of Athlone. Thanks again.
An interesting addition to this incident has been passed down the generations of my family. The shots fired at the car being driven by the British officers were from behind a hedge bordering a farmstead belonging to the Wansboro family. The farm was located where the Jolly Mariner pub once stood, now apartments and a marina. The nearby football field is called Wansboro Field today. Neighbouring land belonged to the Ward family, it is unknown whether they were Involved in the incident. The Wansboro house was one of the houses burnt down by the Black and Tans, it was never rebuilt, the family which consisted of two bachelor brothers moved into the cow shed where they lived out their days until they passed away in the sixties. My grandfather, a third brother had married and moved away from Athlone some years previously, he died tragically in1916 as a result of a fall from a ladder while working in Waterford to support his young family. As there were no direct descendents the land in Athlone valued at £4000 was left to the church.
Pity that people can buy this land and keep those interested in history away from seeing it. As an American, I find it odd. Oh well. Many others to visit
Very well done Mr Hughes also important for the younger people know their local history handcocks not caring for the Irish people fight for Independence freedom best they leave Ireland poetic justice
Exactly - there are many still here today in the republic still living it up on their ill gotten gains from Cromwell and lizzy the 1st etc and we still have not liberated the northern counties.
@@jasonobrien1989 I'm curious Jason, Do you ever cry about it when your zealous Marxist friends obliterate history in one of the countless but invariably monstrous ways they have of doing that? History lover?
