Club History
Formed in 1885, Athlone is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Westmeath. Based in Pairc Chiarain on the Ballymahon Road, the town club has left the senior rank only once when they were relegated in 2014 but returned the following year when they won the Westmeath Intermediate Championship. Whilst the Flanagan Cup has been in Athlone more often than anywhere else (20 in total, including a record six in a row from 1955 to 1960), the last time it was won was in 1998 when the team were captained by Westmeath legend Rory O’Connell who three years later would become Westmeath’s first ever football All-Star.
Despite the lack of success at senior level in recent years, the club is enjoying a renaissance at underage level having won an U14 Championship in 2011, four Feile Championships in 2010, 2011, 2014 and 2018, two U16 Championships in 2010 and 2012, an U15 Championship in 2012 as well being runner up in two Minor finals in 2011 and 2012. Athlone U14 ladies won the Feile Shield in 2013 and again in 2014 and our U12 Girls were Div 3 County Champions in 2017. Our U21 Men were County Champions in 2013. The Club won the Westmeath Intermediate Championship in 2015 and qualified for the Leinster Intermediate Final the same year losing out to Ratoath, Co, Meath.
In 2017 the Club bridged a 24 year gap by winning the County Minor Championship. Our U14 Girls were defeated in the final of Div 2 Feile Final in 2018 and our U14 Boys are Div 2 Westmeath Feile Champions for 2018. Athlone GAA Club caters for both football and hurling with the hurlers playing under the Southern Gaels banner. The club have three full size floodlit pitches and a ball wall and also a bar/ballroom.
