Athenry Voyage Tips and guide

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Athenry is a market town in County Galway with medieval town walls, castle and abbey. In Irish it's Baile Átha an Rí, town of the ford of the king. Those kings were the Ó Mainnín dynasty, ousted in the 12th century by supporters of the O'Connor kings, who in turn were ousted in the 13th century by the Anglo-Norman de Bermingham overlords. The present town still follows the Anglo-Norman street pattern, though the buildings are mostly modern. Athenry has a population (as of 2022) of 4600 and has become a commuter town for Galway 25 km west.

The Fields of Athenry is a folk ballad written in 1979 by Pete St John. It relates the sad tale of an Athenry man who "stole Trevelyan's corn" during the Great Famine of the 1840s to try to feed his family, and was sentenced to be transported to Australia. Trevelyan (1807-86) was the senior official in Dublin who was tardy in distributing famine relief, declaring that "the judgement of God sent the calamity to teach the Irish a lesson". Let them eat maize instead, quoth he, a commodity exported in bulk from Ireland throughout the famine, but unaffordable by the peasantry. The song refers to "Botany Bay" which was a generic term for all the penal colonies of Australia, so Fremantle or Tasmania would be our hero's likeliest destination. The song was original, in the style of but not adapted from earlier ballads, and in the 1980s it became an unofficial anthem of Irish sports supporters.

Trains from Dublin Heuston run every two hours, taking 2 hr 15 min via Kildare, Portarlington, Tullamore, Clara, Athlone, Ballinasloe and Attymon, and continuing west to Oranmore and Galway Ceannt (another 30 min).

From Limerick Colbert five trains run via Ennis and Gort to Athenry, taking almost two hours, and continue to Galway.

53.3016-8.74861 Athenry railway station is 300 m northwest of town centre. The ticket office is open M-F 5:30AM-1:30PM and there are ticket machines and toilets.

Intercity buses fly past on M6 and don't serve the town. Philip Farrell Nightlink Bus runs between Athenry and Galway F Sa Su late night.

The town is compact but you need a bike or car to reach the outlying sights.

• 53.3002-8.74431 Athenry Castle (King John's Castle), Court Lane H65 WP93, ☏ +353 91 844 797. Closed. Sturdy tower house built from 1235, twenty years after the death of King John who it's named for. You enter via a wooden stairway into the first-floor main hall; below was just storage. So the interior was always cramped, and the point was to show an imposing exterior to the world. It's closed during re-building work. (updated May 2025)
• Medieval town walls survive in many places, with the castle on the north wall. Vehicles need a sharp intake of breath to get through North Gate.
• Athenry Arts & Heritage Centre, St Mary's, The Square H65 WC57 (100 m southwest of castle), ☏ +353 91 844 661. M Tu F 10AM-5:30PM, Th 10AM-2PM. Small museum, child-friendly, within the remains of 13th-century St Mary's Collegiate Church. Adult €6, conc or child €5. (updated May 2025)
• Market Cross in the central square is 15th century.
• 53.2983-8.74462 Dominican Priory, Abbey Row H65 PC65. Founded in 1241, the priory was twice torched, and Cromwell's forces finished it off in the 1650s. What remains are the Late Gothic nave, chancel, northern aisle and transept, and medieval tombs. Free. (updated May 2025)
• 53.3336-8.76983 Castle Ellen House, Pollagh H65 AX27 (5 km north of town). Jun-Aug Su-Th noon-4PM. Mansion built in 1810. (updated May 2025)
• 53.3763-8.67834 Monivea Castle, Monivea Demesne. Closed. Anglo-Norman tower house extended in the 19th century, you can only see the exterior. Nearby is the cod-castellation of the ffrench family mausoleum and chapel, set in Monivea woods and parkland. (updated May 2025)
• 53.4403-8.74285 Knockmoy Abbey is a ruined Cistercian abbey founded in 1190 by King Cathal O'Connor, who is buried here. It's in the fields midway between Tuam and Athenry.
• 53.198-8.5676 Loughrea is a village 15 km southeast of Athenry. St Brendan's Cathedral was built in 1897. The banks of the lough are a pleasant stroll.

• District Leisure Centre is 100 m west of the railway station.
• Golf: Athenry GC is 5 km west of town. White tees 5908 m, par 70.
• Athenry Agricultural Show is held at The Valley 3 km southwest of town on the late May holiday weekend.

• Aldi supermarket is south of town centre. Tesco is further south, open M-Sa 8AM-10PM, Su 9AM-10PM.

• Town Centre has China Palace, Tai Athenry, Supermac's & Papa John, Stone House Pizza and Kasturi.
• Old Barracks bistro is open daily 8:30AM-6PM, see Sleep.

• Central places are JF Murphy's, Dowling's, Dan's Bar, The Square Inn, J Glynn's and Fields Bar.

• Lodge at the Old Barracks, Cross Street H65 Y170 (100 m north of New Park), ☏ +353 91 877 406. Clean welcoming place in the town centre. B&B double €140. (updated May 2025)
• 53.2975-8.74741 New Park Hotel, Cross Street H65 NW50, ☏ +353 91 875 380. Creaky mid-range hotel just south of the centre, catering hit-and-miss. B&B double €190. (updated May 2025)
• 53.3007-8.76182 Raheen Woods Hotel, Raheen H65 E443, ☏ +353 91 875 888. Friendly place 1 km west of town. B&B double €180. (updated May 2025)

As of May 2025, Athenry and its approach roads have 4G from Eir, and 5G from Three and Vodafone.

• Tuam to the north is a long-established religious centre. From there head west to Cong, film location for The Quiet Man.
• The Burren is the stark limestone country to the southwest. It can be reached from Gort, though the best of it is further on in County Clare.
• Galway is the lively city west. Travel this way for Connemara and the Aran Islands.