Athlone To The Bone Documentary Launch

Athlone Community Radio launch new radio series Athlone To The Bone.

Athlone To The Bone is a series of 20 minute programmes over 25 episodes which give voice to the life and times of native Athlonians. During each episode, listeners hear from an extensive range of people both male and female, the young and the not so young.

All recant some of their favourite memories of growing up in the town of Athlone.

Both parishes of the town are represented and the stories recorded take the listener through up to 5 decades of social history.

Women ambushing the milkman, stories on The Shannon, The Mariner, The Ritz, The Adelphi, Connaught St, The Batteries, The Genoa, Jack Egan’s, Free shoes, The Marian Cafe, St Kieran’s Tce, Moran’s Hill, Sarsfield Sq, The Carrot Store, The Fair Green, The Married Quarters, The Ring, The Ballrooms and The Hops.

Just a snippet of the fascinating glimpse into what growing up and living in Athlone was like in days gone by. The accounts provided in the series are from the mouths of those who experienced them and for many listeners, these memories will most surely resonate.

An event to launch Athlone To The Bone will take place on Thursday 14th November 2024 at 8pm at The Shamrock Lodge Hotel.

Tickets are free and can be booked by calling 09064 90722.

Or click below : (Link will be added soon!)

Episode one of Athlone To The Bone will air on Athlone Community Radio 88.4fm on Wednesday 20th November during the Athlone Today programme 2-4pm, and will repeat on the following morning’s Brekkie Fix programme 7-11am.

The series will broadcast for 25 weeks during these time slots. The idea for this series of programmes came from one of Athlone Community Radio’s volunteers and founding members, Seamus McKenna.

He said he was inspired by many conversations he had, especially since retiring, with many Athlonians of various ages.

A constant in those conversations was the recalling of “The Good Ol Days.”

Having noted down many of his own memories, he asked many of the people he had spoken to, if they would be willing to record the stories they had told him in conversation.

Seamus also posted a request on the local Facebook platform, Athlone Down Memory lane. More than 200 people responded.

A number of the contributions came from people not presently living in Athlone. Some were based abroad, some, in other parts of Ireland. All however, are extremely proud of their town. Much of the recording took place at the location or former location of the story being related.

Music throughout the series dates from the 1940’s to the 1990’s. The songs were carefully chosen to wrap neatly around the stories being told and to gently assist the listener in their time travelling as the story grasps them. The music, in tandem with very special sound effects, brings the listener as close to the scene of the tale as it is possible to get.

One fascinating discovery in making the programmes was the staunch loyalty to The Connaught side by people born on that side of the bridge, despite having spent most of their adult lives living on the Leinster side of town. Athlone To The Bone will bring tears and laughter (in equal measure) to the good people of Athlone and promises to be the best history lesson any listener will ever have received.

The Athlone To The Bone series of programmes feature stories from, Ann Hoey, Steph Prior, John Kileen, Patrick Watson, Carmel Cummins, Anthony Merrigan, Jean Farrell, Gabriel McFadden, Brendan and Edward Bannon, Helena Hook (R.I.P.), Bill Sweeney and Others.

Production by Seamus McKenna. Editing by Deirdre Hunt. Sound engineering by Kyle McCallon. Narration by Marie Moran. Historical contributions by Donal O’Brien.

New Music for some episodes provided by : Diarmuid Kearney, Tommy Berry and Blaise Phelan.

Athlone To The Bone is just one of the many documentaries and programmes produced by Athlone Community Radio over the past decade or so. These productions are facilitated by funding from Coimisiún na Meán. Additional support to Community Radio stations throughout Ireland is provided by CRAOL in terms of training provision and development.

Production of these works enable all sections of Irish society to enlighten the general population on matters of local historical significance, create a platform for artistic creativity, highlight issues of concern, and foster learning and upskilling.

Athlone Community Radio has been very successful over the years in terms of the recognition of its peers. The station has been the recipient of awards at CRAOL’s annual award ceremony several times. This success is in no small part due to the high standard of professionalism exhibited by its staff and volunteers, e.g. technicians, producers and editors. Other staff such as Admin are also involved.

Of course, no community radio station would survive with its volunteers and Athlone Community Radio is blessed with a gallant bunch.

Athlone To The Bone will air weekly on Athlone Community Radio 88.4fm from Wednesday 20th November during the Athlone Today programme 2-4pm, and repeat on the following morning’s Brekkie Fix programme 7-11am.

Seamus McKenna, on behalf of Athlone Community Radio, would like to express sincere gratitude to all who participated or assisted in any form in the production of this series.