Westmeath under spotlight on RTÉ show this evening
An RTÉ show exploring Ireland's building and engineering achievements will focus on Athlone in the first episode of its new series this evening, Tuesday July 21.
Building Ireland returns to RTÉ One and the RTÉ Player at 7pm.
This week's episode, the first of a six-part series, looks at how Athlone has been shaped over centuries by water.
"The River Shannon has brought trade, movement and opportunity, while also presenting constant challenges to those living along its banks," an outline of the Athlone episode explains.
On the programme, architect Orla Murphy traces the evolution of the town from an early strategic crossing point into one of Ireland's most important inland market towns.
Ms Murphy will examine how Athlone developed "as a rare Irish twin town, with distinct urban character on both the Leinster and Connacht sides" of the river.
She will also look at the way in which locks, railways, and bridges transformed the growth of Athlone in the 19th century, strengthening its role as a commercial hub before later development shifted attention away from the river at its centre.
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Geographer Susan Hegarty with the O’Connell brothers of the ESB Fisheries team in Athlone for this week’s episode of ‘Building Ireland’ on RTÉ.Image 2 of 2
Engineer Tim Joyce meeting OPW Chief Project Officer Fiach O’Keeffe for the Athlone ‘Building Ireland’ episode which will also look at the town’s flood defences.Engineer Tim Joyce, meanwhile, will investigate one of Athlone's oldest and most persistent challenges: flooding.
Meeting OPW engineers behind the town's flood alleviation scheme, he will report on the complex challenge of protecting homes, businesses and public spaces from the threat of an overflowing river.
Also on Building Ireland this week, geographer Susan Hegarty explores another vital connection between Athlone and the Shannon through the story of the endangered European silver eel.
"Meeting the O’Connell brothers - fishers on the Shannon all their lives - and the ESB fisheries team, Susan uncovers how a long-standing fishing tradition in Athlone has evolved into one of Europe’s most significant eel conservation efforts, helping protect a species whose numbers have declined dramatically in recent decades," the programme synopsis states.
The Athlone episiode is part of a series investigating building and engineering stories along the Shannon, from Leitrim to Limerick.