Well said Crystal.
This piece was taken from the "Westmeath". Comments on the Lonely Planet travel guide.Dave O’Connell editor
Bohemian Athlone is a confident, booming town of historical importance, stuffed with ‘history and gourmet restaurants’ where you can ‘gorge mind and body in one pretty town’, according to the controversial new Ireland edition of the Lonely Planet guide book.
It is described as a town of split personality; its eastern side has a hard-edged, no-nonsense feel - but cross the river and you enter a world of painted houses, interesting antique and knick-knack shops, tempting restaurants and twisting streets, all hiding behind the mighty bulk of the castle.
The new guide - a bible among those tourists who trek off the beaten path - has already drawn massive attention after calling for a shake-up of Ireland’s image as the Emerald Isle, but Westmeath as a whole fares particularly well, described at the outset as a county of scenic splendour with loads to distract the visitor.
And among Athlone’s highlights are the Castle, Viking Tours, Sean’s Bar, the Dean Crowe and - in its prestigious Something Special class - the Wineport in Glasson.
“This outstanding restaurant, in a sweet-smelling cedar lodge on the lake‘s edge, showcases chef Feargal O’Donnell’s award-winning modern Irish cuisine and carefully chosen wines.
“The atmosphere is surprisingly relaxed and it’s a family-friendly place with a decent children’s menu,” say the Lonely Planet critics.
But little gems include the Bastion B&B - described by the authors as ‘the most fantastic B&B with twisting wooden staircases, cactus collections, eclectic bits of artwork and odd curios, so you literally don’t know what to expect around the next corner’.
The town’s culinary reputation is also acknowledged, with the Left Bank - ‘probably the town’s best restaurant’ - Le Chateau, the Olive Grove, Kin Khao and cafes at the Slice of Life and Foodies.
Outside of the town itself, the Lonely Planet authors also single out Lough Ree, particularly for its bird life; Glasson for its lively pubs where Grogan’s comes in for particular praise as ‘an authentic old man’s bar and lounge with peat fires and a great atmosphere where smiling staff serve good seafood and hearty pub grub that’s a cut above the usual’.
Goldsmith Country too warrants a mention, and recommended reading includes the Lough Ree Trail, A Signposted Tour from Athlone librarian and Westmeath Independent columnist Gearoid O’Brien.
This is the seventh edition of the Lonely Planet Ireland guide, and it is written by Dublin-born author Fionn Davenport who doesn’t pull his punches when it comes to our out-of-date image.