New radio series 'Athlone To The Bone' set to launch

Athlone Community Radio is to launch ‘Athlone To The Bone’, 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 recall some of their favourite memories of growing up in Athlone. Both parishes of the town are represented, and the stories take the listener through five decades of social history.

There are fascinating tales about 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 Terrace, Moran’s Hill, Sarsfield Square, The Carrot Store, The Married Quarters, The Ring, The Ballrooms and The Hops, and much more. The accounts provided in the series are from the mouths of those who experienced them and, for many listeners, these memories will surely resonate.

An event to launch ‘Athlone To The Bone’ will take place tomorrow (Thursday, November 14) at 8pm at The Shamrock Lodge Hotel, while the first episode will air on Athlone Community Radio, 88.4fm, on Wednesday, November 20, during the ‘Athlone Today’ programme, 2-4pm. It 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 the series came from one of Athlone Community Radio’s volunteers and founding members, Seamus McKenna. He was inspired by many conversations he has had, especially since retiring, with Athlonians of various ages. 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 Facebook platform, Athlone Down Memory Lane. More than 200 people responded. A number of the contributions came from people not currently living in Athlone. Some were based abroad and 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 1940s to the 1990s. 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.

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.

The ‘Athlone To The Bone’ series features stories from Ann Hoey, Steph Prior, John Killeen, Patrick Watson, Carmel Cummins, Anthony Merrigan, Jean Farrell, Gabrielle McFadden, Brendan and Edward Bannon, Helena Hook (R.I.P.), Bill Sweeney, and others.

Production is by Seamus McKenna, editing by Deirdre Hunt, sound engineering by Kyle McCallon, and narration by Marie Moran. Historical contributions are by Donal O’Brien. New music for some of the episodes was provided by Diarmuid Kearney, Tommy Berry and Blaise Phelan.

Tickets to the launch this Thursday are free and can be booked online at: www.athlonecommunityradio.ie/athlonetothebone or by calling 09064 90722.

‘Athlone To The Bone’ will air weekly on Athlone Community Radio, 88.4fm, from November 20, during the ‘Athlone Today’ programme from 2-4pm, repeating the next morning between 7-11am.

Seamus McKenna, on behalf of Athlone Community Radio, expressed gratitude to everyone who was involved with this series of programmes.