RTÉ series imagines Athlone in 2050

A three-part series being broadcast on RTÉ One this week is exploring "what a new reimagined city of Athlone would look like in the year 2050".

The series, entitled 'Futureville Ireland', is being broadcast as part of Science Week, and it began airing yesterday (Tuesday) evening. The second and third episodes will be shown at 7pm this evening (Wednesday) and at 7pm on Thursday evening.

The programme imagines that Athlone would be home to 250,000 people by 2050.

A description of the series, which is co-presented by RTÉ's Carla O'Brien and Dr Lorraine (Lollie) Mancey of the UCD Innovation Academy, states that it will "look at what daily life might be like" for Athlone's residents 26 years from now.

It will also seek to bring "contemporary issues such as health, housing and education to the forefront with real solutions for the future".

The first episode featured a virtual reality version of Athlone which had been created by local man Tadhg Kelleher.

"I was truly awed by Tadhg Kelleher, who created a virtual reality version of Athlone to show his father, who has dementia and is currently in a nursing home.

"It was such a powerful and heartfelt gesture, combining technology with deep love and care," said Ms O'Brien.

"Knowing that his father could no longer physically visit the town, he found a way to bring the town to him, recreating familiar sights and places in a way that would trigger old memories and emotions.

"It struck me how innovative and compassionate it was, using virtual reality not just for entertainment, but as a meaningful connection to the past.

"The thoughtfulness behind it - helping his father experience a place so close to his heart - was incredibly moving and showed the amazing potential of technology in enhancing human experiences."

The second episode, this evening (Wednesday), "will shift the focus to the relationship between Athlone and the Shannon", while the final episode on Thursday "will explore how we can enhance the quality of daily life in this future city".

Ms O'Brien said she greatly enjoyed the experience of making the series."It was wonderful to learn about the people of Athlone and their experiences of life in the town," she commented.

"Everyone we met was so open about what they loved about living there, but also what they found frustrating. It was an honour to hear their stories."

'Futureville Ireland' will be shown at 7pm this evening and tomorrow, November 12-14, on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player.