Top 10 Kid Friendly Things To Do and Attractions in Athlone

"This historic estate and gardens were built by the late Richard Burke around 1618 and still remains as one of the most well-preserved castles in all of Ireland. The Jacobean-style architecture of the building makes its façade more austere and formal-looking, but stepping inside of its intricate and geometrical courtyard will make you feel transported into an Alice-in-Wonderland-themed castle. A garden maze called the Willow Maze can be found here, with different varieties of willow trees and espalier fruit trees perfectly set in its gardens."

"The castle of Portumna is a beautiful example of a Renassiance-style semi-fortified house. Built in the early 17th century, it was the first of its kind in the British Isles and was considered unrivaled in Ireland for its size and grandeur. Formal enclosed gardens, courtyards and small houses on the property, which sits on the shores of Lough Derg, just add to the beauty of the place."

"Covering over 450 hectares and formerly owned by the Clanrickarde family, Portumna Forest Park is located along the northern shore of Lough Derg and is an excellent place for a family day out in Galway. There are plenty of forest and lakeside walks, a car park, toilet facilities, and observation points. Whether you want to visit on foot or on bike, these are all welcome."

"A post shared by The Curvy Blonde (@the_curvy_blonde_gal) on Jun 22, 2019 at 9:09am PDT. The Portumna Forest Walk offers woodland paths and forestlands that remind you of scenes from Harry Potter and Hagrid’s House. The clean park abounds with wildlife and a rich variety of flora, carefully conserved and cared for."

"While Ireland’s weather is famously cool, it isn’t the temperature that will give you chills when visiting Clonmacnoise. Rather, it’s the 1,500 years of monastic history that’s powerfully felt in these ruins—where temples, cathedrals, home sites, and graveyards have withstood the elements for centuries. Originally founded in the 6th century, this stone village along the River Shannon prospered for a time as Christian monastery in Ireland’s central plains."

"Just 6km south of the busy M6 motorway, Clara Bog is one of the few great expanses of classic bogland in all of Western Europe to escape being stripped for fuel. Deceptively flat and seemingly lifeless, it offers a fascinating window into the natural world. It's the quiet that sounds the loudest at this magical preserved 460-hectare raised bog landscape: water courses, birds chirp, insects buzz and more. A 1km-loop boardwalk leads from a parking area 4km south of Clara."

"Just 6km south of the busy M6 motorway, Clara Bog is one of the few great expanses of classic bogland in all of Western Europe to escape being stripped for fuel. Deceptively flat and seemingly lifeless, it offers a fascinating window into the natural world. It's the quiet that sounds the loudest at this magical preserved 460-hectare raised bog landscape: water courses, birds chirp, insects buzz and more. A 1km-loop boardwalk leads from a parking area 4km south of Clara."

"This historic estate and gardens were built by the late Richard Burke around 1618 and still remains as one of the most well-preserved castles in all of Ireland. The Jacobean-style architecture of the building makes its façade more austere and formal-looking, but stepping inside of its intricate and geometrical courtyard will make you feel transported into an Alice-in-Wonderland-themed castle. A garden maze called the Willow Maze can be found here, with different varieties of willow trees and espalier fruit trees perfectly set in its gardens."

"The castle of Portumna is a beautiful example of a Renassiance-style semi-fortified house. Built in the early 17th century, it was the first of its kind in the British Isles and was considered unrivaled in Ireland for its size and grandeur. Formal enclosed gardens, courtyards and small houses on the property, which sits on the shores of Lough Derg, just add to the beauty of the place."

"Covering over 450 hectares and formerly owned by the Clanrickarde family, Portumna Forest Park is located along the northern shore of Lough Derg and is an excellent place for a family day out in Galway. There are plenty of forest and lakeside walks, a car park, toilet facilities, and observation points. Whether you want to visit on foot or on bike, these are all welcome."

"A post shared by The Curvy Blonde (@the_curvy_blonde_gal) on Jun 22, 2019 at 9:09am PDT. The Portumna Forest Walk offers woodland paths and forestlands that remind you of scenes from Harry Potter and Hagrid’s House. The clean park abounds with wildlife and a rich variety of flora, carefully conserved and cared for."

"Just 6km south of the busy M6 motorway, Clara Bog is one of the few great expanses of classic bogland in all of Western Europe to escape being stripped for fuel. Deceptively flat and seemingly lifeless, it offers a fascinating window into the natural world. It's the quiet that sounds the loudest at this magical preserved 460-hectare raised bog landscape: water courses, birds chirp, insects buzz and more. A 1km-loop boardwalk leads from a parking area 4km south of Clara."

"While Ireland’s weather is famously cool, it isn’t the temperature that will give you chills when visiting Clonmacnoise. Rather, it’s the 1,500 years of monastic history that’s powerfully felt in these ruins—where temples, cathedrals, home sites, and graveyards have withstood the elements for centuries. Originally founded in the 6th century, this stone village along the River Shannon prospered for a time as Christian monastery in Ireland’s central plains."

"Just 6km south of the busy M6 motorway, Clara Bog is one of the few great expanses of classic bogland in all of Western Europe to escape being stripped for fuel. Deceptively flat and seemingly lifeless, it offers a fascinating window into the natural world. It's the quiet that sounds the loudest at this magical preserved 460-hectare raised bog landscape: water courses, birds chirp, insects buzz and more. A 1km-loop boardwalk leads from a parking area 4km south of Clara."