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A Historical Note
Thomas Gray was recorded as an Inn keeper in Athlone in 1810 when he took over The Black Horse Inn at 18 Church Street and changed its name to The Swan Inn. For many years ‘The Swan’ was a favourite venue for entertainers. Mrs. Waylett, a star of the British stage, and her husband Alexander Lee appeared there whilst on an Irish Tour.
In time the premises came to be known simply as Gray’s Hotel. The last of the Gray’s, Alicia, died in 1849. The business of Gray’s was then carried on two doors up the Street, at 20 Church Street, when Patrick Rourke absorbed it into Rourke’s Hotel. Thus in 1848 a Hotel was already flourishing on the site of the present Prince of Wales Hotel.
Rourke's Hotel
A notice in the ‘Westmeath Independent’ for 2nd December, 1848, announced that Rourke’s Hotel (opposite the Post Office) had just opened. The Post Office was then run by Thomas Hogan in the premises now occupied by Easons.
In November 1851, Mr. Charles Cooke was advertising theatre in Rourke’s Hotel. He claimed: ‘The above spacious building has been tastefully fitted up as a theatre for a short season. Mr. Cooke has entered into an engagement with the celebrated London Tragedian Mr. Grattan Dawson from the Queen’s Theatre, London.’
Patrick Rourke took advantage of the arrival of the railway in Athlone in 1851 by adding a new saloon, known as Madame De Ruyters Railway Refreshment Rooms to his empire. The railway companies allowed special breaks of 15-20 minutes in their timetable to allow for refreshments to be taken at Athlone.
Throughout the 1850’s the proprietor Patrick Rourke was very involved in the affairs of the town. He was a Justice of the Peace, a member of the Poor Law Guardians and for eight years he was Chairman of the Town Commissioners. When gas lighting came to Athlone in 1855, the Town Commissioners had a dinner in Rourke’s Hotel to celebrate the event and to pay tribute to Patrick Rourke for his role in bringing this progress to the town.
In 1859 the Hotel was expanded by the erection of a special pavilion to accommodate 300 guests at a banquet to honour the notorious Judge Keogh. For many years afterwards this pavilion was a favourite venue for concerts and amateur theatricals. Patrick Rourke advertised his hotel for sale in early 1861. He and his wife Catherine died within a week of one another in November of the same year. Their son John Patrick Rourke, the sole agent in Athlone for Guinness & Co. soon left Athlone to live in Ballinasloe.
The hotel passed into the hands of John Bergin, a man well experienced in the world of hotel management as he had previously run the Atlantic Hotel in Miltown- Malbay and the Black Bull Hotel in Edinburgh.
In March 1863 when Edward, Prince of Wales (the future King Edward VII) married the Danish Princess, Alexandra at Windsor, the event was celebrated throughout these islands. Bonfires were lit and celebrations were staged. An account of the illuminations in Athlone states ‘Haires Hotel exhibited the only attempt at illumination by gas light, a Price of Wales plume in flaming jets lightened up the end of the street. ‘Later that year John Bergin applied the name The Prince of Wales Hotel to his Athlone concern.
The Hotel was leased to Mary Geoghegan in 1877 and remained in the name of the Geoghegan family until 1956. The Prince of Wales Hotel had always attracted important visitors and as early as 1853, the Hon. Martin Van Buren, a former U.S. President had stayed in the Hotel. Charles Stewart Parnell was a regular guest. He met deputations in his private sittingroom and addressed large gatherings of supporters and well wishers from a window in the Hotel. Another guest whose presence caused a great sensation in Athlone was John L. Sullivan, the famous heavyweight boxing champion of the world who visited Athlone in 1910.
In 1960 the four beneficiaries of the will of Margaret Mary Geoghegan sold the property. The first directors of this company were John O’Gorman, John Foy, Conor McCarrick and James McCormack with Sean Molloy as Secretary. The old hotel was demolished and a new one built on the same site. The Hotel was officially opened on 3rd February, 1961 by Mr. Jack Lynch, T.D., Minister for Industry and Commerce.
The Prince Of Wales hotel was purchased by the Callanan family in 2000. Plans for it’s redevelopment commenced immediately and The Prince Bar is the first phase to be completed. Once finished the development will include The Prince Bar, hotel, restaurant and a leisure and conference facility.
Thomas Gray was recorded as an Inn keeper in Athlone in 1810 when he took over The Black Horse Inn at 18 Church Street and changed its name to The Swan Inn. For many years ‘The Swan’ was a favourite venue for entertainers. Mrs. Waylett, a star of the British stage, and her husband Alexander Lee appeared there whilst on an Irish Tour.
In time the premises came to be known simply as Gray’s Hotel. The last of the Gray’s, Alicia, died in 1849. The business of Gray’s was then carried on two doors up the Street, at 20 Church Street, when Patrick Rourke absorbed it into Rourke’s Hotel. Thus in 1848 a Hotel was already flourishing on the site of the present Prince of Wales Hotel.
Rourke's Hotel
A notice in the ‘Westmeath Independent’ for 2nd December, 1848, announced that Rourke’s Hotel (opposite the Post Office) had just opened. The Post Office was then run by Thomas Hogan in the premises now occupied by Easons.
In November 1851, Mr. Charles Cooke was advertising theatre in Rourke’s Hotel. He claimed: ‘The above spacious building has been tastefully fitted up as a theatre for a short season. Mr. Cooke has entered into an engagement with the celebrated London Tragedian Mr. Grattan Dawson from the Queen’s Theatre, London.’
Patrick Rourke took advantage of the arrival of the railway in Athlone in 1851 by adding a new saloon, known as Madame De Ruyters Railway Refreshment Rooms to his empire. The railway companies allowed special breaks of 15-20 minutes in their timetable to allow for refreshments to be taken at Athlone.
Throughout the 1850’s the proprietor Patrick Rourke was very involved in the affairs of the town. He was a Justice of the Peace, a member of the Poor Law Guardians and for eight years he was Chairman of the Town Commissioners. When gas lighting came to Athlone in 1855, the Town Commissioners had a dinner in Rourke’s Hotel to celebrate the event and to pay tribute to Patrick Rourke for his role in bringing this progress to the town.
In 1859 the Hotel was expanded by the erection of a special pavilion to accommodate 300 guests at a banquet to honour the notorious Judge Keogh. For many years afterwards this pavilion was a favourite venue for concerts and amateur theatricals. Patrick Rourke advertised his hotel for sale in early 1861. He and his wife Catherine died within a week of one another in November of the same year. Their son John Patrick Rourke, the sole agent in Athlone for Guinness & Co. soon left Athlone to live in Ballinasloe.
The hotel passed into the hands of John Bergin, a man well experienced in the world of hotel management as he had previously run the Atlantic Hotel in Miltown- Malbay and the Black Bull Hotel in Edinburgh.
In March 1863 when Edward, Prince of Wales (the future King Edward VII) married the Danish Princess, Alexandra at Windsor, the event was celebrated throughout these islands. Bonfires were lit and celebrations were staged. An account of the illuminations in Athlone states ‘Haires Hotel exhibited the only attempt at illumination by gas light, a Price of Wales plume in flaming jets lightened up the end of the street. ‘Later that year John Bergin applied the name The Prince of Wales Hotel to his Athlone concern.
The Hotel was leased to Mary Geoghegan in 1877 and remained in the name of the Geoghegan family until 1956. The Prince of Wales Hotel had always attracted important visitors and as early as 1853, the Hon. Martin Van Buren, a former U.S. President had stayed in the Hotel. Charles Stewart Parnell was a regular guest. He met deputations in his private sittingroom and addressed large gatherings of supporters and well wishers from a window in the Hotel. Another guest whose presence caused a great sensation in Athlone was John L. Sullivan, the famous heavyweight boxing champion of the world who visited Athlone in 1910.
In 1960 the four beneficiaries of the will of Margaret Mary Geoghegan sold the property. The first directors of this company were John O’Gorman, John Foy, Conor McCarrick and James McCormack with Sean Molloy as Secretary. The old hotel was demolished and a new one built on the same site. The Hotel was officially opened on 3rd February, 1961 by Mr. Jack Lynch, T.D., Minister for Industry and Commerce.
The Prince Of Wales hotel was purchased by the Callanan family in 2000. Plans for it’s redevelopment commenced immediately and The Prince Bar is the first phase to be completed. Once finished the development will include The Prince Bar, hotel, restaurant and a leisure and conference facility.