Editing Athlone (section)

==Administration==
[[File:Frankie Keena, mayor of Athlone in Ireland.jpg|thumb|right|upright=.7|Frankie Keena is a four-time mayor of the Athlone-Moate Municipal District<ref name="Conway">{{cite news |last1=Conway |first1=Eve |title=Frankie Keena becomes Mayor of Athlone for fourth time |url=https://www.westmeathindependent.ie/2024/07/01/frankie-keena-becomes-mayor-of-athlone-for-fourth-time/ |access-date=11 March 2025 |publisher=Independent Westmeath |date=1 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240701145123/https://www.westmeathindependent.ie/2024/07/01/frankie-keena-becomes-mayor-of-athlone-for-fourth-time/ |archive-date=1 July 2024}}</ref>]]
Athlone was granted a municipal charter by [[James VI and I|James I]] in 1607. This created [[Athlone (Parliament of Ireland constituency)|a parliamentary borough]] with a right to elect two MPs to the [[Irish House of Commons]] until 1801.<ref>{{cite web |title=Athlone |url=https://www.ancestryireland.com/history-of-the-irish-parliament/constituencies/athlone/ |website=Ulster Historical Foundation}}</ref> After the [[Acts of Union 1800]], it [[Athlone (UK Parliament constituency)|was represented]] in the [[United Kingdom House of Commons]] by one MP. A commissioners' report dated 1833 stated: "To the prosperity of Athlone the corporation have at no time contributed, nor is it likely that, as at present constituted, they ever will. The strongest feeling of hostility exists between the inhabitants and its members."<ref name="Ireland1835">{{cite book|author=Commissioners appointed to inquire into the municipal corporations in Ireland|title=Appendix to the First Report, Part I: Southern, midland, western and south-eastern circuits, and part of the north-eastern circuit|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZUcxAQAAMAAJ&pg=125|access-date=7 June 2023|series=[[Command paper]]s|volume=27|year=1835|publisher=HMSO|page=136|chapter=Athlone|issue=1}}</ref> The municipal corporation was abolished under the [[Municipal Corporations (Ireland) Act 1840]]. It was disfranchised by the [[Redistribution of Seats Act 1885]].

Athlone was later granted [[town commissioners]] under the Towns Improvement (Ireland) Act 1854. Following the [[Public Health (Ireland) Act 1878]], Athlone was designated as an urban sanitary district. Under the [[Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898]], the town became an [[urban district (Ireland)|urban district]] and the board of commissioners was upgraded to an urban district council. The portion of the urban sanitary district which had been in County Roscommon was transferred to County Westmeath.<ref>{{cite book |last=Clancy |first=John Joseph|author-link=J. J. Clancy (North Dublin MP)|title=A handbook of local government in Ireland: containing an explanatory introduction to the Local Government (Ireland) Act, 1898: together with the text of the act, the orders in Council, and the rules made thereunder relating to county council, rural district council, and guardian's elections: with an index | url = https://archive.org/details/handbookoflocalg00clan/page/430/mode/2up?view=theater |pages=431–432 |year=1899 |publisher=Sealy, Bryers and Walker|location=Dublin }}</ref> In 2002, the urban district council became a town council. In 2003, the area of jurisdiction of the town was enlarged.<ref>{{Cite ISB|title=Athlone Town Boundary Alteration Order 2003|year=2003|number=704|type=si|date=18 December 2003}}; {{Cite ISB|title=Athlone Town Boundary Alteration (Supplementary) Order 2003|year=2003|number=705|type=si|date=18 December 2003}}</ref> In 2014, in common with all town councils in Ireland, it was abolished. The urban district council was based at the old civic offices, which had been crudely extended over time and were demolished to make way for the new Athlone Civic Centre, which was completed in 2004.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/homes-and-property/new-civic-centre-makes-its-mark-in-athlone-1.1159857|title=New civic centre makes its mark in Athlone|date=30 September 2004|newspaper=The Irish Times|access-date=6 November 2023}}</ref>

In County Roscommon, Athlone is a six-seat [[local electoral area]] (LEA) to [[Roscommon County Council]] which forms its own municipal district.<ref>{{cite ISB|title=County of Roscommon Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts Order 2018|year=2018|type=si|number=631|date=19 December 2018}}</ref> In County Westmeath, Athlone is a five-seat LEA to [[Westmeath County Council]] which is part of the municipal district of Athlone—[[Moate]].<ref>{{cite ISB|title=County of Westmeath Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts Order 2018|year=2018|type=si|number=636|date=19 December 2018}}</ref>