Summary – The Irish language survived as a natively spoken language in the Athlone area as recently as the 1960s – something which will no doubt surprise many. And yet the story of the Irish language in Athlone, and the midlands in general, is very much a neglected one. This lecture will trace the changing fortunes of the Irish and English languages in and around Athlone from the early 17th century to the present day.
https://athlonehistory.ie/2017/03/02/our-next-event-irish-as-a-vernacular-language-in-athlone-and-its-hinterland-1600-c-1970/