History and Guests
Visitors to The Shamrock Lodge Hotel in Athlone Co Westmeath sometimes ask where it got its name. One theory is that an early owner of the lodge was a member of the Freemasons whose Athlone branch was known as Shamrock Lodge 101. While others say that the grounds around the house was famous for shamrock.
The house began its life as the home of Micheal Monks in 1814. It was established as an Athlone hotel in 1951 by the late Mr.Frank Coen and was later purchased in the early nineties by the current owner Mr. Paddy McCaul.
As one of the finest hotels in Athlone Co Westmeath it has welcomed many distinguished guests during the last century including Queen Salote of Tonga, Prince Rainier and Princess Grace of Monaco, former U.S. ambassador to Ireland William Taft III , former Presidents of Ireland Sean T. Kelly and Dr. Patrick Hillary, former Taoiseach Mr. Jack Lynch.
More recently former President of Ireland Mrs. Mary Robinson and current Taoiseach Mr. Bertie Ahern and other members of state making it one of the most popular hotels in Athlone Westmeath.