Over the years, many may have laid claim to the title of the most successful football club in Westmeath, but there is absolutely no arguing that it belongs to the Athlone GAA Club, who have won a record 20 Senior Football Championships in their time.
The Shannonsiders are one of the oldest clubs in Westmeath, formed in 1885 and their dominance of the Senior Football Championship during the 1950s is quite remarkable. Their headquarters is Páirc Chiaráin, which officially opened in 1960 and is located on the Ballymahon Road and they cater for a large number of participants, providing Gaelic football for a sprawling population in an area of Westmeath that has had to compete hard with other very popular sports over the years.
Athlone’s six-in-a-row of Westmeath senior titles (from 1955-’60 inclusive) still ranks as the best ever achieved by any of the present day clubs in Westmeath and they have a proud tradition of being competitive at senior level. While the club did suffer a decline in fortunes and were relegated to Intermediate level in 2014, they made an immediate recovery and are once again regarded as a club with the potential to achieve greater things.
