Cycling 100km through Ireland's Strangest Town 🇮🇪 | Athlone

It’s 6 a.m. in Dublin and I’m cycling through Phoenix Park — the largest enclosed park in any EU capital — to begin a 100 KM journey across the heart of Ireland. My goal: reach Athlone, a town that locals call “the weirdest place in Ireland.” It lies right in the geographical centre of the country, on the banks of the River Shannon, and hides centuries of bizarre stories and unexpected beauty. From Sean’s Bar — the oldest pub in Ireland (900 AD) to Athlone Castle, street murals, and the Westmeath Greenway Rail Trail, I pedal through a journey that mixes comedy, pain, and Irish magic. Along the way I visit Lough Boora Discovery Park, filled with giant pyramids made from bog turf, abandoned trains, and rusted sculptures in the middle of the midlands. By the end, I reach Tullamore — home of Tullamore D.E.W. whiskey — and celebrate 100 kilometres with fresh milk from a raw-milk vending machine because… why not 🇮🇪🥛 ⏰ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Cycling through Phoenix Park (Dublin) 01:29 – Journey to Athlone 01:37 – Athlone City Centre & River Shannon 06:13 – Journey to Lough Boora Discovery Park 14:09 – Exploring Lough Boora (Trains & Pyramids) 20:26 – Raw Milk Vending Machine Stop 21:33 – Journey to Tullamore 22:03 – Exploring Tullamore & Castle Ruins 23:53 – Journey Home to Dublin 📸 PLACES FEATURED • Phoenix Park (Dublin) • Athlone Castle 🏰 • Sean’s Bar – Oldest Pub in Ireland (900 AD) • River Shannon – Longest River in Ireland • Athlone Bridge & Church of Saints Peter and Paul • Lough Boora Discovery Park (Offaly) • Tullamore Town & Castle Ruins 🚴‍♂️ FUN FACTS FROM THE RIDE Athlone sits almost exactly at Ireland’s centre and was once a strategic crossing point for Vikings and Normans. Sean’s Bar is certified by the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest pub in Ireland. Archaeologists found wattle and daub walls from the 10th century inside. Lough Boora Discovery Park used to be a bogland mining site and was transformed into a massive eco-art landscape with sculptures made of peat, iron and wood. Nearby Offaly is known for the Tullamore D.E.W. distillery and its unique bogland ecosystem — home to rare Irish hares and swans. The cycle route follows the historic Old Rail Trail Greenway, a converted rail line stretching 43 KM from Athlone to Mullingar. 🌍✈️🌍✈️🌍✈️🌍✈️🌍✈️🌍✈️🌍✈️🌍✈️🌍✈️🌍✈️🌍✈️🌍 MY WEBSITE: urimate.com ABOUT ME My name is Máté, and I’m a 23-year-old Christian and family-friendly travel YouTuber creating content for English speakers and Korean viewers who want to learn English and laugh along the way 🌍✝️🇰🇷 Got feedback? Leave a comment — I love improving through your suggestions 🙏 📧 For collaborations or just about anything, contact me at: [email protected] #Ireland #Athlone #Irish #BikeRide #IrishCulture #CyclingIreland