Hospital in Athlone

There is evidence for the existence of a hospital outside the walls of Athlone to the E (Lee, 1974-5, 225). It is first referred to as the "Spitell ground" near Athlone in 1570 and again in 1583. In 1612 it is described as "the lands called Spittle-grounds" and are said to have formed part of the estate of the friary of Athlone, while a survey of 1641 mentions a ruinous chapel with a spittalhouse outside the E gate, belonging to Dillon, earl of Roscommon. Two eighteenth century deeds allowed Lee to locate the hospital more precisely. A deed of 1727 noted that the "Spittle house was bounded on the N and E by the hill called Anchor's Bower and on the W by Irishtown, while a deed of 1763 noted that the "lands of Spittlefield" were then known as Mardyke and were situated at the end of Irishtown. The site of the hospital would appear to have been in the vicinity of Sean Costello Street, where Mardyke Street meets Irishtown (Bradley et. al. 1985, 49). Compiled by: Rachel Barrett Date of upload: 15 October 2010