Club Profile

Athlone Sub Aqua Club's foundation was laid in 1972 when Derry McMahon, Roy Redpath and Robbie Walsh, who had been diving for a number of years previously, placed a local newspaper advertisement to check if there were any others interested in pursuing the sport. They got a huge response. Within weeks the club had its first 27 members. Roy Redpath was appointed the clubs first Diving Officer and as such was responsible for overseeing the training of all these founding members in Ballinasloe swimming pool, the River Shannon and local lakes. 

Initially the club sat up base in the offices of the old Weirside Mills. Club meetings were held in the Jolly Mariner and lectures for trainee divers over Seans bar. In 1975 the club purchased the M.V. Tigh na Mara a former steel lifeboat which was constructed in the early part of the twentieth century. Having run aground on Lough Derg in the winter of 1974 the club decided the following year to salvage and restore her to serve as the clubs headquarters for many years. In 1999, due to its expanding needs, the club decided to depart the 'Tiny', as she became affectionately known, and invest in a purpose built clubhouse. Construction of this clubhouse was completed in 2000. This facility, which is located at Brick Island, Coosan Road, Athlone consists of a meeting room, training room, storage area, changing rooms and showers. A slipway is located on the clubhouse site to facilitate access to the River Shannon.

Nowadays Athlone Sub Aqua Club is widely regarded as being one of the most successful diving clubs in the country. Hundreds of members of all ages and backgrounds have joined the club over the years. In 2006 the club enjoyed the status of having the highest number of diving members in the country. At present the club has approximately 80 members. Through time the club has managed to invest significantly in equipment. The club currently boasts two Humber RIBs with 175 HP and 200 HP Yamaha engines, one Zodiac inflatable with a 25 HP Yamaha engine, a clubhouse based Coltri Sub compressor with gas mixing panel, two mobile compressors and a club van. Diving activity is carried out throughout the year. During the period November to April the club concentrates on training activities and lecture programmes. Open water recreational diving is conducted at coastal locations every weekend throughout the period May to October. The club also organises diving locally every Wednesday evening in the River Shannon. In addition to its recreational diving Athlone Sub Aqua Club provides, on a voluntary basis, a search and recovery service to the local community.  

Athlone Sub Aqua Club considers itself to be a vibrant and progressive organisation constantly striving both to promote the sport of scuba diving and enhance its services to the local community. Although the club has benefited in the past from lottery funding and small grants from local agencies it is heavily dependent on financial support from the local community to carry out its activities. Athlone Sub Aqua Club is deeply appreciative of the level of local goodwill that has existed towards the club throughout its existence.

Structure