Charlie's Island

This island, situated off Brick Island, just north of Athlone has the distinction of being the only man-made island on Lough Ree. At the time of the Shannon navigation works of the 1840s the waters of the Shannon were held back by a major damn north of the town. This was to allow clearance of obstacles from the riverbed at Athlone. This island was formed from the material removed from the navigation channel at this time.

It was formerly known as Coney's Island but the more common modern name is Charlie's Island. It is called after an amiable eccentric Charlie Backhouse, an Englishman, who came to Athlone in the early twentieth century as a monotype operator in Athlone Printing Works. He 'inherited' the island from another local eccentric, a Mr Cummins, who was a reporter with The Westmeath Independent. For many years Charlie Backhouse lived in a beached house-boat on the island - during the 1954 floods he was marooned there for some-time and later decided to move to the mainland.