Source: 1870: Slater’s Royal National Commercial Directory of Ireland

Athenry is a small incorporated market and post town and parish, partly in the baronies of Clare, Dunkellin, and Kilconnell, but chiefly in that of Athenry, county of Galway, 121 miles w. by s. from Dublin, and 14 e. from Galway, and is on the Midland Great Western Railway. This place, anciently called ‘Athneri,’ is said to have derived its name from Ath-na-Raigh ‘the King’s Ford’ or ‘the abode of a king.’ Sir James Ware considers it to have been the chief town of the Anteri; and at a remote period it was surrounded by walls, with round towers fifty yards apart, which indicate it to have been a place of considerable importance. The ruins of the walls and towers, together with a castle, called the ‘ King’s Conrt,’ as it is considered to have been the residence of one of the provincial kings, and which was a building of great defence, are still to be
seen. The ruin of a Dominican abbey here, from its antiquity and style of architecture, is the admiration of all strangers. It was founded by Myler De Bermingham, second baron of Athenry, in 1241, and was dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul. A Franciscan friary was also founded here by the Earl of Kildare, in 1461. In 1577 the two sons of the Earl of Clanricarde, renouncing their submission to Elizabeth, assembled their partisans, and succeeded in reducing the town to a state of complete ruin. In this state it continued till the year 1584, when it was to a great extent rebuilt; but in 1596 the northern Irish invested it, and again it was reduced to ashes. From this time, though it had formerly held a second rank in the county, it
never recovered its ancient importance. The Dominican friars who, under the protection of the O’Daly’s of Caronakelly, took up their abode at ESKER, about three miles from the town, still continue to flourish there. They have built a very neat chapel and a college. There are also national schools there, wherein 800 of the children of the poor are daily educated, 100 of
whom are provided with food. In a house of industry 24 boys are instructed and apprenticed to trade -. The town is situated in the midst of a tolerably fruitful soil, though there is a considerable quantity of un-reclaimed bog in the neighbourhood. The houses and shops are porr and the streets are narrow and unpaved. The magistrates regulate the affairs of the town, for which purpose they hold a petty sessions once a week.
The places of worship are a church, a remarkably neat building, and a Roman Catholic chapel, a plain slated edifice. There is a constabulary police barrack, a dispensary, and a national school A chalybeate spring is much resorted to. The market, entitled to
be held on Tuesday, is not observed, and the fairs (which are but poorly attended,) are May 5th, July 2nd, and October 20th. The parish contained in 1851 4,505 inhabitants, and the town 1,487, of that number. In 1861 the population of the parish was 3,881, of which number the town contained 1,233.

POST OFFICE, ATHENRY, Ann Rush, Post Mistress .- Letters from Dublin, England. Scotland, &c, arrive at twelve night and half-past one afternoon, and are despatched thereto at twenty minutes past twelve night and twelve noon. Letters from Tuam, Hollymount, Castlebar, and Westport, arrive at twelve night and are despatched thereto at the same time.

Money Order Office and Savings’ Bank.

Gentry & Clergy

Blake Rev. M. Athenry
Blake Peter Esq. J.P. Holly Park
Bodkin John D. Esq. Annagh.
Clarke Anthony, Esq. Bingarra
Clarke James, Esq. J.P. Graig Abbey
Cotter Rev. Thomas, Athenry
Cullinan Mr. John, Mount Brown
Geraghty Rev. James, Athenry
Hickman Wm. D. J. Exq. Athenry
Kinneen James, Esq. Moyville
Kinneen Mr. Michael, Boyhill
Lambert Giles, Etq. Moor Park
Lambert Captain Thomas E. Castle Lambert
Lambert Walter, Esq. J.P. Castle-Ellen
Lopdell Jno, Esq. J.P. Prospect House
Madden James, Esq. Glove
Mahon Major Thomas, Belville
O’Grady Rev. John, P.P. Athenry
Perrin Rev. Mark, Castle Turbin
Persse Burton, Esq. D.L. & J.P. Moyode Castle
Richardson James, Esq. Tyaquin
Robinson Wm. Esq. Town House
Smyth Lawrence, Esq. Mulpit

Professional Persons and School

Leonard Thomas, surgeon
Lopdell John, barrister, Prospect Hse.
NATIONAL SCHOOL, Thos. O’Reilly, master; Mary Kane, mistress

Hotels & Public Houses

Barrett Ann
Blackall & McDonough
Dermody Mary
Donohue Thomas
Dunleavy John
Fahy Morgan
Gunning Ann,’Hotel (& posting hse.)
Heavy Thomas
Higgins Michael
Joyce James
Kelly Bridget
McCoy Hector
Nolan Michael
Railway Hotel (& posting house)-Timothy Kinneen
Ryan James
Wheelan Bridget

Shopkeepers & Traders

Barrett Ann, grocer
Blackall & McDonough, grocers & hardware dealers
Brady Patrick, blacksmith
Brennan Patrick, tailor
Broderick Martin, carpenter
Broderick Mary, grocer & baker
Burke Maria, glass & china dealer
Carney Patrick, shoemaker
Cloonan James, baker & grocer
Collins Thomas, carpenter.
Culkeen Dauici, car  maker.
Dermody Mary, grocer
Donohue Thomas, grocer
Fahy Morgan, grocer
Flynn Patrick, shoemaker
Fynes Michael, butcher
Grady Thomas, blacksmith
Grealy Patrick, draper & stationer
Higgins Michael, grocer
Higgins William, shoemaker 
Hopkins Michael, butcher
Kelly Bridget, grocer
Kelly Bryan, nailmaker & leather seller
Kelly James, pail maker
Kelly Michael, baker
Kelly Patrick, shoemaker
Kinnen Patrick, draper
Larkin James, blacksmith
McCoy Hector, grocer
McDouough Terence, baker
Mitchell Thomas, grocer
Morissey Peter, grocer
Murphy Martin, blacksmith
Murphy Michael, blacksmith
Murray John, shoemaker
Nolan Michael, grocer
Quinn James, process server
Reilly Patriek, draper
Ryan James, grocer
Ryan Joseph, tailor

PLACES OF WORSHIP AND THEIR MINISTERS

EPISCOPAL CHURCH – Rev Mark Perrin,
rector, Monroe; Rev Thomas Cotter, curate
ROMAN CATHOLIC CHAPEL-Rev. John O‘Grady, P.P.; Rev. James Geraghty, curate

Constabulary Barrack-J. C. Gardner, sub-inspector
Dispensary- Thomas Leonard, surgeon
Dominiçan Convent, Esker-The Very Rev M, Blake, prior 
Sessions House-Hector McCoy, clerk

CAR
To WESTPORT Mail Car, at half-past one morning, goes through Tuam, Hollymount and Claremorris.

CONVEYANCE BY RAILWAY ON THE MIDLAND GREAT WESTERN LINE

Station, close to the village (on the north side) -James Shaw, station master.