Athlone is a town on the River Shannon near the southern shore of Lough Ree in Ireland. It is the largest town in the Midlands Region. Most of the town lies on the east bank of the river; however, by the terms of the Local Government Act of 1898, six townlands on the west bank of the Shannon were deemed to be part of the town and, therefore, part of County Westmeath. The 2011 Census of Ireland recorded the population of the town at 20,153, a 14.8% increase from 2006. Recent growth has also occurred outside the town's boundaries.