A magazine's campaign to find the "Worst Town in Ireland" has upset some people in the midlands.
The Dublin-based Himself magazine has asked its readers to nominate the town, and said special bonus points will be allocated if certain criteria are met. These include a midlands location.
The midlands was given a head start in the race when the magazine listed the "early favourites for the ultimate accolade no town wants". Top of the list came Athlone, and also included were Edgeworthstown, Kinnegad and Mullingar. Ballybunion, Bundoran, Mallow, Navan, Nenagh and Roscrea also featured.
Earlier this week the editor of the magazine, Mr Francis Cottam, said that he stood over the competition, which had started out as a fun item.
"The reaction has been pretty extreme, but a number of people have called in to secretly nominate their own towns for the award," he said. Mr Cottam, who confessed that he had never been in Athlone but had heard "it was a very boring place", said he had been surprised at the amount of civic pride in Ireland.
