11 - MidlandsIreland.ie

Guide
The
MidlandsIreland.ie
brand
promotes awareness of the Midland
Region across four pillars of Living,
Learning, Tourism and Enterprise.
MidlandsIreland.ie
Gateway
to
Tourism has produced this digital guide
to the Midland Region, as part of suite
of initiatives in line with the adopted
Brand Management Strategy 20112016. The guide has been produced
in collaboration with public and
private service providers based in the
region. MidlandsIreland.ie would like
to acknowledge and thank those that
helped with research, experiences
and images.
The guide contains 11 sections
which cover, Angling, Festivals, Golf,
Walking, Creative Community, Our
Past – Our Pleasure, Active Midlands,
Towns and Villages, Driving Tours,
Eating Out and Accommodation.
The guide showcases the wonderful
natural assets of the Midlands,
celebrates our culture and heritage
and invites you to discover our beautiful
region. All sections are available for
download on the MidlandsIreland.ie
Content:
Images and text have been provided
courtesy of Áras an Mhuilinn, Athlone
Art & Heritage Limited, Athlone,
Institute of Technology, Ballyfin
Demense, Belvedere House, Gardens
& Park, Bord na Mona, CORE,
Failte Ireland, Lakelands & Inland
Waterways, Laois Local Authorities,
Laois Sports Partnership, Laois Tourism,
Longford Local Authorities, Longford
Tourism, Mullingar Arts Centre, Offaly
Local Authorities, Westmeath Local
Authorities, Inland Fisheries Ireland,
Kilbeggan
Distillery,
Kilbeggan
Racecourse, Office of Public Works,
Swan Creations, The Gardens at
Ballintubbert, The Heritage at Killenard,
Waterways Ireland and the Wineport
Lodge. Individual contributions include
the work of James Fraher, Kevin Byrne,
Andy Mason, Kevin Monaghan, John
McCauley and Tommy Reynolds.
Disclaimer:
While every effort has been made to
ensure accuracy in the information
supplied no responsibility can be
accepted for any error, omission or
misinterpretation of this information.
Where such are brought to our
attention future guides will be
amended accordingly.
11 DRIVING TOURS
11 Driving Tours
Laois
For further information or a copy of Laois
Heritage Trail booklet contact: Laois Tourism,
Lyster Square, Portlaoise, County Laois.
s +353 (0)57 8664132
[email protected]
www.laoistourism.ie or www.laois.ie/heritage
Donaghmore
This tour follows the Heritage Trail of Laois
and starts in Donaghmore. Visitors to the
Donaghmore Workhouse and Agricultural
Museum see the rooms of an Irish workhouse
almost exactly as they appeared in the late
1800s. The Donaghmore Workhouse was built
to house the most desperate people of County
Laois. Paid for by a tax on local property
owners, the workhouse was deliberately
made as unattractive as possible so that its
only residents would be those who had lost all
hope.
From Donaghmore take the R435 to Borris-inOssory, turning right along the N7, followed by
the R434 to Aghaboe:
Aghaboe Abbey was founded in the sixth
century by St. Canice. The abbey grew into
a major centre of learning, commerce and
agriculture. The astronomer St. Virgilius, also
known as St. Feargal, was its abbot in the 700s
before he left Ireland, going on to become
Bishop of Salzburg. After the original monastery
burned in 1234, it was rebuilt as an Augustinian
priory. Today a Church of Ireland, which dates
from the 1700s, stands where that priory once
stood.
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From Aghaboe continue along the R434 to
Durrow:
The great oak forests that once covered
ancient Ireland gave Durrow its name, which
comes from Daurmagh Ua nDuach, or the
Oak Plain of the people known as the Uí
Duach. The way Durrow looks today is largely
due to the Flower Family, Viscounts Ashbrook,
who gained ownership of the town in the early
1700s. They built Castle Durrow and granted
permits for many of the fine Georgian and
Victorian houses that still line Durrow’s streets.
From Durrow take the N77 to Attanagh:
The Irish Fly Fishing and Game Shooting
Museum in Attanagh explores 300 years of
hunting and fishing in Ireland. It is a treat for
anyone interested in country life. The museum
was founded in 1986 by Walter Phelan, who
comes from a family devoted to fishing. He has
restored and adapted a traditional farmhouse
to house a collection of vintage rods, reels,
guns, tackle, tools and specimens of birds and
fish.
From Attanagh travel to Ballinakill
Heywood Gardens is the site of two garden
types: the great park created by Frederick
Trench in the late 1700s and the small
interlocked formal gardens created by Sir
Edwin Lutyens and Gertrude Jekyll in the
early 1900s. Inspired by Trench’s Grand Tour
of Europe, he moved hills, dug lakes, planted
trees and placed follies. In the early 1900s,
Colonel Hutchenson Poe hired the eminent
architect Sir Edwin Lutyens to create formal
gardens around Heywood House.
11 Driving Tours
From Ballinakill take the R432 to Abbeyleix:
The original town of Abbeyleix grew up
near the River Nore, on the site of an early
Christian abbey. The town developed under
the protection of a twelfth century Cistercian
monastery. When the de Vesci family acquired
Abbeyleix in 1750, they decided that the town
would have to move. The de Vescis levelled the
old town of Abbeyleix and moved its people
to a new planned town. Abbeyleix prospered
in its new location. Over the next century the
main industries included flour mills, a brewery,
and a factory that made carpets used all over
the world, including on the luxury liner Titanic.
From Abbeyleix take the R432 through
Ballyroan and travel to Timahoe:
An extraordinary carved doorway makes
this the most elegant round tower in Ireland.
Carvings of human heads, with flowing
beards and moustaches, decorate the main
entrance, about five metres from the ground.
Smaller carvings decorate a second storey
window. No one knows why the monks at
Timahoe carved such a beautiful doorway.
They may have used it to display a sacred relic
to pilgrims, or the elegant decoration could
reflect the monastery buildings that have
disappeared from this site.
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11 Driving Tours
From Timahoe travel to Stradbally:
The Stradbally Steam Museum celebrates
the steam engines that once ruled Ireland’s
railways, built its roads and worked its farms.
Inside the museum, visitors can see a variety of
steam-driven engines. The collection includes
the Mann Steam Cart, built in 1918. This small
steam traction engine cleared and ploughed
land. The Fowler, another steam traction
engine, built in 1936, was used in roadworks
and to power stone crushers.
From Stradbally take the N80 towards
Portlaoise to the Rock of Dunamase:
Stunning views of the surrounding countryside
make the towering Rock of Dunamase a
strategic place to build a fortress. Through
the centuries, warriors have fought to control
this limestone outcrop. The first known
settlement on the rock was Dun Masc, an
early Christian settlement that was pillaged in
842 by the Vikings. Today the ruins on the Rock
of Dunamase are managed by the State.
Archaeological excavation and conservation
work by the Office of Public Works have
ensured that the Rock of Dunamase will survive
for further generations to explore.
4
From the Rock Of Dunamase continue on the
N80 followed by the N7 to Emo:
Emo Court is a country villa designed by
architect James Gandon (1743-1823), best
known for his great public buildings, including
the Custom House and the Four Courts in
Dublin. The house is a magnificent example
of the neo-Classical style, reflecting the
architecture of ancient Greece and Rome.
The house is surrounded by beautiful gardens
and parkland which were first laid out in the
18th century and contain formal lawns, a lake
and woodland walks with many very fine trees
and shrubs.
From Emo travel initially on the R422 towards
Mountmellick, turning onto the R419 to
Portarlington:
In the late 17th and early 18th centuries,
Portarlington was the Paris of the Midlands, a
place where French, rather than Irish or English,
was spoken on the streets. French Huguenots,
escaping persecution in their native land,
shaped the culture and the architecture of
this bustling Midlands town. Today visitors can
view houses built in the Huguenot style on
French Street and Patrick Street.
11 Driving Tours
From Portarlington take the R423 to
Mountmellick:
Once known as the Manchester of Ireland,
Mountmellick is a town of fine buildings and the
home of a uniquely Irish textile art, Mountmellick
Work. The foundation of the town was laid by
members of the Society of Friends, also known
as Quakers. In 1659, William Edmundson settled
in Mountmellick and started a tannery. Other
Quakers set up malting, brewing, spinning
and weaving enterprises. Weaving became
one of the town’s major industries. By the mid1700s, Mountmellick was a leading centre
of textile production in Ireland. Today, a fine
community-run museum displays examples of
Mountmellick Work.
From Mountmellick travel to Mountrath taking
the N80 initially followed by the R423. In
Mountrath take the R440 towards Camross:
Poet’s cottage is a replica thatched cottage
which gives visitors a sense of what daily life
must have been like for most people in rural
Ireland in the 1800s. Ireland’s cottages evolved
over centuries. While each community had its
own variations, most cottages were one storey
high and one room wide. The windows and
doors were located on the side walls, with a
chimney stack along the roof. The walls of the
cottage were built of local stone or mud; the
roof was thatched with reeds or straw.
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11 Driving Tours
Longford
This tour starts from Ballinamuck in County
Longford on the R198:
Ballinamuck is a small picturesque village
in County Longford close to the Cavan and
Leitrim borders. It boasts the unique way
of country life that is so often sought. The
landscape of the region with its gently rolling
drumlin hills and valleys was formed by the
retreating ice of the last glaciations. The
boglands forests and pastures in the region
form a rich countryside tapestry in hues of
brown and green. Ballinamuck is a haven for
fishermen, with its multitude of lakes and its
proximity to the River Shannon situated 13 km
away.
Ballinamuck Visitors Centre is located in the
historic former R.I.C. Barracks there is a lively
exhibition which gives details of the Year of the
French and the Battle of Ballinamuck in 1798.
Access to the centre should be arranged prior
to visiting.
From Ballinamuck travel on the R198 to
Drumlish
The village of Drumlish is west of a ridge
of low hills running north-eastwards from
Newtownforbes to Arva in County Cavan. A
famous episode of the Land War took place
in Drumlish which is documented in the book
“The Land War in Drumlish”. The village is the
starting point for the climb of Cairn Hill, also
known as Carn Hill or Corn Hill, which derives its
name from the two cairns, or passage tombs,
located near the summit. It is a pleasant
climb and there are extensive views over the
surrounding countryside.
From Drumlish travel to Longford Town:
The county town on the banks of the River
Camlin is easily accessible from the main N4
Dublin-Sligo road and N5 Dublin-Castlebar
road. It is a progressive town and the county
administrative centre. The town is spaciously
laid out with wide streets and pleasant
buildings, with good quality restaurants, pubs
and boutiques. St. Mel’s Cathedral is the
principal landmark in the town, constructed of
locally-sourced limestone in the Neo-Classical
style, and its lofty campanile or bell tower may
be seen from many points in the surrounding
countryside. The cathedral is currently closed
for extensive conservation works.
The courthouse on Main Street is one of the
oldest buildings in the town and was erected
in 1792. The oldest building in Longford town
is believed to be the old Market House, within
the grounds of the former Connolly Barracks,
possibly dating to the seventeenth century.
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11 Driving Tours
From Longford Town travel on the N63 on to
Lanesborough:
Lanesborough is situated on the River Shannon
at the northern end of Lough Ree. The town
derives its name from the Lane family. George
Lane was granted large tracts of land in the
area.
From Lanesborough travel towards Ballymahon,
visiting Keenagh Village en route:
While in Keenagh, visit the Corlea Trackway
Visitors Centre which houses an Iron Age oak
road and is surrounded by a fine bog with rare
and beautiful flora and fauna.
From Keenagh travel to Ballymahon:
Ballymahon is a picturesque town situated on
the River Inny and has many associations with
writers Oliver Goldsmith and John Keegan
“Leo” Casey. Places of architectural interest
nearby include Newcastle House, Castlecor
House, with its unusual octagonal hall and
Ledwithstown House built by architect Richard
Cassels in 1728.
From Ballymahon take the N55 to Ardagh:
The village of Ardagh lies to the south east of
Longford town and has given its name to the
diocese: Ardagh and Clonmacnoise.
From
Ardagh
take
the
N55
to
Edgeworthstown:
Edgeworthstown is a rapidly growing town
located on the N4. The town has a long
association with the celebrated Edgeworth
family. The Edgeworth family vault, in which
members of the Edgeworth family including,
Richard Lovell Edgeworth and his daughter
Maria, the well-known novelist are interred, is
located in the churchyard of St John’s Church
of Ireland churchyard. The churchyard is also
the burial place of Isola, sister of Oscar Wilde.
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11 Driving Tours
From Edgeworthstown travel on the N55 to
Granard:
Granard is a typical Irish market town with a
market house and the sites of an historic butter
market and cornmarket. Its most distinguishing
feature is its motte, known locally as “the
moat”, reputed to be the highest motte in
Ireland. On the summit of the motte stands
a large statue of Saint Patrick. St. Mary’s
Church, adjacent to the motte is also an
important landmark in the town, and its spire
is a landmark which may be seen from miles
around. A charter was granted to Granard
in 1678, along with the privilege of returning
two members to the Irish Parliament. During
the War of Independence, Granard was the
scene of many engagements. Granard was
the home of Kitty Kiernan, girlfriend of Michael
Collins, who visited the Kiernan family often.
8
From Granard travel to Abbeylara:
Beside the village of Abbeylara stands the
remains of a thirteenth century Cistercian
Abbey founded by Richard deTuite, the Anglo
Norman lord who built the motte at Granard.
A semi circular earthwork north of the village
is regarded locally as the site of the original
church founded here by St Patrick about
460AD. From the shore of Lough Kinale,
northeast of Abbeylara, parts of the ancient
defensive earthwork known as the Black Pigs
Dyke extends north-westwards towards the
shore of Lough Gowna and on into County
Cavan. In the parish of Abbeylara there are
two well preserved remains of a stone circle.
Lough Kinale is also the site of an important
Bronze Age settlement. The lake, along with
the neighbouring lake Derragh Lough are
protected Special Protection Area, due to the
wealth of migratory wild birds found here.
11 Driving Tours
Offaly
The starting point of this tour is Tullamore, which
is on the N80 & N52 routes:
Tullamore is the county town and is situated
in the centre of the county. It is a vibrant,
progressive town and is recognised as a major
shopping centre for the midlands. It was the
home of Irish Mist Liquor and Tullamore Dew,
a fine whiskey. The Tullamore Dew Heritage
Centre charts the growth and development of
the town, tracing the part the whiskey industry
played in that development.
The Grand Canal is a valuable and attractive
amenity to the town. The canal reached
Tullamore in 1798. The Heritage Centre
exhibition traces the development of the canal
and its impact on the growth of Tullamore in
the nineteenth century and early twentieth
century.
About a mile to the south of the town on the
N52 is Charleville Forest Demesne. Charleville
Castle is considered to be the finest and most
spectacular early nineteenth century, gothicrevival building in Ireland. There are a number
of ancient oak-trees in the grounds. The castle
is occasionally open to the public, check
hours in advance. The parkland is in private
ownership.
From Tullamore travel the N80 to Clara:
As you approach Clara you will drive through
a cut in a snake like ridge of gravel, this is one
of the eskers which are such an important part
of Offaly’s landscape. They were formed by
deposition of stone sand and gravel when the
ice cap was retreating after the last Ice Age
around 10,000 years ago.
Clara town has a long industrial tradition;
however it is also a place abounding with
nature. The Gageborough River joins the
Brosna a mile downstream of Clara, County
Offaly. The trout stocks and fishing conditions
are much the same as on the Tullamore Silver
River. The best of the trout fishing is in the three
miles upstream of the confluence.
Clara also has one of the few large raised
midland bogs remaining substantially intact.
The Clara Bog visitor centre opened in 2011
and is run by the National Parks and Wildlife
Service. It is free and located on the R436
towards Ferbane. It shares a building with
Offaly Branch Library. They run a number of
events so check with [email protected].
For those interested in walks in the area there
is a circular walk through eskers and on a
trackway through the bog located on the N80
into Clara directions from the Visitor Centre.
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11 Driving Tours
From Clara travel the R436 to Ballycumber &
on to Ferbane:
In Ballycumber there is a statue of a pilgrim.
This was erected by the local community to
mark the fact that from here to Clonmacnoise
is one of the early routes taken by pilgrims
going to Clonmacnoise.
After approx. 10km at Lemanaghan there is
an old school house on your right and a ruined
medieval church and graveyard on your left.
You can park at the entrance to the graveyard
or to the rear of the school house. This is the
early Christian site of St Manchan and there
is an information board in the graveyard.
Behind the graveyard is a holy well, a stone
togher or path to an early Christian oratory.
The 12th century shrine from Lemanaghan is
now on public display north of Lemanaghan
in Boher church (return towards Ballycumber
and take the first turn left to arrive at Boher for
a short and very worthwhile detour).
The junction at Lemanaghan also marks the
end of the Offaly Way and there is a walkway
to Boher across the bog.
Situated on the River Brosna, Ferbane is a
town which has prospered through peat
development and electricity generation
by
State
agencies.
Other
industries
include engineering, printing and vehicle
bodybuilding.
However Ferbane is rich in heritage and was
once held by the McCoghlans, who were
chieftains. They built many castles in the
Ferbane area and were known in that era as
the MacCoghlans of the Fair Castles.
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11 Driving Tours
From Ferbane travel the N62 to Ballinahowen
& the R444 to Clonmacnoise:
Clonmacnoise is an early Christian site founded
by St Ciaran in the sixth century on the banks
of the River Shannon. The site includes the
ruins of a Cathedral, eight Churches (tenth thirteenth century), two Round Towers, three
High Crosses and a large collection of early
Christian graves. The original High Crosses and
some of the grave slabs are on display in the
visitor centre. There is an audio-visual show
as well as a number of exhibitions. Adjacent
to the site is the spectacular ruins of the 12th
century Anglo Norman castle, showing that
politics and religion were closely linked to key
locations.
From Clonmacnoise travel to Shannonbridge
on the R444:
Leaving Clonmacnoise the river Shannon is
on your right. The Clonmacnoise Holy Well is
about 1 km from the main site.
Shannonbridge is well-known for its bars and
music. Shannonbridge pottery has a shop
on the main street which stocks the pottery
President Barack Obama purchased on his
visit to Moneygall in May 2011.
This area is renowned for bream, rudd and
hybrids and has outstanding potential for the
coarse angler
11
11 Driving Tours
Westmeath
Outlined in this section are two driving trails,
the Belvedere Trail and Fore Trail.
The Lough Ree Trail is another driving tour which
incorporates the counties of Westmeath,
Longford and Roscommon. It starts in Athlone
and travels around Lough Ree through
the villages of Ballykeeran and Glasson in
County Westmeath towards County Longford
where the trail passes through Ballymahon,
Newtowncashel, Keenagh, Lanesborough
and on to Longford town. From Longford
the trail take you back to the Shannon at
Clondra and Tarmonbarry and into County
Roscommon to the towns of Strokestown
and Roscommon. From Roscommon town
the trail returns to Athlone passing through
the villages of Knockcroghery and Lecarrow.
For information on this trail please contact:
Discover Ireland Centre, Market House,
Market Square, Mullingar, County Westmeath
+353 (0) 44 9348650 eastandmidlandsinfo@
failteireland.ie
12
The Belvedere Trail
The Starting Point for the Belvedere Trail is
Mullingar Town.
Mullingar town is noted for is interesting
buildings, to mention a few, the Railway
Station, Columb Barracks, Masonic Hall, the
Old Infirmary, Clonard House, and the Market
House where the Tourist Information office is
housed. Another fine building is the Cathedral
of Christ the King. The town is surrounded by
the Royal Canal and due to its proximity to
many lakes it is aptly named the Capital of the
Lakelands and is an angler’s dream.
From Mullingar travel the N52, the Tullamore
Road where you will pass Belvedere House
Gardens & Park. Belvedere is situated on the
shores of Lough Ennell and it is connected with
a wealth of stories about the Anglo-Irish gentry
and the imprisonment of Mary Molesworth
by her husband. Visitors to Belvedere can
do a tour of the house which was designed
in the 1740s as a fishing and hunting lodge
for Robert Rochfort and see a glimpse of the
upstairs down stairs life of the mid eighteenth
11 Driving Tours
century. See the Jealous Wall and Follies such
as the Gothic Arch, octagonal gazebo and
icehouse. Visit the walled garden and explore
one hundred and sixty acres of parkland.
From Belvedere follow the signposts to Lilliput.
Lilliput was named after Jonathan Swift, who
published Gulliver’s Travels in 1726. Swift was
the Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin
and was a regular visitor to Westmeath. He
stayed with the Rochfort family at Gaulstown
House, which was located on the MilltownpassRochfortbridge road close to Belvedere. Swift
looked across the expanse of Lough Ennell
one day and saw people on the other side of
the lake. It is said this is what inspired him to
write about the Lilliputians in Gulliver’s Travels.
At Lilliput there is an adventure centre where
people can do activities such as: canoeing,
kayaking, orienteering, archery and hill
walking.
Lough Ennell is a premier brown trout lake.
The largest brown trout ever caught in Ireland
was caught at Lough Ennell. It weighed an
amazing 26lbs 2oz. It is now on display at
Belvedere House Visitors Centre.
On the N52 follow signs for Kilbeggan.
From Kilbeggan you have the option of
travelling to Tyrellspass, which is five miles east
of Kilbeggan. Take the N52 to Tyrellspass.
13
11 Driving Tours
Alternatively travel the N6 to Horseleap and
on to Moate.
Moate takes its name from the Motte & Bailey
erected by the Normans in 1180. Moate
owes its later development to the Quaker
community. They established a number of
industries in the eighteenth century. Today
Moate is a bustling market town. Dún na
Sí Heritage Park is the genealogy research
centre for County Westmeath. Included at
the centre are horse drawn farm machinery,
a hedge school, portal dolmen and an early
Christian ring fort. The centre also has a picnic
area and a souvenir and coffee shop. Dún na
Sí holds evening seisúns or céilís. There is music
song, dance and storytelling.
From Moate travel the Ballymore Road.
Since the Middle Ages markets and fairs
were held at Ballymore. Norman evaders
erected a Motte and bailey at Ballymore and
administered the county from there. Around
Ballymore are remains of castles, convents
and monasteries. In 1691 the fort at Ballymore
was the site of a major battle between two
armies the Jacobite’s and the Williamites.
From Ballymore travel to Mullingar on the R390
where you will pass the Hill of Uisneach.
The Celts herded cattle here and held ritual
assemblies on the Hill of Uisneach, which is close
by. Uisneach was an ancient Druidic sanctuary
and assembly for the May time festival. It was
a royal residence in the second century A.D.
The Catstone a large rock on the hill marks the
meeting point of the five provinces of ancient
Ireland. This site is privately owned.
14
The Fore Trail
The starting point for the Fore trail is Mullingartravel the R394.
You will pass Mullingar Hospital. On your left
you will see St Mary’s Hospital, which was
opened in 1841 as a Workhouse. This building
accommodated eight hundred people.
Continuing on the main road the trail veers
right taking the road to Collinstown. There is an
area known as The Cut by locals, which has a
slipway, picnic area, toilets and a car park.
To your left you will see the Rugby Club. This
was formerly the Cullen Estate, which was
once owned by the Duke of Mecklenberg.
Further along this road on the right hand side
you will see the gates of Knockdrin Castle. The
castle is still occupied but is not open to the
public. On your left hand side in the distance
you will notice the spire of a church. This is
a restored church, which houses the Belfry
restaurant. This was once St Mary’s Church.
The families of the nearby estates of Knockdrin
Castle and Ballynagall House built it in 1824. As
you pass along this road you will be impressed
by mature trees and stonewalls bordering the
estate. Continue until you come to the village
of Crookedwood.
Continuing on straight from Crookedwood
towards Castlepollard you will see Lough
Derravaragh. Lough Derravaragh featured
in the famous Legend called Children of Lir.
There is an information point and resting area
on a little further. As you descend a hill there is
a lane way to the left that will bring you to the
lakeshore.
11 Driving Tours
Continuing on the main road the trail veers
right taking the road to Collinstown.
Barbavilla House & Estate is on your right as you
go into Collinstown village. It was once home
to the Smyths and is now an industrial complex.
Collinstown is just beside Lough Lene. There is
an area known as “The Cut” by locals, which
has a slipway, picnic area, toilets and a car
park. The Gaelic name for Collinstown is Baile
na gCailleach meaning town of the veiled
women. In the early Christian Era, they lived in
the area so the town was named after them.
There are many ring forts in the locality.
Detour: To Delvin Clonmellon
Delvin Castle in the village of Delvin was built
in 1184 by Gilbert de Nugent. The old Castle at
Clonyn was the second castle built on this site
by the Nugents. Richard Nugent destroyed the
first castle when Cromwell was approaching.
The present castle is now surrounded by an 18hole golf course. In 1918 Brinsley Mc Namara,
a local, wrote a well-known book called The
Valley of the Squinting Windows. There is also
a Motte at the end of the village. This was built
by Hugh de Lacy in 1181. Leaving Delvin via
the N52 you will see Ballinlough Castle on your
right six miles from Delvin. Continue straight on
and you will come to the village of Clonmellon.
This village on the Westmeath/Meath border
is close to Killua Castle and is reputed to be
the birthplace of Laurence of Arabia. Situated
close by is a monument commemorating the
introduction of the potato into Ireland by Sir
Walter Raleigh.
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11 Driving Tours
From Collinstown Village travel to Fore Village
The village of Fore is in a valley between
two hills. Here you will see the ancient ruins
of a Christian monastery. Fore is the town of
the springs and was named after St Fechin’s
spring, which is beside the old church. It was St
Fechin who founded the ancient Fore Abbey
around 630 A.D. By 665 A.D. (the time of the
yellow plague) there were three hundred
monks living in the community. Between 771
and 1169 A.D. Fore was burnt 12 times. The
Fore Abbey is famous for its seven wonders:
1. The monastery in the bog;
2. The mill without a race;
3. The water that flows uphill;
4. The tree that has three branches or the tree
that will not burn;
5. The water that will not boil;
6. The anchorite in a stone;
7. The stone or lintel raised by St Fechin’s
prayers.
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An important aspect of Fore is the Fore Crosses
one of which is in the village of Fore. There are
eighteen crosses; some crosses are plain whilst
others are carved.
They are spread out over seven miles on
roadways and in fields and bare witness to
religious persecution during penal times. Above
Lough Lene is Slieveboy Hill and Gallagher’s
Moteens which are Bronze Age graves.
These are Cist graves, which succeeded the
communal burial chambers of the New Stone
Age.
11 Driving Tours
From Fore travel to Castlepollard
This village was built in the late seventeenth–
early eighteenth century by the Pollard family,
which explains where the village got its name.
Castlepollard has a museum with the display
of home and farm artefacts. There are two
churches called St. Michaels, the Catholic
Church dates from 1806 and the Church of
Ireland was built in 1821. There are several
tablets for the Pollards and other families in the
vicinity of the church. The town square once
known as the fair green has a sculpture of
Children of Lir. There is a ruin of an old church
called Kilafree (1672 – 1818) in the town. This
holds burial vaults of the Pollards.
From Castlepollard travel the Coole Road
On this road you will pass Tullynally Castle
& Gardens, home of the Pakenhams who
are Earls of Longford since the seventeenth
century. This is now one of the largest Castles
in Ireland still lived in as a family home. The
Castle is open to the public during the summer
months.
From Tullynally Castle travel to Coole village.
You will see a hospital on the left which
was an Orthopaedic Hospital for children
until 1981. The church dates from 1841 and
Turbotstown House across the road is about
two hundred years old. It was the home of the
Dease family. Turn left at the crossroads near
Coole Hall. Keep right at the next junction
and continue for Multyfarnham. You will travel
through moorland and forest and reach the
village of Multyfarnham. Multyfarnham has a
seven hundred-year-old Franciscan Friary and
extensive gardens with life size Stations of the
Cross. The stained glass windows depict the
burning of the Abbey in 1601, a priest holding a
secret mass and the legend of the Children of
Lir. The tabernacle is a millstone with a copper
ear of wheat. This symbolises the bread of life.
One mile east of the village a roadway leads
to the Donore Shore of Lough Derravaragh
where a modern Caravan & Camping Park is
located. This is a great area for boating, fishing,
swimming & walking.
Detour: Mullaghmeen Forest is a state
forest and provides 22.5 km of roadway for
the walker. It leads to the highest point in
Westmeath (849ft.) From the Rock of Curry you
go straight to come to Mullaghmeen. Carrick
Craft is situated in Mountnugent, which is close
to Finea. There is a visitor’s centre here and a
basketry museum, which exhibits traditional
baskets made from rod, rush and straw. Craft
workshops are available here from time to
time.
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11 Driving Tours
From Multyfarnham travel to Mullingar.
You will come to a junction with a pub called
the Covert on your left. There is a lake across
the road called Ballinafid, which has a fishing
platform. Turn left at this junction 3 km on further
you will see a breathtaking view of Lough Owel
at Portnashangan, which will be on your right.
You will see several small islands. The largest of
these islands is called Church Island. There was
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once a monastery settlement here. The ruins
still remain. The last burial on the island was in
1830. If the water level decreases substantially
a causeway out to the island can be seen
under the water. There is a sculpture in the car
park of the Children of Lir. A pathway leads
down a slope across a railway bridge and
down to the lakeshore. The railway line will be
on your right as you continue on for Mullingar.
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