10 - 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.
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Laois
A county of rich contrast, Laois is a place for
people who want a different experience of
Ireland. A meeting point for ancient heritage
and contemporary culture, for rural tranquillity
and busy towns and villages, for sophisticated
luxury and rustic simplicity, Laois calls out to
people who want something authentic and
truly out of the ordinary.
Many beautiful heritage sites have been
restored for the public to enjoy such as Emo
Court and Gardens, Timahoe Round Tower,
Aghaboe Abbey and Heywood Gardens.
Another real treasure is the Rock of Dunamaise,
which is one of the great monuments and
fortresses of Ireland and offers breathtaking
views of the county. There are reminders
in Portarlington of its Huguenot past, in
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Mountmellick for its work (embroidery) while
the estate towns of Abbeyleix and Durrow
have their own unique character.
If you love nature, you’ll love Laois. Walking,
cycling, horse-riding, golfing, fishing, polo,
trekking, canal-cruising, it’s all to be discovered
in the beautiful and peaceful countryside.
The Slieve Blooms are undoubtedly one of
Ireland’s most extraordinary mountain walking
experiences. This mountain range, teeming
with wildlife and fascinating ecology, offer a
range of activities.
Fishing is one the best kept secrets in Laois.
The rivers Nore and Barrow run through Laois
as well as the Grand Canal and the many
lakes dotted throughout the county. Take a
visit to the Irish Fly-Fishing and Game Shooting
Museum in Attanagh which is the only one of
its kind in Europe.
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for roach, perch and tench in Gill’s Lough and
one of the finest of Ireland’s great gardens.
Heywood Gardens with its lakes, woodlands
and architectural features is well worth a visit.
Its formal gardens were designed by the worldfamous Sir Edwin Luytens and were probably
landscaped by Gertrude Jekyll.
Abbeyleix
A fine planned estate town designated one of
Ireland’s Heritage Towns, noted for the quality
of their preserved historic buildings. Established
by Viscount de Vesci, it is well laid out with fine
town houses, public buildings and vernacular
houses dating to different periods from the
mid-eighteenth century. Perhaps most notable
are the Market House (1906), Hibernian Bank
(c. 1900), Catholic Church (Hague, 1895),
Church of Ireland Church (Wyatt, rebuilt 1865)
and Abbeyleix National School. The awardwinning Heritage House Interpretive Centre is
worth a visit. Other attractions within the town
include: Sextons House, Abbey Sense Gardens,
Morrissey’s Pub and the library.
Ballinakill
A seventeenth-century market town. The ruins
of Ballinakill Castle are of a late seventeenthcentury castle destroyed by Cromwellian
troops. The configuration of streets around
the large rectangular square is eighteenthcentury.
The town’s entrance from Abbeyleix is marked
by two trees known as toll trees, where a toll
was paid by visitors to the town. The town had
important fairs, a brewery, woollen and tanning
factories. At Ballinakill there is excellent fishing
Castletown
In 1182 Hugh de Lacy built a castle here for
Robert de Bigarz, and it became the centre
of an important Norman borough. Only
fragments of the castle remain. The village
itself is built around a triangular fair green.
South of the village in Churchtown are the
ruins of a medieval church.
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Donaghmore
Originally associated with an early medieval
church, and then with an early Norman
fortification. It became an extensive industrial
complex in the eighteenth and nineteenth
centuries. It has attractive buildings and two
thriving pubs overlooking a river and an old
bridge.
A short distance northwest is the headquarters
of Donaghmore Co-operative, once a
workhouse, and now a museum which is open
to the public during the summer months and
on request during the remainder of the year.
During the Great Famine, some 10% of the local
population sought refuge here. Now restored,
visitors can see the original dormitories, kitchen
and waiting hall, plus the agricultural museum
also housed here.
Durrow
The Anglo-Normans founded a borough on
the Erkina River in the thirteenth century. The
town prospered, and early in the eighteenth
century, Colonel William Flower acquired the
estate and built Castle Durrow, the magnificent
classical mansion. Later ennobled as the
Viscounts Ashbrook, the family designed the
village which has retained much of its early
appearance, with fine eighteenth and
nineteeth century houses. The houses are built
around an open green and the splendid gates
of the castle open onto it.
The Erkina River, offers great fly fishing for trout
and occasional salmon. All around the village
are old woods. The wood was part of the old
estate and was planted primarily to provide
cover for game birds. The nearby ‘Leafy Loop’
- a 20 km series of way-marked walking routes
around the town – features riverside paths,
leafy forest tracks, open farmland, numerous
historic sites and a rich variety of flora and
fauna.
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Mountmellick
Founded in the seventeenth-century within
a loop of the Owenass River, Mountmellick
has always been a town associated with
great industry and prosperity and in the late
eighteenth century became known as the
‘Manchester of Ireland’. From the start the
town was dominated by the enterprise of the
Quaker Community and later served by the
Grand Canal.
Emo
Emo Court, one of the greatest houses and
gardens in Ireland, designed by James Gandon
and its nearby Coolbanagher Church provide
an unforgettable day excursion. It took eighty
years to finish the building of Emo Court. The
house stood empty and decaying for ten
years in the 1920s then became a seminary
for the Jesuits, who made some alterations.
In 1969 the Demesne was bought by Major
Cholmley-Harrison, who restored the house to
its nineteenth century grandeur and renovated
the magnificent gardens. The latest phase
began in 1994 when the owner presented the
house and grounds to the people of Ireland.
Now in State hands, both house and gardens
are beautifully cared for and the house, with
its magnificent rooms, is open for guided tours
throughout the summer.
Mountmellick
Development
Association
commissioned the conversion of a grain mill
which houses a Quaker Museum, where the
main focus is to conserve and display original
pieces of Mountmellick work (embroidery) of
which the town is renowned; and to protect
the memory of Mountmellick’s rich Quaker
industrial past. The Heritage Trail is a pleasure to
follow. It is a pleasing town with a fine square,
architecturally impressive houses, shops and
ecclesiastical buildings
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Mountrath
Mountrath probably derives its name from a
fort in Redcastle about 1.6km on the eastern
side of the present town. The Irish name is Móin
Ratha - meaning “the fort in the bog.” On a
very early map of Mountrath from 1659, the
town is designated by a few houses situated
on a stream - the White Horse River. By that
date the town was over thirty years old as it
was founded in 1628 by Charles Coote. By
1750 the town was a thriving industrial place
with its own woollen and linen industries,
ironworks, grain and rape mills and a little
later its own brewery and distillery. Mountrath
was also an important market town with its
beautiful market house, dating from the earlyeighteenth century, dominating the square.
The town is now mainly agricultural and an
excellent base for exploring the Slieve Bloom
Mountains. It has picnic facilities near St Fintan’s
Catholic Church. The Church is an elaborate
example of Gothic Revival architecture. The
River Mountrath is also good for fishing.
Portarlington
Founded in 1666, on a bend of the Barrow
River by Sir Henry Bennett, Lord Arlington.
After the Jacobite Wars, the lands were
given to General Rouvigney, Earl of Galway
who established a thriving colony of French
Huguenots in the town: separate chapels and
schools were built for the English and French.
Along with education (eventually 16 schools),
the town became a centre for silversmiths and
banking. The town has Georgian, Huguenot
and Victorian architecture of exceptional
quality.
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Portlaoise
The principal town of Laois, Portlaoise is
a vibrant town. An invasion of the region
under Queen Mary of England led to the
development of a settlement here, which
they called Maryborough. It retained that
name until it reverted to Portlaoise following
independence. Recent years have seen its
transformation into an exciting and rapidly
growing centre, with fascinating local sources
of crafts & food and the splendid Dunamaise
Arts Centre.
Twenty minutes or less in any direction brings
a wealth of opportunities; with numerous golf
clubs, equestrian centres and horse-drawn
caravans and possibilities for trekking in the
Slieve Bloom Mountains. Anglers and boating
enthusiasts, naturalists and long-distance
walkers find everything they want on the
Grand Canal at Vicarstown. Ancient Ireland
is represented by the Rock of Dunamaise a
hilltop castle with a wonderful view.
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Stradbally
Stradbally is a picuresque town, surrounded
by a great range of things to do and see.
Stradbally Hall, the Cosby’s stately home,
was begun in 1772 and greatly enlarged
and embellished in the 1860s in its present
Italian style. Stradbally is home to a number
of activities such as point-to-point racing and
other equestrian events and paintballing in the
Stradbally Woods. Stradbally is synonymous
with Steam and the Irish Steam Preservation
Society holds its Steam Rally here during the
August Bank Holiday weekend. In the grounds
of Stradbally Hall is the Narrow Gauge Railway
and the Steam Museum is located in the Main
Street. Stradbally Hall also hosts the Electric
Picnic music festival on an annual basis.
Stradbally Lake brown trout fishery has been
subject to extensive restoration and is located
on the Cosby Estate. There are also excellent
picnic areas and facilities on the lakeside.
When visiting Stradbally, a visit to Stradbally
Art House is a must.
Vicarstown
If you are interested in a barge trip or
holiday along the canal, look no further than
Vicarstown. Vicarstown is an attractive port
on the Grand Canal, a useful base walking,
cycling, boating and fishing. Buildings of
interest include the 1860’s Grattan School and
Grattan Lodge (built in 1882 by Henry Grattan’s
grand-daughter
Lady
Pauline
Grattan
Bellew). Vicarstown is a good base to visit the
picturesque village of Fisherstown where one
of the oldest pubs in Ireland is located.
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Longford
In lovely county Longford the visitor is never far
from water, cruise the River Shannon, Lough
Ree and the Royal Canal, or enjoy the finest
fishing on the River Inny, Lough Gowna and
other watercourses. The “hot water” stretch
at Lanesborough is famous among anglers.
Every canoeist knows the white water stretch
at Ballymahon.
In Ardagh, visit the heritage centre in the old
schoolhouse, which dates back to 1898. The
exhibition outlines the history of the village
which includes myth and literature. The village
also played host to writers and musicians like
Oliver Goldsmith, Sir Walter Scott and Turlough
O’Carolan.
Longford is a haven for outdoor activities
offering facilities of the highest standard and
quality. The county has a vast array of walking
and cycling routes and provides activities
such as fishing, golf, archery, go-carting, horse
riding and bowling.
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Walk in the footsteps of famous Longford
writers, Maria Edgeworth, Padraic Colum and
Oliver Goldsmith.
Admire the views across Lough Ree, the
second largest lake on the River Shannon. Pay
a visit to Clondra, a quaint little village with the
magnificent cut stone Richmond Harbour, the
terminus of the Royal Canal where it flows into
the River Shannon.
Visit the Corlea Trackway and Visitor Centre,
the largest known Iron Age trackway in
Ireland.
Enjoy the views of the illuminated abbey at
Abbeylara by night or Granard motte and
bailey, which dominates the town.
The flat bogland of south Longford and the
rolling hills and drumlins of north Longford offers
unique habitats for the finest flora and fauna
for the eco tourist to admire.
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Abbeylara
The village of Abbeylara is three miles from
Granard. On approaching the village, the first
thing that comes into sight is the magnificent
ruins of the Cistercian abbey founded in the
thirteenth century. Abbeylara gets its name
from ‘Mainistir Leathratha’, which means
‘abbey of the half rath or little rath’.
Abbeyshrule
One of the earliest Cistercian monasteries in
Ireland was established here around 1150.
Ruins of the abbey and towerhouse dominate
this picturesque village. In 1906 a Bronze Age
shield was discovered in the nearby townland
of Clonbrin. This is the only known leather shield
in Ireland and is on display in the National
Museum.
The Royal Canal arrived at Abbeyshrule in
1817, and crosses the Inny by the Whitworth
Aqueduct. The river and the canal make for
ideal fishing any time of the year. The Inny holds
major stock of roach, bream, pike, trout and
perch. Abbeyshrule Airfield was established in
the 1950s and is home to an active aviation
group. The annual air show is a major attraction
for the area.
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Ardagh
The village of Ardagh is a designated heritage
village. It was here that St Patrick appointed
St Mel as one of the earliest Irish bishops. The
village also features in Oliver Goldsmith’s ‘She
Stoops to Conquer’. Ardagh has associations
with Irish myth including ‘The Wooing of Etain’
part of which is based at the nearby hill Brí Léith.
Much of the village was built as an ‘estate
village’ in the 19th century, and has received
much acclaim for its beauty. Awards have
included the Prix d’Honneur of the Entente
Florale and winning the National Tidy Towns
Competition on three occasions.
Aughnacliffe
Aughnacliffe is a small village in north County
Longford, midway between Cavan town
and Longford town. This area is a fisherman’s
paradise, with a number of excellent fishing
lakes such as Gowna and the Upper Erne
system close by.
There is beautiful scenery for relaxing walks,
cycling trips and horse riding. Discover the local
heritage by visiting the ancient graveyards
and churches and impressive archaeological
sites such as the Aughnacliffe portal tomb,
known locally as ‘the dolmen’.
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Ballinalee
The village of Ballinalee, is located on the River
Camlin, in the parish of Clonbroney. The name
is derived from the Irish, ‘Béal Átha na Laogh’ the mouth of the ford of the calves. Ballinalee
was formerly called St Johnstown and was
owned by Lord Granard. It was also the home
of ‘The Blacksmith of Ballinalee’, General Seán
MacEoin, a hero of the War of Independence
who later became a T.D and served as the
Minister for Justice, and Minister for Defence
between 1948 and 1951.
Ballinamuck
Ballinamuck is one of the
most historic towns in north
Longford. The Battle of
Ballinamuck was fought
there during the 1798
Rebellion between the
combined Irish and French
forces and the British. It
featured in Thomas Flanagan’s historic novel
The Year of the French. The name ‘Ballinamuck’
is derived from the original name ‘Béal Átha
na Muice’ which means ‘the mouth of the
ford of the pig’. Ballinamuck is an ideal place
for a quiet and relaxing holiday, where fishing,
walking, cycling and observing nature are the
main attractions.
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Ballymahon
Ballymahon is the most southerly town in County
Longford, situated on the N55. The River Inny
flows through Ballymahon, westwards towards
Lough Ree on the River Shannon. The buildings
in the town are of late Georgian and Victorian
stock, with two and three storey houses, in
rows of three and four. The town is dominated
by two refurbished mill buildings which reveal
the industrial heritage of the area. A visit to
the recently refurbished market house which
has opened as a library is a must when in
Ballymahon.
Clondra
Clondra is an attractive village located, 8km
west of Longford. The cut-stone harbour,
known as Richmond Harbour, is the Royal
Canal’s terminus and one of the most imposing
features on the canal. The old stone mill with
its weir and millpond is another fine building.
Traditional music is provided on a regular basis
in local hostelries.
Drumlish
Drumlish is a neat village in gently rolling
countryside. It was the scene of an episode
of land agitation known as the ‘Drumlish Land
War’ of 1881. Near Drumlish is Cairn Hill the
highest point in Longford on the summit of
which are two cairn tombs. The old corn mill
situated along the main Longford/Cavan road
has been recently restored and has been in
the Rogers family for nearly two centuries.
Edgeworthstown
Edgeworthstown is located on the N4. The town
has a long association with the celebrated
Edgeworth family. Prominent members of this
family included Richard Lovell Edgeworth and
his daughter Maria. Richard was a famous
inventor and surveyor, while Maria stands
as one of the most influential novelists of the
English language. She is best known for her
novel Castle Rackrent. The family vault is in the
churchyard of St John’s. The churchyard is also
the resting place of Isola Wilde, sister of writer
Oscar Wilde.
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Lanesborough
Lanesborough developed in the seventeenth
century when the landowner Sir George Lane
received a charter from King Charles II. The
town developed at a key crossing place on the
River Shannon and became a very important
inland port and market town. It was the point
where ‘vast quantities’ of pigs, eggs and corn
were transhipped from the river barges to
carts and then back to the water again in the
Royal Canal.
Granard
Granard lies on the N55 route from the
Midland Region to the northern counties. It is
surrounded by beautiful lakes such as Lough
Gowna and forests like Derrycassin Woods.
Derived from the Irish placename Gránard, the
name Granard is said to have many meanings,
such as ‘The Hill of the Sun’ or ‘Ugly Height’.
These could be attributed to the most striking
topographical feature in the town - the motte
and its undulating fosse which dominates the
west end of the town. This became the site for
a castle built in 1199 by Richard Tuite who had
been granted the lands by Hugh de Lacy.
Kenagh
Kenagh is home to the Corlea Trackway Visitor
Centre, which conserves an Iron Age timber
trackway built in the year 148 BC across the
bog. This oak road is one of the largest of its
kind to have been uncovered in Europe. Inside
the building, an 18-metre stretch of preserved
road is on permanent display. The village of
Kenagh features an elegant clock tower
erected in memory of the Hon. Lawrence
Harman King-Harman (d. 1875) by his tenants.
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The railways put an end to the canal trade
and Lanesborough’s importance declined
until the 1950s, when the peat-burning power
station was built. The power station had a very
beneficial effect on the fishing, discharging
warm water which made the river suitable for
the local tench population. Lanesborough is
a popular place for anglers, with great stocks
of pike and brown trout. The trout are at their
best in spring when they rise to the mayfly.
Lanesborough also boasts a recently built
state of the art marina and an attractive river
and woodland walk.
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Legan
Legan village is situated along the River Inny.
The world-famous Shawbrook Ballet School is
located near the village. The parish of Legan
extends west to the sacred pre-Christian site
of Brí Léith on Ardagh Mountain. The area
contains rich farmland with wide expanses of
bog and is rich in flora and fauna. The wellstocked River Inny provides restful recreation
for the fisherman.
Longford Town
A busy, bustling town, Longford is dominated
by St Mel’s Cathedral, which was completed
in 1893, having taken more than fifty years to
build and currently undergoing restoration.
Another notable building is the courthouse
on Main Street, built in the early 1790s. The
building of a branch of the Royal Canal to
Longford was a major boost to its importance
as a market town in the 19th century, as was
the arrival of the Dublin to Sligo railway line.
The River Camlin flows through the northern
part of the town. A delightful walkway has
been created along the river leading to the
Mall recreational area. Longford lies at a
junction of two primary routes, connecting
Dublin to Sligo and Mayo. Accommodation,
good food, shops, pubs and clubs and some
great sporting grounds welcome the visitor
and the surrounding countryside has a wealth
of places to visit and things to do.
Newtowncashel
Newtowncashel is located near to Lough Ree
on the River Shannon. Noteworthy buildings
include a church, a parish hall and a national
school. The village is adorned with a number
of fine sculptures in local bog oak and striking
stone walls. There are excellent views of Lough
Ree from the outskirts of the village. Nearby
attractions include the ruined Augustinian
abbey on Saints’ Island and Barley Harbour.
Newtownforbes
The village of Newtownforbes lies in the heart
of Clonguish parish (also spelt ‘Cluain Geis’)
meaning: ‘meadow of the swans’. The village
and its townlands are steeped in history and
tales from famine times. Newtownforbes is a
lively village, beautifully maintained by an
active Tidy Towns committee.
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Offaly
Tullamore is the county town and the Tullamore
Dew Heritage Centre provides an interesting
introduction to the towns distilling, canal and
urban past. Throughout the county cruising,
equestrian, golfing, walking and fishing
enthusiasts are well catered for.
The Grand Canal transverses the county from
Edenderry and joins the River Shannon at
Shannon Harbour. Edenderry is a noted angling
centre. The Shannon callows are of European
importance for a number of bird species.
The monastic ruins of Clonmacnoise are worldfamous and one of Ireland’s greatest treasures.
Less known, but of significant importance
are Lemanaghan Monastic site, Seir Kieran,
Rahan, Durrow and Birr. Cycle the Pilgrims Way,
travelling from Ballycumber to Clonmacnoise
with a spur to Lemanaghan from Boher.
Walking is a major feature within the county.
Choose between the Slieve Bloom Way, the
Grand Canal Way, the Offaly Way and the
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Pilgrims Path route or a number of shorter
looped walks.
Offaly boasts five peatland nature reserves,
among them Clara Raised Bog, which can be
viewed on the road between Clara and Rahan.
A trip through the peatlands should include a
visit to the Lough Boora Parklands, which was
once a working bog, is now regenerated into
an amenity and wildlife sanctuary. At Lough
Boora Parklands one can fish a number of still
water lakes, observe some of the over one
hundred and thirty species of birds recorded
in the Parklands or take a stroll through the
Sculpture Park.
Birr was designated a heritage town for its
Georgian architecture, it also has an interesting
early Christian monastic site and a medieval
story to tell. Visit the formal gardens, science
centre and the restored telescope all at Birr
Castle, Gardens and Demesne, Seat of the
Earls of Rosse. Call into Birr library, a coverted
Pugin Church, to view a unique copy of the
ninth century Mac Regol Gospels originating
from the early Christian site at Birr.
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Banagher
Banagher, which means ‘Ford of the Rocks’,
attracts thousands of visitors each year for
some great fishing. The town was established
in the seventeenth century as an important
crossing point in the plantation of Offaly. The
marina offers superb facilities for all who stay
here. In 2011 the Heritage Boat Association
(HBA) chose Banagher Harbour to celebrate
the first decade of the HBA.
Anthony Trollope worked for the Post Office
here from 1841 until 1844, and managed
to complete the first two of his ponderous
Victorian novels in what was presumably the
undisturbed rural peace and quiet.
Banagher was one of the towns on the Shannon
that was fortified against Napoleonic invasion
in the nineteenth century. There is a Martello
tower beside the old canal, and the remains
of a barracks can be seen at the east end of
the bridge.
Birr
Birr, originally a monastic settlement founded
by St Brendan in the sixth century, it has seen
continuous habitation and development and it
is now well known for its Georgian architecture.
The monastery, which was located in
Church Street where the ruined thirteenth to
seventeenth century church can still be seen
had an important scriptoria and produced a
ninth century illuminated manuscript known as
the Mac Regol Gospels. The Gospels are now
in the Bodleian
Library in Oxford but in 2006 one copy was
made and is on public display in Birr Public
Library.
In the sixteenth century the O’Carrolls of Ely
had one of their castles here and this was
granted to Sir Laurence Parsons in the course
of the Stuart plantation, c.1620. Sir Laurence
Parsons built most of the structure of the
present castle. The castle still remains the seat
of the Earls of Rosse.
The Birr Castle Demesne and surrounding
gardens contain many fine trees and shrubs,
including the box hedges, which are the tallest
in the world. At the centre of the gardens is the
Great Telescope built by the 3rd Earl of Rosse
in 1840s.
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10 TOWNS & VILLAGES
Birr Workhouse was opened in 1842 before the
Famine and still stands largely the same as when
first built. Crinkill Barracks was built 1809- 1812
and was burnt to the ground by Republican
forces in 1922. The first All Ireland Hurling Final
between Tipperary and Galway was held in Birr
in 1888 where today a commemorative statue
is in place. Birr Vintage Week & Arts Festival in
August remains one of Ireland’s most popular
festivals.
Clara
Clara grew up as a small industrial town, amply
supplied with energy from its two rivers, the
Brosna and its tributary the Gageborough and
from the vast tracts of peat bog that almost
surround it. No fewer than eleven distilleries
operated there in the eighteenth century.
Three Quaker brothers, Marcus, Jonathan and
Lewis Frederick Goodbody settled there in 1854
to use the water power to drive mills for the
production of sacking and other materials from
imported jute fibres. The business prospered for
many years and in 1867 they built the beautiful
Meeting House which serves now as the
meeting room of the Clara Musical Society.
They were inventive industrialists and the grey
chimney that dominates part of the town was
one of the very first structures in Ireland made
from reinforced concrete. The town today is a
busy place, keeping up its industrial tradition.
There are a network of short walks around the
town and hinterland. Clara Bog Visitor Centre
is now open at Clara Library and close by is
Doorey Walk.
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Daingean
Once the principal town of the county,
Daingean is situated on the Grand Canal and
the town has a population of 1,048. The name
translates as fortress, from the time the area
served as an island fortress for the O’Connor
Clan.
The area of domination of the O’Connor Clan
stretched from Daingean south into Laois, north
to the borders of Westmeath and east into
Kildare. At the formation of the King’s County
in 1557 under Mary Tudor, Daingean became
the capital and was named Philipstown after
her husband, Philip of Spain.
The Grand Canal line was opened to here in
1797. The fare from Dublin was the equivalent of
26p or 33 cent. It remained the principal town
of the county until 1835 when the Assizes were
transferred from Philipstown to Tullamore.
Edenderry
Edenderry was established in medieval times
and the ruins of Blundell Castle can still be
seen with the new water tower adjacent on
Blundell Hill. The castle shows phases from
the early fifteenth century to the end of the
seventeenth century when Edenderry House
was constructed.
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The 2nd Marquess of Downshire is responsible
for building the layout of much of the historic
core of the present town in the 1800s with its
pleasant layout, fine town houses, all provided
with gardens. The keystones and entrance
arches are a feature of the streetscape. There is
an imposing statue of the Marquis of Downshire
(1788-1845) looking down the Church Walk in
the Church of Ireland grounds.
The Quakers came to Edenderry in 1672 and
the Meeting House which they built in 1806 is
still in use.
The Canal Harbour makes Edenderry a
pleasant centre for boating enthusiasts. The
canal has excellent fishing for pike, perch,
bream and roach among others. The golf club
is an excellent 18-hole parkland course. The
Irish Parachute Club is located at the airfield
at Clonbullogue.
The ruins of the 12th century Anglo Norman
castle at Monasteroris are on private land
but can be seen from the road just outside
Edenderry driving towards Rhode. It was built
by the Anglo Norman family, the Berminghams.
One of the Bermingham’s sons founded the
Franciscan friary in 1325. The ruins of the Friary
are adjacent to the road with public access.
The graveyard contains some of the earliest
carved headstones in the county from the
late 17th and early 18th centuries.
Ferbane
Ferbane, located on the N62 between Athlone
and Birr is a lively small town with many places
of interest, good pubs, restaurants and places
to stay. The River Brosna runs through the
middle of the town and the Grand Canal skirts
Ferbane to the south of the town. The Grand
Canal Way is a popular walking route, and is
also a noted spot for anglers. A display of early
Christian grave slabs dating from around the
9th and 10th centuries can be seen at Gallen.
Belmont Mill located a short distance from
Ferbane is now an artists studio.
Kilcormac
Known as Frankford in the Middle Ages,
Kilcormac had a Carmelite Priory from where a
fourteenth century Missal survives in the library
of Trinity College, Dublin. Stone fragments
from the Priory are displayed in the local
church together with the sixteenth century
Pietà, carved from oak and painted. In the
seventeenth century, religious suppression
forced Catholics to hide their precious relics
and the Pietà was secretly buried in the bog. It
was saved, to receive its place of veneration
in the church built early in the nineteenth
century.
The main street of Kilcormac, runs between
rows of nineteenth century houses to a
pleasant tree-shaded park by the Silver River.
Behind the older houses, to the south, is St
Cormac’s Park, a 1960s housing estate built for
the workers on the nearby bog. The Offaly Way
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10 TOWNS & VILLAGES
Walking Trail goes through Kilcormac. Fishing
in the Boora Lakes, bird-watching and plant
hunting in the bogland are the main interests
in the immediate vicinity of Kilcormac.
Kinnitty
One of the attractively laid out villages built by
eighteenth century landlords, the roots of the
community extend back to the early Christian
Era. An early monastery stood on the site of the
present Church of Ireland where an unusual
pyramid shaped mausoleum dominates the
graveyard at the rear. It was built by Lt. Col
Richard Bernard and is the burial chamber for
members of his family. It is an exact replica of
the Egyptian pyramid of Cheop. The village
has two quaint pubs. Knockbarron Esker Eco
Walk is accessible from Kinnitty.
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Shannonbridge
The sixteen-arch stone bridge gives the
delightful village its name and is the dominant
feature of the landscape. Stone-built quays
and a little harbourmaster’s office tell of
its importance in the days of cargo traffic.
Today the quays are used by pleasure cruisers
and the harbourmaster’s office is the tourist
information centre. Across the Shannon, the
artillery fortification unique to Ireland and
Britain which dates from the Napoleonic era is
located here and has been transformed into
a fine restaurant. The village pubs offer live
traditional music from May to September and
a pub grub menu is also available.
Shannonbridge is in the middle of the Callows.
It is a great centre for naturalists, in summer
when meadows abound in wild flowers and,
in winter, when thousands of wild geese,
duck and wading birds congregate in the
floodland.
10 TOWNS & VILLAGES
Shannon Harbour
The small village of Shannon Harbour was
developed after 1800 as the terminus of the
Grand Canal through the Midland Region.
Shannon Harbour is a picturesque rural village
where McIntyres pub offers a warm welcome
to the visitor. A farmers market takes place in
Shannon Harbour, check local press for dates.
East of the village is the 16th century Clonony
Castle tower house which is open to the visitor
by appointment.
The Callows of Shannon Harbour are now
part of a special conservation area. This is an
endeavour to preserve not only the fauna
but also the unique flora of the Callows.
Environmentalists have been enthralled by
the variety of plants in the mature meadows,
preserved by the eco friendly agri practice of
Shannon Harbour farmers.
Shinrone
The Four Masters, scribes of medieval Ireland,
wrote the name of Shinrone as Suí an Róin,
which means the seat of the seal. However,
it may also be called after the hermit Róin, a
brother of Cuimín Fada.
In the townland of Glasshouse are the ruined
remains of a once thriving seventeenth
century forest-glass factory. All that is left are
the remains of a sandstone barrel-vaulted,
wood fired furnace but this is still more
than any other site in Europe. The site is not
accessible to the public. Members of the
Bigo and Hensey families together with other
Huguenot families had to flee France because
of religious persecution. They settled in the Birr
and Lusmagh areas and were producing glass
there in the early 1600s.
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Tullamore
Tullamore is a thriving and bustling town and
a gateway to the midlands. It is also a great
centre for boating, fishing, enjoying golf and
all sorts of country pursuits such as walking,
riding and looking at old and distinguished
buildings and parkland.
Prosperity came in the form of the Grand
Canal, a link from the port of Dublin in 1798.
The easy access for goods and people led
to the town’s rapid growth as a market and
warehousing centre. Charles William Bury,
Earl of Charleville, set to work on making the
town into the county capital and made his
mark, by employing the best town planners
to create a gracious settlement, with classical
architecture for its churches and public
buildings. Charleville Castle, is one of Ireland’s
most splendid Gothic Revival buildings and
stands in beautiful woodland containing many
splendid oak trees including the King Tree. A
must for visitors is a trip to the Tullamore Dew
Heritage Centre.
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Westmeath
Famous for its rivers and lakes, from the
Shannon and Lough Ree to the Mullingar lakes
and the Royal Canal. Numerous watersports
can be enjoyed in the county as well as some
of the finest golf and equestrian facilities in
the country. Top class angling is available
throughout Westmeath with all species
of coarse fish and brown trout. Filled with
intriguing houses and gardens, and gorgeous
forest parks, Westmeath is perfect for enjoying
outdoor life at its best. An oasis of beauty in
the Midlands, Belvedere House Gardens &
Park is a must for any visitor to the Midlands.
The Belvedere story is one, which is steeped
in scandal and provides rich opportunities to
capture the visitor’s imagination.
Enjoy a walk in the grounds of Tullynally
Castle, one of the largest castles in Ireland still
lived in as the family home, with its terraced
lawns overlooking superb eighteenth century
parkland. Visit nearby Lough Derravaragh,
the source of the well-known legend of the
Children of Lir who are said to have spent
three hundred years in isolation on its waters
or experience the Seven Wonders of Fore. For
more of an urban buzz, head to Mullingar, a busy
market town set in spectacular countryside or
Athlone, the largest town on the River Shannon
and a wonderfully lively spot with excellent
restaurants and accommodation.
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Athlone
Athlone is the largest town on the River
Shannon standing on the boundaries of two
counties namely Westmeath and Roscommon
in the centre of Ireland on the N6. It is a historic
town because of its strategic location and
is commonly referred to as “the gateway to
the west”. An ideal place for touring or based
holidays this busy and prosperous town has
a wide range of tourist attractions, top class
accommodation and excellent restaurants
each with its own distinctive character
catering for all the family.
The town’s riverside location opening on to
Lough Ree is the cornerstone of its attractions
and the source of its natural beauty. Athlone
is proud to be the centre of Shannon Cruising
and its hire boats delight in guiding tourists
on the Shannon. Day trips are also available.
Other activities in the area include walking,
angling, cycling and golf.
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Ballinahown
Ballinahown is located approximately 11km
from Athlone on the N62. This is an attractive
village setting at a crossroads adjoining an
old estate. The village is on the County Offaly
border. The village displays an attractive
character with well maintained stone walls,
mature trees and attractive planting and
landscaping and has been rewarded with
the county Tidy Towns title on a number of
occasions. Ballinahown is also home to Irish
Designer Craft Village which showcases the
largest selection of craft designers, artists, and
creative’s in the Midlands.
Ballymore
Mentioned in the annals as far back as the
eighth century, its importance in ancient times
was due to the fact that it lay on the trade
route between royal ‘Uisneagh’ and Athlone.
The remains of a fort dating from the Williamite
campaign can be seen beside Lough Sewdy,
as well as Father Dalton’s mass rock which was
used during penal times. The Hill of Uisneach,
near Ballymore, was once the ancient seat of
the Kings of Meath with its history rooted in the
Iron Age
10 TOWNS & VILLAGES
Ballinagore
Ballinagore is a charming little village with a
rich tradition in milling. Linen, flour and ground
corn were produced here from the early
eighteenth century. Most of the buildings were
demolished and today the only remaining
landmark is the lower mill that overlooks the
River Brosna. It is said that Ballinagore was one
of the first villages in Ireland to have gas lighting.
There are two picnic areas at Ballinagore, one
situated on the banks of the River Brosna, the
other situated at Liskelly on the Lough Ennell
Road.
Ballykeeran
Ballykeeran derives its name from St Ciaran who
founded a monastery on Hare Island before
founding Clonmacnoise. Nearby Friars Island is
linked to the mainland by a narrow causeway
and was once a retreat of the Franciscans from
Athlone during the Penal Times. Visitors have a
choice of taking the “high” or “low” road to
Glasson. The low road follows the line of the
inner lakes and affords the visitor access to the
water at Wineport and Portaneena. From the
picnic area on the high road one can enjoy
breath taking panoramic views of Lough Ree
and the Inner Lakes.
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Ballynacargy
Ballynacargy is an attractive village located
on the Royal Canal between Longford and
Mullingar. Approximately 5 km from the village
on the Rathowen Road is the Church of
Ireland at Kilbixy. Called after St Brigseach, this
has been a site of worship since Celtic church
times. In the grounds are the remains of a
three story building traditionally thought to be
that of a leper hospital built by Hugh de Lacy.
There is also a magnificent chestnut tree that
is conceivably the largest of its kind in Ireland
thought to be three hundred years old. Close
by on the shores of Lough Iron lies the ruins
of Tristernagh Abbey, formally inhabited by
Augustinian Friars. A relic known as a “corpnu”
which was kept by the monks was recovered
here and is on display at the National Museum
in Dublin.
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Castlepollard
The Pollard family built Castlepollard in the
late seventeenth century under a Charter of
Charles II. The town was well laid out, with an
extensive triangular green at its centre. The
green is still surrounded by nineteenth century
buildings today. A sculpture on the square
depicts a scene from the famous legend of
The Children of Lir. The setting of the legend
is Lough Derravaragh, just a few kilometres
south of the town. Castlepollard is one of the
top centres for angling in the Midland Region.
Within very easy reach are Lough Lene, White
Lake, Lough Glore and several others. Wild
brown trout can be caught in all these lakes
and there is excellent rainbow trout fishing in
White Lake. Lough Derravaragh yields superb
pike. Situated just 1.5 km from the town on the
Granard road is Tullynally Castle, home of the
Pakenhams, later Earls of Longford for over
350 years.
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Collinstown
Collinstown is a picturesque village overlooking
Lough Lene. The part of the lake known as “the
cut” has a slipway, picnic area, toilets and car
park. The numerous ring forts in the locality
suggest that Collinstown has been inhabited
from Iron Age times. During early Christian
times a community of nuns lived in the area,
which is how the village takes its Gaelic name
Baile na gCailleach town of veiled women.
Castletown Geoghegan
Castletown Geoghegan is named after the
McGeoghegan family who were extensive
landowners, dispossessed during the time of
Cromwell. A motte in the village dates from
Norman times while a boulder at the south east
of the village is reputed to be the inauguration
site of the MacGeoghegans. Activities closeby include an 18-hole par 3 golf course and
an outdoor adventure centre.
Coole
Coole is a quaint village located 5 km from
Castlepollard. The church dates back to
1841 and was endowed by the Dease family
who live nearby at Turbotstown House. An
amenity area developed on the shore of
Lough Derravaragh, just 1.5 km from the
village includes picnic facilities as well as boat
mooring / launching facilities.
Clonmellon
Clonmellon is an enchanting old world village
on the Westmeath / Meath border. Situated
to the east of the village are the ruins of
Killua Castle, built in 1780 and reputed to be
the birth place of Laurence of Arabia. Close
by is a monument commemorating the
introduction of the potato into Ireland by Sir
Walter Raleigh.
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Crookedwood
Crookedwood is a picturesque village
located beside Lough Derravaragh. This lake
is associated with the most tragic of all Irish
legends, the fate of the “Children of Lir”, who
were changed into swans by their jealous
stepmother and were to spend three hundred
of their nine hundred years in exile on the
waters of Lough Derravaragh.
Delvin
Delvin is steeped in history with a motte at
the southern end of the village built by Hugh
de Lacy in 1181. Close to the motte are the
ruins of a thirteenth century castle built by the
Nugents, Earls of Westmeath. Nearby Clonyn
Castle, which is still inhabited, was one of the
last Victorian baronial castles to be built in
Ireland. Delvin Castle golf club is in the grounds
of Clonyn Castle. Brinsley MacNamara (18901963) novelist and playwright was born in
Ballinvalley, Delvin. His novel entitled ‘The
Valley of the Squinting Windows’ and his play
‘Look at the Heffernan’s’ are both set in this
area.
Finea
The picturesque village of Finea is located
on the river Inny between Lough Sheelin and
Lough Kinale. The area between Finea and
Castlepollard is a must for the nature lover.
There are several expanses of bogland. The
Rock of Curry is an extraordinary limestone
outcrop, where feral goats can be seen in the
crags.
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Fore
Situated in the village of Fore are the ancient
ruins of St Feichins Monastery, which date
back to seventh century AD. On the hillside
just above the Old Church of St Feichin is the
Anchorites Cell, which was used by hermits
until the seventeenth century. Patrick Belgan,
the last hermit in Fore lived in there until 1616
and is commemorated on a stone tablet in
the cell.
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Glasson
The Village of the Roses‚ quite apart from
being justly famed for its beauty, Glasson is
one of those places that appears to have it
all, the historic homeland of Oliver Goldsmith,
overlooking one of Ireland’s most beautiful
lakes, a centre for boating, fishing, walking and
eating and sleeping in the greatest of comfort.
The green and fertile country around Glasson
is known the world over, but at the same time
unknown because Goldsmith, who described
it in his most celebrated poem ‘The Deserted
Village’, changed all the placenames. A
walking trail highlights places associated
with Goldsmith and there is also a footpath
through the grounds of the ruined Waterston
House. Built in 1749, this was the home of the
Handcock family who created the village of
Glasson.
Kilbeggan
Kilbeggan’s first appearance in history was the
foundation of a monastery in the sixth century
by a rather unknown saint named Becan.
The monastery was sufficiently wealthy by the
tenth century to attract Viking raiders and
a bloody battle was fought there between
Irish and Vikings in 972. The town received a
charter in 1612, and was a thriving place when
the Locke family set up their distillery in 1757,
producing the oldest Irish whiskey. The distillery
has remained the centre of Kilbeggan for 250
years, and is now a fascinating museum. The
site they chose was on the River Brosna, which
provided water power to drive the machinery.
The enormous mill wheel still turns. Another
great attraction at Kilbeggan is its family
friendly evening race meetings.
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Killucan
Killucan built near the Royal Canal derives its
name from an Abbey founded by St Lucian
around the sixth century. Features of this village
include a collection of Wayside Crosses that
date back to the sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries and St Etchens Church dating from
the thirteenth century.
Kinnegad
Kinnegad, has a long tradition in providing
hospitality for the travelling public. It has many
eating-houses with facilities to cater for any
taste from early morning to late at night. The
terrain around Kinnegad is a walkers paradise,
especially, “An Boreen Bradach” a walkway
of approximately 5.6 km which semi-circles
the town.
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Milltownpass
Milltownpass is approximately 14.5 km from
Mullingar on the N6. The Tyrrell family had
castles at the pass of Kilbride and Milltownpass,
where they also had one of their mills. These
castles guarded passes through the bog on
the route from Dublin to the West.
Moate
Moate owes its modern origins to Quakers who
settled here and started industries at the end
of the seventeenth century. The remains of a
Quaker Meeting House and cemetery can still
be seen in the town today. To commemorate
Moate’s history as a market town a wooden
sculpture entitled “The Bargain” was erected
on the Green in the town centre in 1989. Present
day Moate has good quality accommodation
and a wide variety of evening entertainment
and restaurants.
10 TOWNS & VILLAGES
Multyfarnham
This charming village, with top quality
accommodation and restaurants was once a
National Tidy Town winner. It still retains much
of its original charm. The history of settlement
here is closely linked with the founding of a
Franciscan Friary in 1276. In the mid 1950’s
the Friars established an Agricultural College
in Multyfarnham. Located in the grounds of
the Friary are life-size Stations of the Cross. East
of Multyfarnham a road leads to the Donore
shore at Lough Derravaragh, a beautifully
developed facility that caters for boating,
fishing and swimming.
Mullingar
Mullingar was one of the ancient palatinate
towns founded by the Normans. In 1227 a priory
was founded there by the Canons Regular of
St. Augustine. The Dominicans also started a
foundation there about the same time. Today
the town is a thriving commercial centre and
is the centre of probably the best cattle raising
district in the country. It is located on the River
Brosna and midway between Lough Ennell,
Owel and Derravaragh, which service the
amenity needs of the town and is encircled
by the Royal Canal which with its locks links
Dublin with the River Shannon. This canal is now
navigable to Abbeyshrule in neighbouring
County Longford. Its imposing Renaissance
style Cathedral, whose twin spires tower 140
feet, dominates the townscape and is a must
see for any visitor. The Ecclesiastical Museum
has an interesting collection dating back to
Penal Times when the Catholic religion was
suppressed.
Rathowen
Legend holds that Rathowen or Ford of
Eoghain commemorates the 15th century
battle camp of the Ulster King Eoghain O’Neill
during his campaign against the Normans.
A newly developed trail affords nature
lovers a rare opportunity to stroll through the
fascinating landscape of one of Westmeath’s
last remaining bogs.
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Rochfortbridge
Robert Rochfort gave Rochfortbridge its name.
The town was formerly known as Beggars
Bridge as it was a crossing for people from the
west heading up to Dublin. Mary Molesworth,
the unfortunate wife of Robert Rochfort was
imprisoned in her home for thirty-one years
by her evil husband just down the road from
Rochfortbridge.
Streete
The tiny village of Streete lies at the heart of
the Inny River valley close by the border with
Longford. Streete in pre-celtic times was the
home of a tribe named the Breacaighe,
hence the name Straid Mighe Breachaighe.
The Church is a prominent feature of the
village. William Butler Yeat’s aunt is buried in
the graveyard, which surrounds the church.
Approaching the village from the south, two
mature beech trees arch across the village
entrance providing a wonderful forefront to
the village beyond.
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Tyrrellspass
Tyrrellspass located on the N6, is a model
village laid out by Jane, Countess of Belvedere
in the early nineteenth century. The village
takes its name from Sir Richard Tyrrell, who led
a small Irish force, which annihilated a large
Elizabethan army at a pass north of the village
in 1597. Located on the Green is a charming
sculpture of three small children, the work of
Imogen Stuart erected in 1970.
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