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By my reckoning, Mullingar
(An Muileann gCearrr), County Westmeath, is as good a place as any
to commence a tour of Central Ireland. The charismatic market town,
one of the biggest in the Irish Midlands, is easily accessible from
Dublin on the newly resurfaced N4 (Sligo Road). Founded in the 12th
century by Dominican monks, Mullingar has boomed in recent years,
bringing a wealth of new restaurants, pubs, art galleries and nightclubs
to the town. Walled and fortified by Dutch King Billy's drum-beating
soldiers during the Williamite Wars (1689 - 1691), Mullingar's
rise to its present status as Westmeath's county town began
with the arrival of the Royal Canal in the 1740s, providing the
Midlands with a direct and navigable route with Dublin City. The
Cathedral, Town Hall, Military Museum and Market Museum are all
worthy of a visit.
A curious diversion from here would be to follow
the Athlone Road (R390) for 8 miles to the Hill of Uisneach (pronounced
"Ushna"), a site of great significance during pagan
times. On May Day - the first day of summer, otherwise known
as Beltane - the great clans of the Midlands would assemble
here on this 620 foot high hill to celebrate the coming of summer.
I wonder if their hopes of sustained sunshine for more than 3 days
in a row were any more successful than our own hopeless prayers
today. There are wonderful views from the top, extending over much
of the Central Plains, and known today as Goldsmith Country after
the 18th century playwright and poet, Oliver Goldsmith, who was
born near here. A cat-shaped cairn on the south-west of the summit,
known as the Stone of the Divisions, marks the point where the boundaries
of the ancient provinces of Ireland met. Eight miles from here,
near Glassan (the beautiful "Village of the Roses"), scientists
have established another hill to be the geographical centre of Ireland.
If that's true, then you've got to hand it to those
old pagan heroes. They might not have had satellites and calculators
but between building passage graves that correspond to solstices
and having a stab at locating Ireland's central pivot, they
make us 21st century bright sparks look uncommon dumb.
Taking the zippy N52 south from Mullingar through
cattle-rearing pasturelands brings you to the island-studded waters
of Lough Ennell. This six mile long expanse encompasses an area
of tremendous beauty along its forested shores. Of particular note
are the majestic stately homes and demesnes of the Rochfort family
- Bloomfield, Tudenham Hall, Middleton Park and Belverdere,
the latter complete with its intriguing Jealous Wall. Jonathan Swift,
Dean of St. Patrick's Cathedral and author of "Gulliver's
Travels", spent some time here in the 18th century; his association
is now recalled in the name of the Lilliput Adventure Centre on
the southern tip of the lough.
Staying on the N52, continue south for Kilbeggan
(Cill Bheagáin), home to a popular racecourse and the famous
Locke's Distillery, one of the world's oldest licensed
whiskey distilleries.
From Kilbeggan one has two choices - you can
either head west for Athlone or south through the splendid boglands
of County Offaly to the county town of Tullamore (Tulach Mhór).
The latter is certainly worth visiting if only to enjoy the story
of Tullamore's most unexpected hour when, in 1785, a hot-air
balloon exploded over the town destroying every building except
the pub. As it happened, the explosion was of benefit to the citizens
of Tullamore who were thus able to design an all new and improved
town around the Grand Canal which reached the settlement 13 years
later. Like Kilbeggan, Tullamore prospered as a brewing and distilling
centre, producing connoisseur's favourites like Irish Mist
liqueur and Tullamore Dew. Local attractions include the ruins of
Durrow Abbey, where the 13th century Anglo-Norman adventurer, Hugh
de Lacy, finally met his maker in the form of an unhappy employee
with an axe, and Charleviile Castle, possibly the finest Gothic
Revival mansion in Ireland.
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