County Westmeath
Encyclopedia
Economy
River Shannon
The River Shannon is the longest river in Ireland at . It divides the west of Ireland from the east and south . County Clare, being west of the Shannon but part of the province of Munster, is the major exception...
. Mullingar gained considerable advantage from the development of the Royal Canal. The canal facilitated cheap transport of produce to Dublin, Britain and Europe. Athlone and Mullingar expanded further with the coming of the Midland Great Western Railway
Midland Great Western Railway
The Midland Great Western Railway was the third largest Irish gauge railway company in Ireland. It was incorporated in 1845 and absorbed into the Great Southern Railway in 1924. It served part of Leinster, County Cavan in Ulster and much of Connaught...
network in the nineteenth century.
Tourism in Westmeath is generally based on its many water amenities. The county lakes include Lough Derravaragh
Lough Derravaragh
Lough Derravaragh is a lough in County Westmeath, Republic of Ireland, north of Mullingar between Castlepollard, Collinstown, Crookedwood and Multyfarnham...
, Lough Ennell
Lough Ennell
Lough Ennell is a lake near the town of Mullingar, County Westmeath, Ireland. It is situated beside the N52 road, off the Mullingar/Kilbeggan road. It is approximately 4.5 miles long by 2 miles wide, with an area of about...
, Lough Cassidy, Lough Lene
Lough Lene
Lough Lene is a lake situated in north County Westmeath, Ireland, between the villages of Castlepollard, Collinstown and Fore....
, Lough Hogg, Lough Owel
Lough Owel
Lough Owel is a lough in the Midlands of Ireland, situated north of Mullingar, the county town of Westmeath. It is a deep lake, well known amongst anglers, and holds a few char along with brown trout. Water from Lough Owel feeds the Royal Canal, a canal crossing Ireland from Dublin to the River...
, Lough Coffey and Lough Ree
Lough Ree
Lough Ree is a lake in the midlands of Ireland, the second of the three major lakes on the River Shannon. Lough Ree is the second largest lake on the Shannon after Lough Derg. The other two major lakes are Lough Allen to the north, and Lough Derg to the south, there are also several minor lakes...
. Both the Grand Canal, and the Royal Canal flow through Westmeath, and the River Shannon (Ireland's key tourism waterway) has a modern inland harbour in Athlone.
The development of industry in Westmeath was mainly based on food processing and consumer products. Whiskey is distilled in Kilbeggan and tobacco is processed in Mullingar. The county has an extensive beef and dairy trade. In recent times, the manufacturer Élan
Élan
Élan Corporation plc is a major drugs firm based in Athlone, County Roscommon, Ireland which has major interests in the United States. In the late 1990s its value on the Irish Stock Exchange reached over €20bn. It has secondary listings on the London Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange....
has located in Athlone. The eastern part of the county is home to commuters many of whom work at the technology parks on the western side of Dublin, such as Thornton and Peppard, and around County Carlow
County Carlow
County Carlow is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Carlow, which lies on the River Barrow. Carlow County Council is the local authority for the county...
.
Mullingar is renowned for the high quality of its beef and veal. Weaned cattle from the west of the Shannon
River Shannon
The River Shannon is the longest river in Ireland at . It divides the west of Ireland from the east and south . County Clare, being west of the Shannon but part of the province of Munster, is the major exception...
are fattened for market on the lush grassland
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
s of Meath and Westmeath. The cattle are also used to maintain grassland to help sustain wildlife in the areas fringing the Bog of Allen
Bog of Allen
The Bog of Allen is a large raised bog in the centre of Ireland between the rivers Liffey and Shannon.The bog's 958 square kilometers stretch into County Offaly, County Meath, County Kildare, County Laois, and County Westmeath. Peat is mechanically harvested on a large scale by Bórd na Móna,...
.
Westmeath is home to many stud farms. The plains of Westmeath, covered in calcium-rich marl
Marl
Marl or marlstone is a calcium carbonate or lime-rich mud or mudstone which contains variable amounts of clays and aragonite. Marl was originally an old term loosely applied to a variety of materials, most of which occur as loose, earthy deposits consisting chiefly of an intimate mixture of clay...
, contribute significantly to calcification of foal bones during their formative years. Westmeath mares are usually put into foal in spring to facilitate summer growth. Pregnancy lasts for approximately 335–340 days and usually results in one foal. Horses mature when they are around four years old.
Transport
Infrastructure is of good quality in the county. As part of the Transport 21Transport 21
Transport 21 is an Irish infrastructure plan, announced in November 2005. It aims to greatly expand Ireland's transport network. A cost estimate of €34 billion was attached to the plan at the time....
infrastructure programme undertaken by the government, both the N4 and N6 roads have been upgraded to motorway or dual carriageway
Dual carriageway
A dual carriageway is a class of highway with two carriageways for traffic travelling in opposite directions separated by a central reservation...
standard. Tang is in Co. Westmeath. All towns that these roads passed through are now bypassed, such as Mullingar
Mullingar
Mullingar is the county town of County Westmeath in Ireland. The Counties of Meath and Westmeath Act of 1542, proclaimed Westmeath a county, separating it from Meath. Mullingar became the administrative centre for County Westmeath...
, Athlone, Moate
Moate
Moate is a town in County Westmeath, Ireland.The name An Móta is derived from the term motte-and-bailey as the Normans built an example of this type of fortification here. The earthwork is still visible behind the buildings on the main street....
and Kinnegad
Kinnegad
Kinnegad or Kinagad is a town in County Westmeath, Ireland. It is near the border with County Meath, at the junction of the N6 and the N4 - two of Ireland's main east-west roads...
. Both Dublin and Galway
Galway
Galway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
are within commuting distance from Westmeath following the completion of the M6 motorway
M6 motorway (Ireland)
The M6 motorway is a motorway in Ireland, which runs from Dublin to Galway. The M6 extends from its junction with the M4 at Kinnegad all the way west to the outskirts of Galway City, but the Athlone bypass and the approach to Galway city - while of dual carriageway standard - have not been...
in December 2009. Westmeath also has good railway infrastructure with a number of trains passing through towns in the county. The Dublin to Galway
Galway
Galway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
/Westport
Westport, County Mayo
Westport is a town in County Mayo, Ireland. It is situated on the west coast at the south-east corner of Clew Bay, an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean....
/Ballina
Ballina, County Mayo
Ballina is a large town in north County Mayo in Ireland. It lies at the mouth of the River Moy near Killala Bay, in the Moy valley and Parish of Kilmoremoy, with the Ox Mountain range to the east and the Nephin Beg mountains to the west...
inter-city train service stops at Athlone train station, while the Dublin to Sligo
Sligo
Sligo is the county town of County Sligo in Ireland. The town is a borough and has a charter and a town mayor. It is sometimes referred to as a city, and sometimes as a town, and is the second largest urban area in Connacht...
service stops at Mullingar train station. Other major infrastructural projects and plans for the county include:
- Midlands (ATM) GatewayMidlands Gateway-Midlands Gateway or Lake-Counties Gateway:Centered between the major Irish airports, of Dublin, Shannon, and Knock, with ever improving ground infrastructure, the Irish government and local authorities plan to alleviate urban problems, by decentralising to growing gateways such as the Midlands...
- National Development PlanNational Development PlanNational Development Plan is the title given by the Irish Government to a scheme of organised large-scale expenditure on national infrastructure. The period covered by the seven year plan runs from 2000 to 2006. A second National Development Plan is currently in progress and is due to run until...
- Transport 21Transport 21Transport 21 is an Irish infrastructure plan, announced in November 2005. It aims to greatly expand Ireland's transport network. A cost estimate of €34 billion was attached to the plan at the time....
- Platform 11
Sport
Westmeath is an active sporting county. Westmeath GAAWestmeath GAA
The Westmeath County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Westmeath GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Westmeath...
won the Leinster Senior Football Championship
Leinster Senior Football Championship
The GAA Leinster Senior Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition in the game of football played in the province of Leinster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Leinster Council and are played during the summer months. The competition involves the counties of...
, the Delaney Cup, in 2004.They also won the National football league competition Division 2 in 2001, 2003 and 2008. They won the Christy Ring Cup
Christy Ring Cup
The Christy Ring Cup is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 2005 for middle-ranking hurling teams in Ireland....
for hurling
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
in 2005, 2007 and 2010.
Athlone Town have won the League of Ireland Championship in 1980 and 1982, and the FAI Cup in 1924.
People
- Túathal Techtmar, Ard RíKing of IrelandA monarchical polity has existed in Ireland during three periods of its history, finally ending in 1801. The designation King of Ireland and Queen of Ireland was used during these periods...
- Niall mac Aed Ó hUiginnNiall mac Aed Ó hUiginnNiall mac Aed Ó hUiginn, Irish poet, fl. 1414.Niall was a member of the Ó hUiginn family of Connacht, but resided in what is now County Westmeath...
, poet - The BlizzardsThe BlizzardsThe Blizzards are an Irish band from Mullingar in County Westmeath. They were formed by Niall Breslin in late 2004, and also feature Dec Murphy , Justin Ryan, Anthony Doran and Aidan Lynch...
, music group - Joe DolanJoe DolanJoseph "Joe" Francis Robert Dolan was an Irish entertainer, recorder and singer of easy listening songs...
, singer - Domnall MidiDomnall MidiDomhnall Mac Murchada , called Domnall Midi , was High King of Ireland. He belonged to the Clann Cholmáin branch of the Uí Néill...
, King of Mide - Field Marshal George WadeGeorge WadeField Marshal George Wade served as a British military commander and Commander-in-Chief of the Forces.-Early career:Wade, born in Kilavally, Westmeath in Ireland, was commissioned into the Earl of Bath's Regiment in 1690 and served in Flanders in 1692, during the Nine Years War, earning a...
- Gormflaith ingen Flann SinnaGormflaith ingen Flann SinnaGormflaith ingen Flann Sinna, Queen of Tara, c. 870-948.-Family background:Gormflaith was the daughter of Flann Sinna, High King of Ireland from 879 to 916. Her mother was Gormlaith ingen Flann mac Conaing of Brega...
, QueenQueen regnantA queen regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right, in contrast to a queen consort, who is the wife of a reigning king. An empress regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right over an empire....
of Tara - Nuala HollowayNuala HollowayNuala Holloway is an artist and academic and a former Miss Ireland, Irish actress and model.Holloway was born in Moate, County Westmeath, Ireland. An Irish speaker, she received a BA from University College Dublin in modern and mediaeval Irish in 2004. She also received a BA in history of art,...
, artist and former Miss IrelandMiss IrelandMiss Ireland is a national beauty pageant held in the Republic of Ireland each year, to celebrate the country's most beautiful women. Winners of the contest represent Ireland at the Miss World pageant. Other winners, including Roberta Brown and Siobhan McClaffey have also been delegates at rival... - Michael Joseph CurleyMichael Joseph CurleyMichael Joseph Curley was an Irish-born clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. Originally a priest and bishop in the Diocese of St...
, Archbishop of Washington & Baltimore - Sir Walter Raleigh
- Máel Sechnaill II, King of MideKings of MideIn medieval Ireland, the Kings of Mide were of the Clann Cholmáin, a branch of the Uí Néill. Several were High Kings of Ireland. After the collapse of the kingdom in the 12th century its dynasty, the Ua Mael Sechlainn or Ó Melaghlins, were forced west and settled on the east bank of the Shannon...
and King of IrelandKing of IrelandA monarchical polity has existed in Ireland during three periods of its history, finally ending in 1801. The designation King of Ireland and Queen of Ireland was used during these periods... - Niall Horan, member of boyband One DirectionOne DirectionOne Direction are a British-Irish boy band, consisting of members Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson. They finished third on the seventh series of The X Factor. Following The X Factor, the group signed a record contract with Syco Music.One Direction's debut single...
, who found fame on The X Factor series 7 - Arthur Booth-ClibbornArthur Booth-ClibbornCommissioner Arthur Sydney Booth-Clibborn was a pioneering early Salvation Army officer in France and Switzerland, and the husband of Kate Booth, the oldest daughter of General William and Catherine Booth....
, Salvation ArmyThe Salvation ArmyThe Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
officerOfficer in The Salvation ArmyAn Officer in The Salvation Army is a Salvationist who is in essence a minister of the Christian faith, but who fulfills many other roles not usually fulfilled by clergy of other denominations... - John McCormack, tenor
See also
- List of abbeys and priories in Ireland (County Westmeath)
- Lord Lieutenant of WestmeathLord Lieutenant of WestmeathThis is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Westmeath. The office was created on 23 August 1831.* George Nugent, 1st Marquess of Westmeath 7 October 1831 – April 1871...
- High Sheriff of WestmeathHigh Sheriff of WestmeathThe High Sheriff of Westmeath was the British Crown’s judicial representative in County Westmeath, Ireland from its creation under The Counties of Meath and Westmeath Act of 1543 until 1922, when the office was abolished in the new Free State and replaced by the office of Westmeath County Sheriff...
External links
- Westmeath Census information
- Westmeath Community Development
- STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK FOR THE MIDLANDS GATEWAY; Census statistics page 27
- Athlone Advertiser and Mullingar Advertiser local newspapers
- Westmeath Enterprise
- Westmeath Examiner (Local Newspaper)
- Westmeath Bands
- Ardnagrath National School Website
- Rosemount GAA Website
- Westmeath Tourism Official Website