Mullingar
Encyclopedia
Mullingar is the county town
of County Westmeath
in Ireland
. The Counties of Meath and Westmeath Act ( Henry VIII 34 ) of 1542, proclaimed Westmeath (which then included Longford which separated in 1586) a county, separating it from Meath. Mullingar became the administrative centre for County Westmeath. The town was originally named Maelblatha, and takes its modern name from a mill noted in the legend of Colman of Mullingar
.
The town had a tradition of cattle-trading up until 2003, when its cattle market was closed for development of a mixed commercial and residential scheme called the Market Point. Mullingar is famous for the neighbouring lakes, Lough Owel
, Lough Ennell
and Lough Derravaragh
which attract many anglers. Lough Derravaragh is best known for its connection with the Irish legend of the Children of Lir
. The town of Mullingar is linked to Lough Ennell
via Lacy's Canal
and the River Brosna
.
One of Mullingar's major exports are items of pewter
ware produced by the firm of Mullingar Pewter located near the town. Genesis fine art is also produced locally and sold worldwide – one of its sculptures of the "Pilgrims" dominates the dispensary house at Austin Friars St where once there was an Augustinian Friary. The town is the largest town in the Irish Midlands. The town, as of 2006, is officially the most populated town in the midlands due in part to its increasing popularity as a commuter town
.
Three newspapers serve the community: The Westmeath Topic
, The Mullingar Advertiser and The Westmeath Examiner. Mullingar forms part of the Midlands Gateway
, in association with Athlone and Tullamore
.
A statue of Joe Dolan
has been erected on market square as a tribute.
, which elects nine members altogether. The town is part of the Longford-Westmeath constituency for elections to Dáil Éireann
.
The town is something of a stronghold for the centre left Labour Party
, which holds 4 out of the nine seats on the town council and four out of the nine in the Mullingar local electoral area's.
The band has a dual role of marching band - The Celtic Crusaders - and a concert band. It has won some of the top awards in Ireland, Northern Ireland and England. Entirely voluntary, it is maintained financially by membership fees and fundraising. Every four years since 1974 both the Celtic Crusaders and Concert Band attend the International Youth Band Festival in Pumerend, Holland. In 2004 the band completed a successful exchange with the Cardinal Gibbons High School Band, Raleigh, North Carolina. They travelled to Midsomer Norton
, England in July 2006 for the Open European Championships, bringing home four gold medals, including a gold with distinction in the senior concert section for the first time.
The Stables is a nationally recognized music venue in Mullingar which first opened in 1989. The club hosts a wide variety of music and has featured well-known performers; critic and writer Ronan Casey has described it as an "essential" stop for any national touring act.
Niall Horan who is a member of 'One Direction' who came third in the UK's XFactor also lives in Mullingar.
Mullingar was mentioned at the very end of the very popular song "Horse Outside" by the Rubberbandits, in which the bridesmaid was promised a horse back ride out to Mullingar.
Pat of Mullingar
is an Irish rebel song.
There is also a hugely successful Pantomime group in the town. They present highly successful shows that use original scripts written by two local men. The company has been in operation since 2007. Past shows: Cinderella, Aladdin and Jack and the Beanstalk all written by Paul Doolin. This year, the group will stage A Christmas Carol.
In Doubt a 2008 film adaptation of the John Patrick Shanley stage play ,starring Meryl Streep
and Philip Seymour Hoffman
, the town is referenced in dialogue between the main character Sister Aloysius (Meryl Streep
) and the school caretaker.
Mullingar featured on Three Men Go To Ireland on BBC
2 on December 30, 2009. Dara Ó Briain
, Rory McGrath
and Griff Rhys Jones
were greeted by a large crowd on the Market Square and enjoyed a night at the Mullingar Greyhound Stadium during this episode where Dara O'Briain's dog Snip Nua
raced.
Mullingar is mentioned in the song "The Rocky Road to Dublin" by The Dubliners
, which is one the few songs in the 2009 film, Sherlock Holmes
that was not composed for the film.
, Lough Lene
and Lough Ennell
- which are popular with anglers – and Belvedere House and Gardens
which is heavily promoted for its beauty. The town has several hotels - including the Greville Arms Hotel, Annebrook House Hotel, Bloomfield House Hotel, Newbrook Hotel and the 4 star Mullingar Park Hotel which houses a conference centre.
The town is also associated with Irish author James Joyce
, who was an occasional visitor to Mullingar during his youth. Joyce's father, John, was a civil servant posted from Dublin to compile an electoral register of Mullingar and the surrounding townlands. He often stayed in the Greville Arms Hotel. James referred to Mullingar in three of his novels, mentioning it twelve times in Ulysses
, in chapter 14 of Stephen Hero
, and three times in Finnegans Wake
.Mullingar appears in Ulysses
in the Calypso episode; in Lotus Eaters; twice in Hades; in Lestrygonians; in Nausicaa; twice in Oxen of the Sun; in Circe; in Eumaeus; and twice in Ithaca. The town is also mentioned three times in Finnegans Wake
in Book 1, Section 6, page 138, line 19; in Book 2, Section 2, page 286, line 21; and in Book 2, Section 3, page 345, line 34. Mullingar does not appear in Dubliners
nor in A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
.
Mullingar's most notable building is the cathedral of Christ the King Mullingar, the cathedral of the Diocese of Meath
. The Cathedral was dedicated on the day World War II broke out.
Columb Barracks is a major military base in the county housing the 4th Field Artillery Regiment and the HQ of the 54 Reserve Field Artillery Regiment (Army Reserve) formally the FCA (9 FAR).Because of a Government Decision Columb Barracks is to be closed on the 30th March 2012 and the 4FAR is to be moved to Custume Barracks Athlone and the location of the 54 Reserve Artillery Regiments HQ Battery and No 3 Gun Battery is unclear.
The town has a mix of local retailers and chain stores (Tesco
, Dunnes Stores
, O2, Penneys, Lidl
, SuperValu
, Boots, Specsavers
, Lifestyle Sports, Butterfly Kisses, Atlantic Homecare, Marks and Spencer and others). The town also has branches of all the major banks - AIB
, Bank of Ireland
, Ulster Bank
, National Irish Bank
, Permanent TSB - and branches of First Active
and EBS
building societies. The town also has one of the country's largest Credit Unions (St Colemans Credit Union).
Arguably the largest development in Mullingar, the proposed "Mullingar Central" development is located between Mount Street, the Railway station and Blackhall Street. Planning permission has been granted for retail, commercial and residential units. Phase 1 which includes tax offices, library, civic offices and County Council buildings was officially opened on the 11th June 2009. Phase 2 of the project will be the largest retail centre in the midlands and will incorporate offices, residential units a cultural building and leisure facilities. This has been shelved due to the economic situation however.
A Farmers' Market
is held in Mullingar every Sunday and a further small market is run near Penneys/Marks and Spencer by The Green.
Mullingar contains several industrial estates including Lough Sheever Corporate Park and the Lynn Industrial estate. Two of the towns major manufacturing plants – Penn tennis balls and Tarkett
– both closed in the early 2000s causing many job losses. However newer industries have absorbed the job losses – including Capmark, Oakley, P.E.M. Engineering, Trend Technologies, Taconic International, and Mullingar Pewter which are all sizeable operations. The town is also home to a Van Nelle (Ireland)
(a subsidiary of Imperial Tobacco
) factory which has provided employment for many years.
Iralco, an automotive component manufacturer, is located nearby in Collinstown
continues to provide employment to a skilled work force. The town recently won a €25m Lidl
Warehouse and distribution center which will employ between 100 and 150. A new site for the IDA
Business Park has been sited along the new N52 bypass. A major addition to the towns telecommunications infrastructure – a broadband network – was completed in 2004 – this is expected to increase the areas attractiveness to large multinational companies. Tesco Ireland had wanted to build a superstore in Lakepoint Retail addition to its current store but the local council turned this down.
A new shopping centre anchored by Marks and Spencer and Penneys has opened in the town, known as the Fairgreen Shopping centre. Additional tenants at the centre include UK fashion retailer New Look, Dorothy Perkins and Lifestyle Sports. Some feel a need for more retailers in Mullingar which has leaked millions of Euro of spending power from the area to surrounding retail centres such as Liffey Valley and Blanchardstown
. The town's Council has great plans for the town centre with the predominantly retail led 'Central' scheme. It is expected to attract many national and international retailers into the area to capitalize on the town's growing population and its increasing popularity as a location with a high quality of life compared to many busy areas of Dublin.
Mullingar has a Chamber of Commerce which represents almost 200 businesses from many commercial sectors.
Mullingar lies near the national primary route N4, the main Dublin – Sligo
road, 79 km (49.1 mi) from the capital. The N52
also connects Mullingar to the Galway-Dublin M6 motorway
. The town is served by Bus Éireann
services to Dublin, Athlone (where passengers can catch connecting buses), Sligo
, Cavan
, Tullamore
and Ballina
.
The town currently suffers from heavy afternoon traffic partially caused by a lack of off-street parking problem. The town is bypassed and a ring road has been completed in a bid to further alleviate traffic.
– however displaced first by the railway and then the car, it is no longer commercially used for the transport of goods or people. The town of Mullingar as also linked to Lough Ennell
via Lacy's Canal
and the river Brosna.
The Midland Great Western Railway
line to Mullingar from Dublin opened in stages from 1846 to 1848, arriving in Mullingar on 2 October 1848. This was to a temporary station, adjacent to the greyhound stadium
. The original mainline ran from Dublin (Broadstone Station) to Galway
via Mullingar and Athlone, the Mullingar to Galway
section opening in August 1851. The present station
opened with the branch line to Longford
on 14 December 1855.
There were two secondary stations in Mullingar, Canal Crossing cattle bank was on the Sligo Line and on the Athlone Line, Newbrook racecourse had its own station. This was unique in that it was a two platformed station with both platforms on the Down Line.
Nowadays, the line northwest to Longford and Sligo is the mainline, Galway is accessed from Heuston Station via Portarlington and the line between Mullingar and Athlone is currently disused. Mullingar station is served by national rail company Iarnród Éireann
's Arrow commuter services to Dublin and InterCity trains to/from Sligo
.
The Railway Preservation Society of Ireland
have a secondary base in the town. There is a photo survey of the disused Athlone.
, Mullingar's oldest post-primary school. Coláiste Mhuire is primarily a boys school, however the successful repeat Leaving Certificate
class is co-educational. Just to the north of Mullingar on the old Longford Road is St Finian's College. Until 2003 St Finian's was an all-boys boarding school; however, in 2003 the decision was made to phase out the boarding school by 2007 and to admit girls as well as boys. Loreto College for girls is the largest secondary school in the town, while Mullingar Community College is a co-educational school for boys and girls. The Community College also runs evening courses for adults and awards the FETAC certificates.
Wilson's Hospital School
, a co-educational boarding school which operates under a Church of Ireland
(Protestant) ethos, is located in the nearby village of Multyfarnham
, serving many students from the Mullingar area.
. Mullingar also supports women's teams including Mullingar Shamrocks and St Lomans.
Mullingar Athletic (who play in Gainstown) and Mullingar Town (who have their grounds in D'Alton Park). The third, set up in 2009, are known as Hibernian Celtic AFC, they were originally formed in 1948, but ceased in 1986. They play their home games in the Raithin community pitch in which they share with Grange Utd, an under 18 side formed in 2009. Outside the town you have Rathowen Utd, Raharney FC, Rochfortbridge and Coralstown FC. All teams play in the CCFL league system.
club is located in Cullionbeg, and has had a degree of success in the 1990s with two towns cup final appearances. The club also made it to the 1989 towns cup final.The club was represented by great players who went on to play at a higher level, these include Shane Deering, M walls, N. Breslin P,Lynn K mc Kinley. The club has a pick of up to 50 players with three senior teams in very competitive leagues. the 07/08 season was a very competitive season with all three teams progressing well in their respective leagues. The 3rd team won the Anderson cup under the captaincy of the talented mick Lynn. The players awards night took place in the club house to mark the achievements of the previous season. The winners on the night included Adriel Farrell (Try of the year) Rob Collentine (young player of the year) The coveted Players player of the year went to the very talented Brian Murphy. The club player of the year went to Kevin O'Brien who played consistently well for both senior teams. The team is looking forward to the next season and hoping to climb up the Leinster leagues. With the emergence of talented players such as Davy Miller, Simon moorehead with a blend of senior players should all bode well.
with the club Mullingar Harriers producing many international athletes. Bobby Begley was Irish Team Manager when Eamonn Coughlan won the 5,000 meters World Championship in Helsinki.
Club ran/runs ranking events for Greater Westmeath, namely the Mullingar Open Snooker Championship, The Westmeath Open Snooker Championship, the Midland Open and the St Mary's Open Classic.
The County's most successful player has been Mick Kane who has won 11 Mullingar Open Snooker Championship titles and 7 times County Westmeath Champion. Ger O'Connor has won 4 Mullingar Open titles and 9 Westmeath Championships. The "John Smith Memorial Cup" is played for each year as a Handicap event and has been in existence since 1963. The "Peter McNally Memorial Cup" in honour of Peter McNally (Irish International) Edenderry Snooker Club was won by the St Mary's Snooker Club team in 1997; the team was Mick Kane (capt), Ger O'Connor, Anthony Cleary, Richie Toal, John Norris, Larry Mahedy & Niall Heffernan. Some years later the McNally Tournament has now became a singles event, which still remains an important tournament on the snooker calendar. Two very talented players are Enda Collins and Terry Parker, most recent to date would be parker with a high break of 128, amongst his titles are the 2002, 2004 Midland Open Championship, and he won the 2005 Mullingar Open Championship in a classic contest against Seamus Brereton from Edenderry ,Terry Also capptured the 2010 and the 2011 Open to become only the sixth player to win the mullingar open three times since its inception in 1981. Another top player is Richie Toal, winning the 2003 Midland Open Championship and in 2006,2007 & 2008 the Mullingar Open Snooker Championship. He has beat the best in this game including World Number 1. Ronnie O'Sullivan in a 1 frame shoot-out Exhibition that was held in the Greville Arms Hotel in 2008. At underage level, Stephen Hickey won the 2005 Mullingar Junior Snooker Championship and also the 2005 and 2006 Westmeath Junior Snooker Championships.
Keith Mulligan defeated TJ Murphy 3-1 in the final of the Intermediate Classic Snooker Championship 2011.The Event was a great success and allowed all those on the Westmeath Snooker Rankings play with the exception of the top eight ranked players.
When programmed, greyhound track racing occurs upon the Lynn Greyhound track on Thursday and Saturday evenings, beginning at
20:00. For television broadcasting purposes, races are interlaced with those from Shelbourne Dublin.
The Track featured on the BBC Three men go to Ireland show where Dara O'Briain's dog Snip Nua
raced
club also has a proud history and hosts every August bank holiday weekend a leading amateur golf
competition, i.e. The Mullingar Scratch Cup. This competition has been won by the likes of Hughie Myres, Des Smyth
, Pádraig Harrington
, Darren Clarke
, Paul McGinley
. The 2006 winner is up and coming golfer from Northern Ireland
Rory McIlroy
. Mullingar player Gerry Purcell is former An Post Golf Society Irish Champion on two occasions.
The Mullingar Dragons were formed in 2007 and play in the North Eastern Basketball League. In July 2008 a Women's team was added to the already established Men's team.
club is based on the Murray Murray in Bunbrosna, overlooking Lough Owel. The Club fields 2 men's teams in Leinster and Midland Cup and league competitions
Club is based in the town swimming pool located in Mullingar Town Park...
club caters for leisure and touring cyclists of all ages and abilities. The Clubs main touring activities are short, medium and longer distance cycles on Saturday and Sunday mornings and in the summer months on Monday and Wednesday evenings.
In the past few years a strong racing team has emerged in the club. Lakeside Wheelers have a number of high profile events for 2010 including the "Expert Mullingar Criterium" on Wednesday 16 June, "Expert Mullingar 2 Day Race" on 10/11 July and "Tour of the Lakes" on Sunday 18 July 2010. Visit www.lakesidewheelers.ie for further information.
Other schools in the area include Ladestown Riding School and Catherinestown Riding School. Studs include Tally Ho Stud, Cleaboy Stud, and Charlestown Stud.
County town
A county town is a county's administrative centre in the United Kingdom or Ireland. County towns are usually the location of administrative or judicial functions, or established over time as the de facto main town of a county. The concept of a county town eventually became detached from its...
of County Westmeath
County Westmeath
-Economy:Westmeath has a strong agricultural economy. Initially, development occurred around the major market centres of Mullingar, Moate, and Kinnegad. Athlone developed due to its military significance, and its strategic location on the main Dublin–Galway route across the River Shannon. Mullingar...
in Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. The Counties of Meath and Westmeath Act ( Henry VIII 34 ) of 1542, proclaimed Westmeath (which then included Longford which separated in 1586) a county, separating it from Meath. Mullingar became the administrative centre for County Westmeath. The town was originally named Maelblatha, and takes its modern name from a mill noted in the legend of Colman of Mullingar
Colman of Mullingar
Saint Colmán mac Luacháin was an early Irish abbot , founder and patron saint of Lann .The name of the saint's foundation, Lann , represents the early Irish word lann meaning " land, church"...
.
The town had a tradition of cattle-trading up until 2003, when its cattle market was closed for development of a mixed commercial and residential scheme called the Market Point. Mullingar is famous for the neighbouring lakes, 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 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...
and Lough Derravaragh
Lough Derravaragh
Lough Derravaragh is a lough in County Westmeath, Republic of Ireland, north of Mullingar between Castlepollard, Collinstown, Crookedwood and Multyfarnham...
which attract many anglers. Lough Derravaragh is best known for its connection with the Irish legend of the Children of Lir
Children of Lir
The Children of Lir is an Irish legend. The original Irish title is Clann Lir or Leannaí Lir, but Lir is the genitive case of Lear. Lir is more often used as the name of the character in English...
. The town of Mullingar is linked to 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...
via Lacy's Canal
Lacy's Canal
Lacy's Canal was named after Hugh de Lacy. It was constructed in the 18th century and links the town of Mullingar to northern shore of Lough Ennell. It starts at the rear of the Lynn Industrial Estate and enters Lough Ennel about a mile south of Butlers Bridge. It is crossed by both Butlers Bridge...
and the River Brosna
River Brosna
The River Brosna is a river in Ireland, flowing through County Westmeath and County Offaly.The river rises in Lough Owel north of Mullingar and is a tributary of the River Shannon. It meets the Shannon at Shannon Harbour.-Course:...
.
One of Mullingar's major exports are items of pewter
Pewter
Pewter is a malleable metal alloy, traditionally 85–99% tin, with the remainder consisting of copper, antimony, bismuth and lead. Copper and antimony act as hardeners while lead is common in the lower grades of pewter, which have a bluish tint. It has a low melting point, around 170–230 °C ,...
ware produced by the firm of Mullingar Pewter located near the town. Genesis fine art is also produced locally and sold worldwide – one of its sculptures of the "Pilgrims" dominates the dispensary house at Austin Friars St where once there was an Augustinian Friary. The town is the largest town in the Irish Midlands. The town, as of 2006, is officially the most populated town in the midlands due in part to its increasing popularity as a commuter town
Commuter town
A commuter town is an urban community that is primarily residential, from which most of the workforce commutes out to earn their livelihood. Many commuter towns act as suburbs of a nearby metropolis that workers travel to daily, and many suburbs are commuter towns...
.
Three newspapers serve the community: The Westmeath Topic
Westmeath Topic
The Westmeath Topic is a weekly newspaper founded in Mullingar, Ireland in 1971. What began as a small A4-size magazine under the name "TOPIC", the newspaper has gone from strength to strength, becoming one of the largest circulating newspapers in the Irish midlands. Along with less than a dozen...
, The Mullingar Advertiser and The Westmeath Examiner. Mullingar forms part of the Midlands Gateway
Midlands 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...
, in association with Athlone and Tullamore
Tullamore
Tullamore is a town in County Offaly, in the midlands of Ireland. It is Offaly's county town and the centre of the district.Tullamore is an important commercial and industrial centre in the region. Major international employers in the town include 'Tyco Healthcare' and 'Boston Scientific'. In...
.
A statue of Joe Dolan
Joe Dolan
Joseph "Joe" Francis Robert Dolan was an Irish entertainer, recorder and singer of easy listening songs...
has been erected on market square as a tribute.
Local Government and Politics
Local Issues are dealt with by the Westmeath Town council which elects nine members. The town is divided into the Mullingar East and Mullingar West local electoral areas for elections to Westmeath County CouncilWestmeath County Council
Westmeath County Council is the local authority which is responsible for County Westmeath in Ireland. The Council is responsible for housing and community, roads and transportation, urban planning and development, amenity and culture, and environment. The head of the council has the title of...
, which elects nine members altogether. The town is part of the Longford-Westmeath constituency for elections to Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...
.
The town is something of a stronghold for the centre left Labour Party
Labour Party (Ireland)
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in the Republic of Ireland. The Labour Party was founded in 1912 in Clonmel, County Tipperary, by James Connolly, James Larkin and William X. O'Brien as the political wing of the Irish Trade Union Congress. Unlike the other main Irish...
, which holds 4 out of the nine seats on the town council and four out of the nine in the Mullingar local electoral area's.
Music
The Mullingar Town Band was founded in 1879 by Fr. Polland as a Holy Family Confraternity Band. The local Military Barracks supplied many of the early members who themselves were serving members of the British Regimental bands stationed in Mullingar. Many of the members of these bands settled in the town and joined the band. The Mullingar Confraternity Band remained under the auspices of the Confraternity until the 1940s when it was handed over to a committee who continued under the title of Mullingar Brass and Reed Band. And thus it remained until membership had dwindled to 3 or 4 members in 1957 when the present Director Hubert Magee was asked to take the helm. In 1979 the centenary was celebrated with a membership of 100 - one member for every year of the band's existence.The band has a dual role of marching band - The Celtic Crusaders - and a concert band. It has won some of the top awards in Ireland, Northern Ireland and England. Entirely voluntary, it is maintained financially by membership fees and fundraising. Every four years since 1974 both the Celtic Crusaders and Concert Band attend the International Youth Band Festival in Pumerend, Holland. In 2004 the band completed a successful exchange with the Cardinal Gibbons High School Band, Raleigh, North Carolina. They travelled to Midsomer Norton
Midsomer Norton
Midsomer Norton is a town near the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England, south-west of Bath, north-east of Wells, north-west of Frome, and south-east of Bristol. It has a population of 10,458. Along with Radstock and Westfield it used to be part of the conurbation and large civil parish of Norton...
, England in July 2006 for the Open European Championships, bringing home four gold medals, including a gold with distinction in the senior concert section for the first time.
The Stables is a nationally recognized music venue in Mullingar which first opened in 1989. The club hosts a wide variety of music and has featured well-known performers; critic and writer Ronan Casey has described it as an "essential" stop for any national touring act.
Niall Horan who is a member of 'One Direction' who came third in the UK's XFactor also lives in Mullingar.
Mullingar was mentioned at the very end of the very popular song "Horse Outside" by the Rubberbandits, in which the bridesmaid was promised a horse back ride out to Mullingar.
Pat of Mullingar
Pat of Mullingar
Pat of Mullingar is an Irish rebel song has been sung and recorded by many different folk artists, including the Irish Rovers, Derek Warfield and The Wolfe Tones-Lyrics :You may talk and sing and boast about your Fenians and your clans,...
is an Irish rebel song.
Theatre
Mullingar Student Players is a dramatic society made up of entirely by secondary school students from the area. Director Sean Lynch is a native of Mullingar and joins with Musical Director Angela Lynch and Choreography Siobhan Murphy to bring various musical productions to fruition. Previous productions include Les Miserables, West Side Story, Calamity Jane, Little Shop of Horrors, Return to the Forbidden Planet, Fame and last year, Beauty and the Beast. For 2011, the company will present Godspell.There is also a hugely successful Pantomime group in the town. They present highly successful shows that use original scripts written by two local men. The company has been in operation since 2007. Past shows: Cinderella, Aladdin and Jack and the Beanstalk all written by Paul Doolin. This year, the group will stage A Christmas Carol.
In Doubt a 2008 film adaptation of the John Patrick Shanley stage play ,starring Meryl Streep
Meryl Streep
Mary Louise "Meryl" Streep is an American actress who has worked in theatre, television and film.Streep made her professional stage debut in 1971's The Playboy of Seville, before her screen debut in the television movie The Deadliest Season in 1977. In that same year, she made her film debut with...
and Philip Seymour Hoffman
Philip Seymour Hoffman
Philip Seymour Hoffman is an American actor and director. Hoffman began acting in television in 1991, and the following year started to appear in films...
, the town is referenced in dialogue between the main character Sister Aloysius (Meryl Streep
Meryl Streep
Mary Louise "Meryl" Streep is an American actress who has worked in theatre, television and film.Streep made her professional stage debut in 1971's The Playboy of Seville, before her screen debut in the television movie The Deadliest Season in 1977. In that same year, she made her film debut with...
) and the school caretaker.
Mullingar featured on Three Men Go To Ireland on BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
2 on December 30, 2009. Dara Ó Briain
Dara Ó Briain
Dara Ó Briain is an Irish stand-up comedian and television presenter, noted for hosting topical panel shows such as The Panel and Mock the Week....
, Rory McGrath
Rory McGrath
Patrick Rory McGrath is an English comedian and writer. He is best known for roles in Who Dares Wins, Chelmsford 123, Three Men in a Boat and its successors. He was also a regular panellist on They Think It's All Over....
and Griff Rhys Jones
Griff Rhys Jones
Griffith "Griff" Rhys Jones is a Welsh comedian, writer, actor, television presenter and personality. Jones came to national attention in the early 1980s for his work in the BBC television comedy sketch shows Not the Nine O'Clock News and Alas Smith and Jones along with his comedy partner Mel Smith...
were greeted by a large crowd on the Market Square and enjoyed a night at the Mullingar Greyhound Stadium during this episode where Dara O'Briain's dog Snip Nua
Snip Nua
Snip Nua was a racing greyhound who featured in the BBC television show Three Men go to Ireland.-Biography:Born in the spring of 2008, Snip Nua was a racing greyhound who became famous because she featured in the BBC television show Three men go to Ireland, which was broadcast over the Christmas...
raced.
Mullingar is mentioned in the song "The Rocky Road to Dublin" by The Dubliners
The Dubliners
The Dubliners are an Irish folk band founded in 1962.-Formation and history:The Dubliners, initially known as "The Ronnie Drew Ballad Group", formed in 1962 and made a name for themselves playing regularly in O'Donoghue's Pub in Dublin...
, which is one the few songs in the 2009 film, Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes (2009 film)
Sherlock Holmes is a 2009 action-mystery film based on the character of the same name created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The film was directed by Guy Ritchie and produced by Joel Silver, Lionel Wigram, Susan Downey and Dan Lin. The screenplay by Michael Robert Johnson, Anthony Peckham and Simon...
that was not composed for the film.
Places of interest
Mullingar's main tourist attractions are its lakes – Lough OwelLough 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 Lene
Lough Lene
Lough Lene is a lake situated in north County Westmeath, Ireland, between the villages of Castlepollard, Collinstown and Fore....
and 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...
- which are popular with anglers – and Belvedere House and Gardens
Belvedere House and Gardens
Belvedere House and Gardens is a famous country house located near Mullingar, in county Westmeath, Ireland. Its gardens which include The Jealous Wall and many hectares of forest, attract thousands of visitors annually for their beauty...
which is heavily promoted for its beauty. The town has several hotels - including the Greville Arms Hotel, Annebrook House Hotel, Bloomfield House Hotel, Newbrook Hotel and the 4 star Mullingar Park Hotel which houses a conference centre.
The town is also associated with Irish author James Joyce
James Joyce
James Augustine Aloysius Joyce was an Irish novelist and poet, considered to be one of the most influential writers in the modernist avant-garde of the early 20th century...
, who was an occasional visitor to Mullingar during his youth. Joyce's father, John, was a civil servant posted from Dublin to compile an electoral register of Mullingar and the surrounding townlands. He often stayed in the Greville Arms Hotel. James referred to Mullingar in three of his novels, mentioning it twelve times in Ulysses
Ulysses (novel)
Ulysses is a novel by the Irish author James Joyce. It was first serialised in parts in the American journal The Little Review from March 1918 to December 1920, and then published in its entirety by Sylvia Beach on 2 February 1922, in Paris. One of the most important works of Modernist literature,...
, in chapter 14 of Stephen Hero
Stephen Hero
Stephen Hero is a posthumously-published autobiographical novel by Irish author James Joyce. Its published form reflects only a portion of an original manuscript, part of which was lost. Many of its ideas were used in composing A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.-External links:*...
, and three times in Finnegans Wake
Finnegans Wake
Finnegans Wake is a novel by Irish author James Joyce, significant for its experimental style and resulting reputation as one of the most difficult works of fiction in the English language. Written in Paris over a period of seventeen years, and published in 1939, two years before the author's...
.Mullingar appears in Ulysses
Ulysses (novel)
Ulysses is a novel by the Irish author James Joyce. It was first serialised in parts in the American journal The Little Review from March 1918 to December 1920, and then published in its entirety by Sylvia Beach on 2 February 1922, in Paris. One of the most important works of Modernist literature,...
in the Calypso episode; in Lotus Eaters; twice in Hades; in Lestrygonians; in Nausicaa; twice in Oxen of the Sun; in Circe; in Eumaeus; and twice in Ithaca. The town is also mentioned three times in Finnegans Wake
Finnegans Wake
Finnegans Wake is a novel by Irish author James Joyce, significant for its experimental style and resulting reputation as one of the most difficult works of fiction in the English language. Written in Paris over a period of seventeen years, and published in 1939, two years before the author's...
in Book 1, Section 6, page 138, line 19; in Book 2, Section 2, page 286, line 21; and in Book 2, Section 3, page 345, line 34. Mullingar does not appear in Dubliners
Dubliners
Dubliners is a collection of 15 short stories by James Joyce, first published in 1914. They were meant to be a naturalistic depiction of Irish middle class life in and around Dublin in the early years of the 20th century....
nor in A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is a semi-autobiographical novel by James Joyce, first serialised in the magazine The Egoist from 1914 to 1915, and published first in book format in 1916 by B. W. Huebsch, New York. The first English edition was published by the Egoist Press in February 1917...
.
Mullingar's most notable building is the cathedral of Christ the King Mullingar, the cathedral of the Diocese of Meath
Diocese of Meath
The Diocese of Meath is an Irish diocese which took its name after the ancient Kingdom of Meath. In the Roman Catholic Church it still exists as a separate diocese, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with other dioceses.-History:...
. The Cathedral was dedicated on the day World War II broke out.
Columb Barracks is a major military base in the county housing the 4th Field Artillery Regiment and the HQ of the 54 Reserve Field Artillery Regiment (Army Reserve) formally the FCA (9 FAR).Because of a Government Decision Columb Barracks is to be closed on the 30th March 2012 and the 4FAR is to be moved to Custume Barracks Athlone and the location of the 54 Reserve Artillery Regiments HQ Battery and No 3 Gun Battery is unclear.
Economy
Mullingar's commercial sector has expanded in recent years from just a few shops on the town's main thoroughfares – Oliver Plunkett Street, Austin Friars Street, and Mount Street – to several major shopping areas. There is an out-of-town retail park at Lakepoint (about 1.6 km from the town centre), the Harbour Place shopping centre near the town centre and a new development at the Green - on the site of the former Avonmore and Pennys units.The town has a mix of local retailers and chain stores (Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
, Dunnes Stores
Dunnes Stores
Dunnes Stores, also known as Dunnes, is a supermarket and clothing retail chain, that is based in Dublin, Ireland.The chain primarily sells food, clothes and household wares. In addition to its main customer base in Ireland, the chain has operations in Great Britain and Spain...
, O2, Penneys, Lidl
Lidl
Lidl is a discount supermarket chain based in Germany that operates over 7,200 stores across Europe. The company's full name is Lidl Stiftung & Co. KG...
, SuperValu
SuperValu (Ireland)
SuperValu is a supermarket chain in Ireland and Spain, owned by the Musgraves wholesaler firm. Its headquarters is located in Cork and has stores across the entirety of Ireland.-Company structure:...
, Boots, Specsavers
Specsavers
Specsavers Optical Group Ltd is the biggest optical retailer in the UK and Ireland. It is also the biggest of the four major opticians that control 70% of the British market for spectacles and contact lenses, with Specsavers having a 39% share of the market...
, Lifestyle Sports, Butterfly Kisses, Atlantic Homecare, Marks and Spencer and others). The town also has branches of all the major banks - AIB
Allied Irish Banks
Allied Irish Banks p.l.c. is a major commercial bank based in Ireland.AIB is one of the so called "big four" commercial banks in the state. The bank has one of the largest branch networks in Ireland; only Bank of Ireland fully rivals it. AIB offers a full range of personal and corporate banking...
, Bank of Ireland
Bank of Ireland
The Bank of Ireland is a commercial bank operation in Ireland, which is one of the 'Big Four' in both parts of the island.Historically the premier banking organisation in Ireland, the Bank occupies a unique position in Irish banking history...
, Ulster Bank
Ulster Bank
Ulster Bank is a large commercial bank, one of the Big Four in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The Ulster Bank Group is subdivided into two separate legal entities, Ulster Bank Limited and Ulster Bank Ireland Limited...
, National Irish Bank
National Irish Bank
National Irish Bank is a commercial bank in Ireland, one of the traditional Big Four. In December 2004 Danske Bank agreed to purchase National Irish Bank from the National Australia Bank for GB£967m ....
, Permanent TSB - and branches of First Active
First Active
First Active was an Irish bank, and former building society which was merged in to Ulster Bank in late 2009, ceasing trading in February 2010. It traditionally offered a range of mortgages, savings, investment, pension and life assurance products, but from 2007 onwards, also offered credit...
and EBS
EBS Building Society
EBS Limited was a financial institution in Ireland and was the country's largest building society. EBS has more than 400,000 members and distributes its products through a branch and franchised agency network. It handles direct business by telephone and the Internet...
building societies. The town also has one of the country's largest Credit Unions (St Colemans Credit Union).
Arguably the largest development in Mullingar, the proposed "Mullingar Central" development is located between Mount Street, the Railway station and Blackhall Street. Planning permission has been granted for retail, commercial and residential units. Phase 1 which includes tax offices, library, civic offices and County Council buildings was officially opened on the 11th June 2009. Phase 2 of the project will be the largest retail centre in the midlands and will incorporate offices, residential units a cultural building and leisure facilities. This has been shelved due to the economic situation however.
Farmers' market
A farmers' market consists of individual vendors—mostly farmers—who set up booths, tables or stands, outdoors or indoors, to sell produce, meat products, fruits and sometimes prepared foods and beverages...
is held in Mullingar every Sunday and a further small market is run near Penneys/Marks and Spencer by The Green.
Mullingar contains several industrial estates including Lough Sheever Corporate Park and the Lynn Industrial estate. Two of the towns major manufacturing plants – Penn tennis balls and Tarkett
Tarkett
The Tarkett Group is a privately owned, multinational French company specializing in sustainable flooring and sports surfaces. In 2010 the company had revenues of €1.9 billion, 30 production sites and employed around 8,800 people in over 100 markets across the world. 2010 world wide sales were...
– both closed in the early 2000s causing many job losses. However newer industries have absorbed the job losses – including Capmark, Oakley, P.E.M. Engineering, Trend Technologies, Taconic International, and Mullingar Pewter which are all sizeable operations. The town is also home to a Van Nelle (Ireland)
Imperial Tobacco
Imperial Tobacco is a global tobacco company headquartered in Bristol, United Kingdom. It is the world’s fourth-largest cigarette company measured by market share , and the world's largest producer of cigars, fine-cut tobacco and tobacco papers...
(a subsidiary of Imperial Tobacco
Imperial Tobacco
Imperial Tobacco is a global tobacco company headquartered in Bristol, United Kingdom. It is the world’s fourth-largest cigarette company measured by market share , and the world's largest producer of cigars, fine-cut tobacco and tobacco papers...
) factory which has provided employment for many years.
Iralco, an automotive component manufacturer, is located nearby in Collinstown
Collinstown
Collinstown is an expanding village in County Westmeath, situated on the R395 regional road 18 km northeast of the county town of Mullingar. Collinstown is in St Mary's parish and has a population of approaching 700.-Name:...
continues to provide employment to a skilled work force. The town recently won a €25m Lidl
Lidl
Lidl is a discount supermarket chain based in Germany that operates over 7,200 stores across Europe. The company's full name is Lidl Stiftung & Co. KG...
Warehouse and distribution center which will employ between 100 and 150. A new site for the IDA
IDA Ireland
IDA Ireland is the agency responsible for industrial development in Ireland. The agency was founded in 1949 as the Industrial Development Authority and placed on a statutory footing a year later...
Business Park has been sited along the new N52 bypass. A major addition to the towns telecommunications infrastructure – a broadband network – was completed in 2004 – this is expected to increase the areas attractiveness to large multinational companies. Tesco Ireland had wanted to build a superstore in Lakepoint Retail addition to its current store but the local council turned this down.
A new shopping centre anchored by Marks and Spencer and Penneys has opened in the town, known as the Fairgreen Shopping centre. Additional tenants at the centre include UK fashion retailer New Look, Dorothy Perkins and Lifestyle Sports. Some feel a need for more retailers in Mullingar which has leaked millions of Euro of spending power from the area to surrounding retail centres such as Liffey Valley and Blanchardstown
Blanchardstown
Blanchardstown is a large suburb of Dublin in the district of Fingal, Ireland. It is within the historical barony of Castleknock. It is located 10 km north-west of the city centre. The suburb is in the Dublin 15 postal area, the Dublin West electoral constituency, and Fingal County...
. The town's Council has great plans for the town centre with the predominantly retail led 'Central' scheme. It is expected to attract many national and international retailers into the area to capitalize on the town's growing population and its increasing popularity as a location with a high quality of life compared to many busy areas of Dublin.
Mullingar has a Chamber of Commerce which represents almost 200 businesses from many commercial sectors.
Road
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...
road, 79 km (49.1 mi) from the capital. The N52
N52 road (Ireland)
The N52 road is a national secondary road in Ireland. It links the M7 motorway from just south of Nenagh, County Tipperary to the M1 motorway north of Dundalk in County Louth.The road is long.-Quality of Road:...
also connects Mullingar to the Galway-Dublin 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...
. The town is served by Bus Éireann
Bus Éireann
Bus Éireann provides bus services in Ireland with the exception of those operated entirely within the Dublin Region, which are provided by Dublin Bus. Bus Éireann, established as a separate company in 1987, is a subsidiary of Córas Iompair Éireann. The logo of Bus Éireann incorporates a red Irish...
services to Dublin, Athlone (where passengers can catch connecting buses), 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...
, Cavan
Cavan
Cavan is the county town of County Cavan in the Republic of Ireland. The town lies in the north central part of Ireland, near the border with Northern Ireland...
, Tullamore
Tullamore
Tullamore is a town in County Offaly, in the midlands of Ireland. It is Offaly's county town and the centre of the district.Tullamore is an important commercial and industrial centre in the region. Major international employers in the town include 'Tyco Healthcare' and 'Boston Scientific'. In...
and 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...
.
The town currently suffers from heavy afternoon traffic partially caused by a lack of off-street parking problem. The town is bypassed and a ring road has been completed in a bid to further alleviate traffic.
Waterway
In the 19th century the town was served for a time by the Royal CanalRoyal Canal of Ireland
The Royal Canal is a canal originally built for freight and passenger transportation from the River Liffey at Dublin to the River Shannon at Cloondara in County Longford in Ireland. It fell into disrepair, but since has been restored for navigation...
– however displaced first by the railway and then the car, it is no longer commercially used for the transport of goods or people. The town of Mullingar as also linked to 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...
via Lacy's Canal
Lacy's Canal
Lacy's Canal was named after Hugh de Lacy. It was constructed in the 18th century and links the town of Mullingar to northern shore of Lough Ennell. It starts at the rear of the Lynn Industrial Estate and enters Lough Ennel about a mile south of Butlers Bridge. It is crossed by both Butlers Bridge...
and the river Brosna.
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...
line to Mullingar from Dublin opened in stages from 1846 to 1848, arriving in Mullingar on 2 October 1848. This was to a temporary station, adjacent to the greyhound stadium
Greyhound racing
Greyhound racing is the sport of racing greyhounds. The dogs chase a lure on a track until they arrive at the finish line. The one that arrives first is the winner....
. The original mainline ran from Dublin (Broadstone Station) 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...
via Mullingar and Athlone, the Mullingar 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...
section opening in August 1851. The present station
Mullingar railway station
Mullingar railway station serves the town of Mullingar in County Westmeath, Ireland. There was a railway line to Athlone but is now disused.The station opened on 2 October 1848. The Midland Great Western Railway line to Mullingar from Dublin opened in stages from 1846 to 1848, arriving in Mullingar...
opened with the branch line to Longford
Longford
Longford is the county town of County Longford in Ireland. It has a population of 7,622 according to the 2006 census. Approximately one third of the county's population resides in the town. Longford town is also the biggest town in the county...
on 14 December 1855.
There were two secondary stations in Mullingar, Canal Crossing cattle bank was on the Sligo Line and on the Athlone Line, Newbrook racecourse had its own station. This was unique in that it was a two platformed station with both platforms on the Down Line.
Nowadays, the line northwest to Longford and Sligo is the mainline, Galway is accessed from Heuston Station via Portarlington and the line between Mullingar and Athlone is currently disused. Mullingar station is served by national rail company Iarnród Éireann
Iarnród Éireann
Iarnród Éireann is the national railway system operator of Ireland. Established on 2 February 1987, it is a subsidiary of Córas Iompair Éireann . It operates all internal intercity, commuter and freight railway services in the Republic of Ireland, and, jointly with Northern Ireland Railways, the...
's Arrow commuter services to Dublin and InterCity trains to/from 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...
.
The Railway Preservation Society of Ireland
Railway Preservation Society of Ireland
The Railway Preservation Society of Ireland is an Irish railway preservation group operating in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. It was founded in 1964. The Society has its headquarters at Whitehead, County Antrim, Northern Ireland and a base at Mullingar, County Westmeath...
have a secondary base in the town. There is a photo survey of the disused Athlone.
Healthcare
The Midland Regional Hospital at Mullingar serves the entire Longford-Westmeath area. A large extension was built in the early 1990s to accommodate the ever-increasing population. A change in government, however, halted investment and the extension lay as an empty shell until late 2006 when funding was finally secured to ensure its completion. There are several other hospitals in the town: St Loman's, which provides psychiatric services to all of the Irish Midlands; St Mary's, a care centre for older people; and the St Francis Private Hospital.Education
The town has several primary schools serving the area, and a number of secondary schools – including Coláiste MhuireColáiste Mhuire, Mullingar
Coláiste Mhuire is a secondary school located in Mullingar, County Westmeath, Ireland. It is primarily a boy's school, however, the repeat Leaving Certificate class is co-educational....
, Mullingar's oldest post-primary school. Coláiste Mhuire is primarily a boys school, however the successful repeat Leaving Certificate
Leaving Certificate
The Leaving Certificate Examinations , commonly referred to as the Leaving Cert is the final examination in the Irish secondary school system. It takes a minimum of two years preparation, but an optional Transition Year means that for those students it takes place three years after the Junior...
class is co-educational. Just to the north of Mullingar on the old Longford Road is St Finian's College. Until 2003 St Finian's was an all-boys boarding school; however, in 2003 the decision was made to phase out the boarding school by 2007 and to admit girls as well as boys. Loreto College for girls is the largest secondary school in the town, while Mullingar Community College is a co-educational school for boys and girls. The Community College also runs evening courses for adults and awards the FETAC certificates.
Wilson's Hospital School
Wilson's Hospital School
Wilson's Hospital School is a co-educational boarding school located in County Westmeath, Ireland. The school caters for approximately 400 students and whilst most of the school's students are boarders there is also a sizable number of day pupils in attendance...
, a co-educational boarding school which operates under a Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
(Protestant) ethos, is located in the nearby village of Multyfarnham
Multyfarnham
Multyfarnham or Multyfarnam is a village in County Westmeath, Ireland.-History:The Irish Franciscan friars still maintain a presence in the ancient monastery here which was founded in 1268. During the English conquest of Ireland it was raided six times and twice burnt out by the Crown forces...
, serving many students from the Mullingar area.
GAA
There are four G.A.A. football clubs in the Mullingar area: Mullingar Shamrocks, St. Loman's, and The Downs are the senior teams. Shandonagh fields an intermediate team. St Oliver Plunkett's and Cullion respectively facilitate both senior and intermediate hurling enthusiasts. The County Westmeath team plays its home games at Cusack ParkCusack Park (Mullingar)
Cusack Park is a Gaelic Athletic Association stadium in Mullingar, County Westmeath, Ireland. It is the main grounds of Westmeath GAA's Gaelic football and hurling teams. The ground was opened in 1933 and has a capacity of 15,000....
. Mullingar also supports women's teams including Mullingar Shamrocks and St Lomans.
Soccer
At the moment, Mullingar has three adult soccer teams:Mullingar Athletic (who play in Gainstown) and Mullingar Town (who have their grounds in D'Alton Park). The third, set up in 2009, are known as Hibernian Celtic AFC, they were originally formed in 1948, but ceased in 1986. They play their home games in the Raithin community pitch in which they share with Grange Utd, an under 18 side formed in 2009. Outside the town you have Rathowen Utd, Raharney FC, Rochfortbridge and Coralstown FC. All teams play in the CCFL league system.
Rugby
Mullingar rugby footballRugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
club is located in Cullionbeg, and has had a degree of success in the 1990s with two towns cup final appearances. The club also made it to the 1989 towns cup final.The club was represented by great players who went on to play at a higher level, these include Shane Deering, M walls, N. Breslin P,Lynn K mc Kinley. The club has a pick of up to 50 players with three senior teams in very competitive leagues. the 07/08 season was a very competitive season with all three teams progressing well in their respective leagues. The 3rd team won the Anderson cup under the captaincy of the talented mick Lynn. The players awards night took place in the club house to mark the achievements of the previous season. The winners on the night included Adriel Farrell (Try of the year) Rob Collentine (young player of the year) The coveted Players player of the year went to the very talented Brian Murphy. The club player of the year went to Kevin O'Brien who played consistently well for both senior teams. The team is looking forward to the next season and hoping to climb up the Leinster leagues. With the emergence of talented players such as Davy Miller, Simon moorehead with a blend of senior players should all bode well.
Aussie Rules
There has been an Australian Rules team, the Midland Tigers - based in the town since 2000. Over the years the club have provided numerous International Players for the Irish Warriors, the national team for the sport in Ireland and they compete annually in the Aussieproperty.com Premiership.Tennis and badminton
The Mullingar Tennis and Badminton Club is located in the heart of the town and includes 8 outdoor tennis courts and a hall containing 2 badminton courtsAthletics
Mullingar has a rich tradition in athleticsAthletics (track and field)
Athletics is an exclusive collection of sporting events that involve competitive running, jumping, throwing, and walking. The most common types of athletics competitions are track and field, road running, cross country running, and race walking...
with the club Mullingar Harriers producing many international athletes. Bobby Begley was Irish Team Manager when Eamonn Coughlan won the 5,000 meters World Championship in Helsinki.
Snooker
St. Mary's SnookerSnooker
Snooker is a cue sport that is played on a green baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. A regular table is . It is played using a cue and snooker balls: one white , 15 worth one point each, and six balls of different :...
Club ran/runs ranking events for Greater Westmeath, namely the Mullingar Open Snooker Championship, The Westmeath Open Snooker Championship, the Midland Open and the St Mary's Open Classic.
The County's most successful player has been Mick Kane who has won 11 Mullingar Open Snooker Championship titles and 7 times County Westmeath Champion. Ger O'Connor has won 4 Mullingar Open titles and 9 Westmeath Championships. The "John Smith Memorial Cup" is played for each year as a Handicap event and has been in existence since 1963. The "Peter McNally Memorial Cup" in honour of Peter McNally (Irish International) Edenderry Snooker Club was won by the St Mary's Snooker Club team in 1997; the team was Mick Kane (capt), Ger O'Connor, Anthony Cleary, Richie Toal, John Norris, Larry Mahedy & Niall Heffernan. Some years later the McNally Tournament has now became a singles event, which still remains an important tournament on the snooker calendar. Two very talented players are Enda Collins and Terry Parker, most recent to date would be parker with a high break of 128, amongst his titles are the 2002, 2004 Midland Open Championship, and he won the 2005 Mullingar Open Championship in a classic contest against Seamus Brereton from Edenderry ,Terry Also capptured the 2010 and the 2011 Open to become only the sixth player to win the mullingar open three times since its inception in 1981. Another top player is Richie Toal, winning the 2003 Midland Open Championship and in 2006,2007 & 2008 the Mullingar Open Snooker Championship. He has beat the best in this game including World Number 1. Ronnie O'Sullivan in a 1 frame shoot-out Exhibition that was held in the Greville Arms Hotel in 2008. At underage level, Stephen Hickey won the 2005 Mullingar Junior Snooker Championship and also the 2005 and 2006 Westmeath Junior Snooker Championships.
Keith Mulligan defeated TJ Murphy 3-1 in the final of the Intermediate Classic Snooker Championship 2011.The Event was a great success and allowed all those on the Westmeath Snooker Rankings play with the exception of the top eight ranked players.
Greyhound racing
20:00. For television broadcasting purposes, races are interlaced with those from Shelbourne Dublin.
The Track featured on the BBC Three men go to Ireland show where Dara O'Briain's dog Snip Nua
Snip Nua
Snip Nua was a racing greyhound who featured in the BBC television show Three Men go to Ireland.-Biography:Born in the spring of 2008, Snip Nua was a racing greyhound who became famous because she featured in the BBC television show Three men go to Ireland, which was broadcast over the Christmas...
raced
Golf
Mullingar golfGolf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
club also has a proud history and hosts every August bank holiday weekend a leading amateur golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
competition, i.e. The Mullingar Scratch Cup. This competition has been won by the likes of Hughie Myres, Des Smyth
Des Smyth
Desmond John Smyth is an Irish professional golfer.Smyth was born in Drogheda, County Louth. He turned professional in 1974 and was a member of the European Tour for over a quarter of a century. His best finish on the European Tour Order of Merit was seventh in 1988...
, Pádraig Harrington
Padraig Harrington
Pádraig P. Harrington is an Irish professional golfer who plays on The European Tour and The PGA Tour. He has won three major championships: The Open Championship in 2007 and 2008 and the PGA Championship, also in 2008.-Background:...
, Darren Clarke
Darren Clarke
Darren Christopher Clarke is a professional golfer from Northern Ireland who currently plays on the European Tour and has previously played on the PGA Tour. He has won 22 tournaments worldwide on a number of golf's main tours including the European Tour, the PGA Tour, the Sunshine Tour and the...
, Paul McGinley
Paul McGinley
Paul McGinley is an Irish golfer who plays on the European Tour. He is most famous for holing the winning putt for the European team in the 2002 Ryder Cup. He currently resides in Sunningdale, England....
. The 2006 winner is up and coming golfer from Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy is a Northern Irish professional golfer from Holywood in County Down. He has represented Europe, Great Britain & Ireland, and Ireland as both an amateur and a professional. He had a successful amateur career, topping the World Amateur Golf Ranking for one week as a 17-year-old in 2007...
. Mullingar player Gerry Purcell is former An Post Golf Society Irish Champion on two occasions.
Basketball
The Mullingar Monarchs were formed in 2001, training from the CBS gym in the town centre. Recently however the Monarchs have switched training locations to Rochfortbridge. While the club took 2 years to get off the ground they are now one of the most decorated in the Midland League, securing one treble and two double titles. The team have also played in the National League Division 1, only one step away from the superleague.The Mullingar Dragons were formed in 2007 and play in the North Eastern Basketball League. In July 2008 a Women's team was added to the already established Men's team.
Cricket
The CricketCricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
club is based on the Murray Murray in Bunbrosna, overlooking Lough Owel. The Club fields 2 men's teams in Leinster and Midland Cup and league competitions
Hockey
Mullingar Hockey Club currently has 4 adult teams and the club play its matches in the Loreto College, on the Longford road, not far from the hospital. The men's side of the club are in its 26th year, and has between 40 and 50 members, with their 1st team currently in Leinster League Division 4, the 2nd team play in Division 7.The Ladies side of the club were re-formed three years ago, after a break of five years and also have two teams. The matches are played every Saturday (an odd Sunday game does occur) and are open to the public (see local press for details). There are 3 fully qualified coaches at the club and several high level umpires. The colts section is no longer up and running, but check the mullingar hockey club page on Facebook for further info. The club are planning more teams and an astro turf pitch in the future.Swimming
The Mullingar Jets SwimmingSwimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
Club is based in the town swimming pool located in Mullingar Town Park...
Cycling
Lakeside Wheelers Mullingar CyclingCycling
Cycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
club caters for leisure and touring cyclists of all ages and abilities. The Clubs main touring activities are short, medium and longer distance cycles on Saturday and Sunday mornings and in the summer months on Monday and Wednesday evenings.
In the past few years a strong racing team has emerged in the club. Lakeside Wheelers have a number of high profile events for 2010 including the "Expert Mullingar Criterium" on Wednesday 16 June, "Expert Mullingar 2 Day Race" on 10/11 July and "Tour of the Lakes" on Sunday 18 July 2010. Visit www.lakesidewheelers.ie for further information.
Equestrian
Mullingar is also the home of one of Ireland's international riding centres. Mullingar Equestrian Centre ( 5 minutes outside the town) regularly hosts competitions. Also they are available for lessons, and on Friday evenings during the year there are competitions for riders to compete in.Other schools in the area include Ladestown Riding School and Catherinestown Riding School. Studs include Tally Ho Stud, Cleaboy Stud, and Charlestown Stud.
People
- Joe DolanJoe DolanJoseph "Joe" Francis Robert Dolan was an Irish entertainer, recorder and singer of easy listening songs...
, singer - J. P. DonleavyJ. P. DonleavyJames Patrick Donleavy is an Irish American author, born to Irish immigrants. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II after which he moved to Ireland. In 1946 he began studies at Trinity College, Dublin, but left before taking a degree...
, author - Josephine HartJosephine HartJosephine Hart, Lady Saatchi was an Irish-born British writer, theatrical producer and television presenter...
, author - Tina KellegherTina KellegherTina Kellegher is an Irish actress, born in Dublin in 1967. She is best known for her role as Niamh Quigley in BBC television series Ballykissangel. She is also a well-known voice on BBC Radio 4, having played policewoman Tina Mahon in the first four series of Baldi. She is married to Gordon...
, actress - Michael O'LearyMichael O'Leary (Ryanair)Michael O'Leary is an Irish businessman and the Chief Executive Officer of the Irish airline Ryanair. He is one of Ireland's wealthiest businessmen.-Early life:...
, CEO of Ryanair - 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...
, musicians - Niall Horan, X-Factor contestant series 7, member of One Direction
See also
- List of towns and villages in Ireland
- Market Houses in IrelandMarket Houses in the Republic of IrelandMarket houses are a notable feature of many Irish towns with varying styles of architecture, size and ornamentation making for a most interesting feature of the streetscape. Originally there were three, four or even five bays on the ground floor which were an open arcade. An upper floor was...