THERE is an atmosphere of comfortable busyness in the streets of Mullingar, a sense of purpose that one associates with market towns. Everyone is on an errand of some kind, but there is always time to stop and have a chat on the way surrounded by is pleasant, leafy countryside, and is bisected twice by the tranquil waters of the Royal Canal (ideal for walks if you are not enamoured of town bustle). The main street is lined with nice old town buildings in good repair, with attractive, freshly painted shop fronts and colourful window boxes. Several of the shops retain a quaint, oriel style second display window on the first floor, jutting out over the ground level window.
The new by pass does not seem to have affected a steady flow of traffic. Perhaps this is not surprising, given that the town's population of 12,127 rises to nearly 50,000 when people living within a 15 mile radius are included.
. WHERE TO GO FOR INFORMATION:
Two of the town's most impressive buildings house the tourist offices. The first of these is in an elegant Georgian house, on the outskirts of town, on the Dublin Road. The second, in the centre of town, is the Market House.
. WORTH VISITING:
The Market House built at the end of the 18th century, it was previously a fever hospital and soup kitchen for the poor of Mullingar. It now houses a small museum of local artefacts (open in July and August) on the first floor. The tourist information office is on the ground floor, from where guided tours of the town start on a daily basis in July and August.
The Cathedral of Christ another landmark building in the town, it's a large and imposing church, built in the 1930s, which has an ecclesiastical museum (open between Thursday and Sunday, 3 p.m. to 4 p.m., or by appointment). Exhibits include frescoes, mosaics by the Russian artist, Boris Anrep, and models of church buildings from the 17th century.
. WHAT TO BUY:
Mullingar is a good town for shopping. Day's Bazaar, a large book shop and news agency, which also sells some souvenirs, is apparently one of the oldest book shops in Ireland. An Siopa Glas, a sweet little secondhand book shop and gift shop, complete with red shutters, is worth a look. Enehante is an attractive gift shop where you can buy pottery, wood turned bowls, glassware and candles. There are plenty of women's clothes shops, from the local to the chain variety, with a selection of styles sturdy to trendy to choose from.
. WHERE TO STAY:
During the annual Mullingar Festival and its international bachelor contest in the second week in July, there can be a shortage of accommodation in the town. But at most other times of the year, there are plenty of places to stay, both within the town and nearby.
B&Bs range from £14 to £16 a night, the more expensive rooms being those with en suite bathrooms. An interesting B&B option is farmhouse accommodation, where burned out urban types can help out on the farm. At Lough Owel Lodge, for example, you can do farmyard chores or simply go walking by the lake. The cost is £16 per night, and an evening meal is £12.
For those in search of luxury by the lake, there is the three star, castellated Bloomfield House Hotel on the shores of Lough Ennel, about two miles outside the town, for about £40 a night.
The late 18th century Crookedwood House, overlooking Lake Derravaragh and well known for its cuisine, is another overnight option, at between £35 and £45 a night.
Located at nearby Multyfarnham, Mornington, one of the Hidden Ireland houses, is less expensive at £25 a night, and is within walking distance of Derravaragh Lough. If you prefer to stay in the town, the one star Newbury Hotel is affordable, or there is the three star option of the Greville Arms Hotel, mentioned in Joyce's Finnegans Wake, and in use as a hotel for 150 years.
. WHERE TO EAT:
A good spot for a light lunch is a delicatessen called Gallery 29 in the centre of town, where you can have excellent salads, a variety of quiches, and a good choice of mouth watering desserts. A pub lunch can be had at Con's pub, with interesting and inexpensive choices such as diced chicken in orange sauce followed by pear crumble. If you are particularly hungry, Danny Byrne's offers a good value four course lunch costing only £6.95 (pub food is served until 9 p.m.). Oscar's offers a selection of evening fare, from crab and leek cannelloni at £6.50 to dover sole stuffed with crabmeat and prawns at £13.95.
Bloomfield House Hotel does a very reasonable early bird menu for £12.95, with a more expensive and expansive five course meal later on for £20. The later meal includes starters such as roast baby quail and soups such as Atlantic seafood chowder laced with Cognac. At Crookedwood House dinner is £21, and includes starters such as baked avocado stuffed with nuts and grapes followed by cream of lovage and nettle soup with main courses such as grilled rack of lamb with a herb crust. Dinner, complete with fresh vegetables from the walled garden is also available at Mornington dinner (£18), if you make a reservation before 2 p.m.
. NIGHT MOVES:
Evening entertainment in Mullingar includes a two screen cinema and live music in the pubs (usually traditional Irish music or country music). Between Thursday and Sunday, there are several places to go dancing later on. There is a disco at The Final Fence and at the Lake County also one of the Greville Arms Hotel (Stringfellows). Strictly for the late teens is The Temple, at Bloomfield House Hotel.
. DAY-TIME EXERTION:
For those who prefer to take their exercise by day, there is a Squash and Leisure Centre in the Lynn Industrial Estate on the outskirts of the town, where there is a swimming pool, a gym, squash courts and a tanning room. There is a public swimming pool in the town park. Greyhound racing takes place at the Mullingar Track on Tuesday and Saturday nights. There are three equestrian centres nearby, and an 18 hole championship golf course.
There is pitch and putt at Lough Owel Leisure, two and a half miles from the town, on the shores of Lough Owel. The nearby lakes of Owel, Ennell and Derravaragh are all well known for excellent brown trout fishing. Central Fisheries Board permits and boat hire are available locally.
There is an indoor pool at Annebrook Park in the centre of the town.
. OTHER ATTRACTIONS IN THE AREA:
There are several places near the town worth a visit, including the Mullingar Pewter and Genesis Fine Arts Visitor Centre (situated about two miles outside Mullingar, on the Dublin road). Between 9:3.0 a.m. and 3.30 p.m., you can visit the studios and watch the pewter smiths turning goblets, hip flasks or candlestick holders.
For those interested in gardens, Belvedere Gardens, three miles from the town, are worth a visit (the house, which is under renovation, is an 18th century Palladian villa). Open in the afternoons, seven days a week, the gardens are well tended without being manicured, and are full of mature trees and shrubs.
The peace of the walkways is broken only by the occasional bawl of a peacock.
There is an aviary with parrots and cockateels, a Pet's Corner with rabbits and hens, and a sheltered walled garden. You can walk to the shore of Lough Ennell via the Jealous Wall, a folly said to be the largest purpose built ruin in the country. The Earl of Belvedere, for whom the house was built, hired an Italian architect for the construction of a ruined Gothic abbey with which to block the view of his brother's house nearby. They had quarrelled and he was jealous of his brother's house.
Further afield is the Fore Tour, a 35 mile sign posted drive north of Mullingar, starting and finishing in the town. It encompasses Tullynally Castle and Gardens (open from 2 to 6 p.m.). The Gothic Revival Castle, built in the 17th century but substantially remodelled, has been lived in by the Pakenhams for over 300 years. The 30 acre gardens include woodland and a walled garden, as well as two ornamental lakes. Guided tours are available and a tearoom is open at weekends.
Another stop on the Fore Tour is the picturesque Benedictine Fore Abbey, parts of which date back to the 13th century.
. DID YOU KNOW?
James Joyce lived in Mullingar for a brief period in 1900, when his father was stationed there to work on the local registers. Mullingar crops up in several of Joyce's books, including Stephen Hero, Ulysses and Finnegans Wake.
. WHERE'S THE LOO?
There are public toilets in the town park and a superloo outside the park.
. HOW TO GET THERE:
By car take the N4 from Dublin.
By train from Connolly Station, Dublin, there are four trains a day to Sligo, all stopping at Mullingar.
By bus from Busaras in Dublin, five buses go to Mullingar on a daily basis.
