11 - MidlandsIreland.ie
Transcription
11 - MidlandsIreland.ie
Guide The MidlandsIreland.ie brand promotes awareness of the Midland Region across four pillars of Living, Learning, Tourism and Enterprise. MidlandsIreland.ie Gateway to Tourism has produced this digital guide to the Midland Region, as part of suite of initiatives in line with the adopted Brand Management Strategy 20112016. The guide has been produced in collaboration with public and private service providers based in the region. MidlandsIreland.ie would like to acknowledge and thank those that helped with research, experiences and images. The guide contains 11 sections which cover, Angling, Festivals, Golf, Walking, Creative Community, Our Past – Our Pleasure, Active Midlands, Towns and Villages, Driving Tours, Eating Out and Accommodation. The guide showcases the wonderful natural assets of the Midlands, celebrates our culture and heritage and invites you to discover our beautiful region. All sections are available for download on the MidlandsIreland.ie Content: Images and text have been provided courtesy of Áras an Mhuilinn, Athlone Art & Heritage Limited, Athlone, Institute of Technology, Ballyfin Demense, Belvedere House, Gardens & Park, Bord na Mona, CORE, Failte Ireland, Lakelands & Inland Waterways, Laois Local Authorities, Laois Sports Partnership, Laois Tourism, Longford Local Authorities, Longford Tourism, Mullingar Arts Centre, Offaly Local Authorities, Westmeath Local Authorities, Inland Fisheries Ireland, Kilbeggan Distillery, Kilbeggan Racecourse, Office of Public Works, Swan Creations, The Gardens at Ballintubbert, The Heritage at Killenard, Waterways Ireland and the Wineport Lodge. Individual contributions include the work of James Fraher, Kevin Byrne, Andy Mason, Kevin Monaghan, John McCauley and Tommy Reynolds. Disclaimer: While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy in the information supplied no responsibility can be accepted for any error, omission or misinterpretation of this information. Where such are brought to our attention future guides will be amended accordingly. 11 DRIVING TOURS 11 Driving Tours Laois For further information or a copy of Laois Heritage Trail booklet contact: Laois Tourism, Lyster Square, Portlaoise, County Laois. s +353 (0)57 8664132 info@laoistourism.ie www.laoistourism.ie or www.laois.ie/heritage Donaghmore This tour follows the Heritage Trail of Laois and starts in Donaghmore. Visitors to the Donaghmore Workhouse and Agricultural Museum see the rooms of an Irish workhouse almost exactly as they appeared in the late 1800s. The Donaghmore Workhouse was built to house the most desperate people of County Laois. Paid for by a tax on local property owners, the workhouse was deliberately made as unattractive as possible so that its only residents would be those who had lost all hope. From Donaghmore take the R435 to Borris-inOssory, turning right along the N7, followed by the R434 to Aghaboe: Aghaboe Abbey was founded in the sixth century by St. Canice. The abbey grew into a major centre of learning, commerce and agriculture. The astronomer St. Virgilius, also known as St. Feargal, was its abbot in the 700s before he left Ireland, going on to become Bishop of Salzburg. After the original monastery burned in 1234, it was rebuilt as an Augustinian priory. Today a Church of Ireland, which dates from the 1700s, stands where that priory once stood. 2 From Aghaboe continue along the R434 to Durrow: The great oak forests that once covered ancient Ireland gave Durrow its name, which comes from Daurmagh Ua nDuach, or the Oak Plain of the people known as the Uí Duach. The way Durrow looks today is largely due to the Flower Family, Viscounts Ashbrook, who gained ownership of the town in the early 1700s. They built Castle Durrow and granted permits for many of the fine Georgian and Victorian houses that still line Durrow’s streets. From Durrow take the N77 to Attanagh: The Irish Fly Fishing and Game Shooting Museum in Attanagh explores 300 years of hunting and fishing in Ireland. It is a treat for anyone interested in country life. The museum was founded in 1986 by Walter Phelan, who comes from a family devoted to fishing. He has restored and adapted a traditional farmhouse to house a collection of vintage rods, reels, guns, tackle, tools and specimens of birds and fish. From Attanagh travel to Ballinakill Heywood Gardens is the site of two garden types: the great park created by Frederick Trench in the late 1700s and the small interlocked formal gardens created by Sir Edwin Lutyens and Gertrude Jekyll in the early 1900s. Inspired by Trench’s Grand Tour of Europe, he moved hills, dug lakes, planted trees and placed follies. In the early 1900s, Colonel Hutchenson Poe hired the eminent architect Sir Edwin Lutyens to create formal gardens around Heywood House. 11 Driving Tours From Ballinakill take the R432 to Abbeyleix: The original town of Abbeyleix grew up near the River Nore, on the site of an early Christian abbey. The town developed under the protection of a twelfth century Cistercian monastery. When the de Vesci family acquired Abbeyleix in 1750, they decided that the town would have to move. The de Vescis levelled the old town of Abbeyleix and moved its people to a new planned town. Abbeyleix prospered in its new location. Over the next century the main industries included flour mills, a brewery, and a factory that made carpets used all over the world, including on the luxury liner Titanic. From Abbeyleix take the R432 through Ballyroan and travel to Timahoe: An extraordinary carved doorway makes this the most elegant round tower in Ireland. Carvings of human heads, with flowing beards and moustaches, decorate the main entrance, about five metres from the ground. Smaller carvings decorate a second storey window. No one knows why the monks at Timahoe carved such a beautiful doorway. They may have used it to display a sacred relic to pilgrims, or the elegant decoration could reflect the monastery buildings that have disappeared from this site. 3 11 Driving Tours From Timahoe travel to Stradbally: The Stradbally Steam Museum celebrates the steam engines that once ruled Ireland’s railways, built its roads and worked its farms. Inside the museum, visitors can see a variety of steam-driven engines. The collection includes the Mann Steam Cart, built in 1918. This small steam traction engine cleared and ploughed land. The Fowler, another steam traction engine, built in 1936, was used in roadworks and to power stone crushers. From Stradbally take the N80 towards Portlaoise to the Rock of Dunamase: Stunning views of the surrounding countryside make the towering Rock of Dunamase a strategic place to build a fortress. Through the centuries, warriors have fought to control this limestone outcrop. The first known settlement on the rock was Dun Masc, an early Christian settlement that was pillaged in 842 by the Vikings. Today the ruins on the Rock of Dunamase are managed by the State. Archaeological excavation and conservation work by the Office of Public Works have ensured that the Rock of Dunamase will survive for further generations to explore. 4 From the Rock Of Dunamase continue on the N80 followed by the N7 to Emo: Emo Court is a country villa designed by architect James Gandon (1743-1823), best known for his great public buildings, including the Custom House and the Four Courts in Dublin. The house is a magnificent example of the neo-Classical style, reflecting the architecture of ancient Greece and Rome. The house is surrounded by beautiful gardens and parkland which were first laid out in the 18th century and contain formal lawns, a lake and woodland walks with many very fine trees and shrubs. From Emo travel initially on the R422 towards Mountmellick, turning onto the R419 to Portarlington: In the late 17th and early 18th centuries, Portarlington was the Paris of the Midlands, a place where French, rather than Irish or English, was spoken on the streets. French Huguenots, escaping persecution in their native land, shaped the culture and the architecture of this bustling Midlands town. Today visitors can view houses built in the Huguenot style on French Street and Patrick Street. 11 Driving Tours From Portarlington take the R423 to Mountmellick: Once known as the Manchester of Ireland, Mountmellick is a town of fine buildings and the home of a uniquely Irish textile art, Mountmellick Work. The foundation of the town was laid by members of the Society of Friends, also known as Quakers. In 1659, William Edmundson settled in Mountmellick and started a tannery. Other Quakers set up malting, brewing, spinning and weaving enterprises. Weaving became one of the town’s major industries. By the mid1700s, Mountmellick was a leading centre of textile production in Ireland. Today, a fine community-run museum displays examples of Mountmellick Work. From Mountmellick travel to Mountrath taking the N80 initially followed by the R423. In Mountrath take the R440 towards Camross: Poet’s cottage is a replica thatched cottage which gives visitors a sense of what daily life must have been like for most people in rural Ireland in the 1800s. Ireland’s cottages evolved over centuries. While each community had its own variations, most cottages were one storey high and one room wide. The windows and doors were located on the side walls, with a chimney stack along the roof. The walls of the cottage were built of local stone or mud; the roof was thatched with reeds or straw. 5 11 Driving Tours Longford This tour starts from Ballinamuck in County Longford on the R198: Ballinamuck is a small picturesque village in County Longford close to the Cavan and Leitrim borders. It boasts the unique way of country life that is so often sought. The landscape of the region with its gently rolling drumlin hills and valleys was formed by the retreating ice of the last glaciations. The boglands forests and pastures in the region form a rich countryside tapestry in hues of brown and green. Ballinamuck is a haven for fishermen, with its multitude of lakes and its proximity to the River Shannon situated 13 km away. Ballinamuck Visitors Centre is located in the historic former R.I.C. Barracks there is a lively exhibition which gives details of the Year of the French and the Battle of Ballinamuck in 1798. Access to the centre should be arranged prior to visiting. From Ballinamuck travel on the R198 to Drumlish The village of Drumlish is west of a ridge of low hills running north-eastwards from Newtownforbes to Arva in County Cavan. A famous episode of the Land War took place in Drumlish which is documented in the book “The Land War in Drumlish”. The village is the starting point for the climb of Cairn Hill, also known as Carn Hill or Corn Hill, which derives its name from the two cairns, or passage tombs, located near the summit. It is a pleasant climb and there are extensive views over the surrounding countryside. From Drumlish travel to Longford Town: The county town on the banks of the River Camlin is easily accessible from the main N4 Dublin-Sligo road and N5 Dublin-Castlebar road. It is a progressive town and the county administrative centre. The town is spaciously laid out with wide streets and pleasant buildings, with good quality restaurants, pubs and boutiques. St. Mel’s Cathedral is the principal landmark in the town, constructed of locally-sourced limestone in the Neo-Classical style, and its lofty campanile or bell tower may be seen from many points in the surrounding countryside. The cathedral is currently closed for extensive conservation works. The courthouse on Main Street is one of the oldest buildings in the town and was erected in 1792. The oldest building in Longford town is believed to be the old Market House, within the grounds of the former Connolly Barracks, possibly dating to the seventeenth century. 6 11 Driving Tours From Longford Town travel on the N63 on to Lanesborough: Lanesborough is situated on the River Shannon at the northern end of Lough Ree. The town derives its name from the Lane family. George Lane was granted large tracts of land in the area. From Lanesborough travel towards Ballymahon, visiting Keenagh Village en route: While in Keenagh, visit the Corlea Trackway Visitors Centre which houses an Iron Age oak road and is surrounded by a fine bog with rare and beautiful flora and fauna. From Keenagh travel to Ballymahon: Ballymahon is a picturesque town situated on the River Inny and has many associations with writers Oliver Goldsmith and John Keegan “Leo” Casey. Places of architectural interest nearby include Newcastle House, Castlecor House, with its unusual octagonal hall and Ledwithstown House built by architect Richard Cassels in 1728. From Ballymahon take the N55 to Ardagh: The village of Ardagh lies to the south east of Longford town and has given its name to the diocese: Ardagh and Clonmacnoise. From Ardagh take the N55 to Edgeworthstown: Edgeworthstown is a rapidly growing town located on the N4. The town has a long association with the celebrated Edgeworth family. The Edgeworth family vault, in which members of the Edgeworth family including, Richard Lovell Edgeworth and his daughter Maria, the well-known novelist are interred, is located in the churchyard of St John’s Church of Ireland churchyard. The churchyard is also the burial place of Isola, sister of Oscar Wilde. 7 11 Driving Tours From Edgeworthstown travel on the N55 to Granard: Granard is a typical Irish market town with a market house and the sites of an historic butter market and cornmarket. Its most distinguishing feature is its motte, known locally as “the moat”, reputed to be the highest motte in Ireland. On the summit of the motte stands a large statue of Saint Patrick. St. Mary’s Church, adjacent to the motte is also an important landmark in the town, and its spire is a landmark which may be seen from miles around. A charter was granted to Granard in 1678, along with the privilege of returning two members to the Irish Parliament. During the War of Independence, Granard was the scene of many engagements. Granard was the home of Kitty Kiernan, girlfriend of Michael Collins, who visited the Kiernan family often. 8 From Granard travel to Abbeylara: Beside the village of Abbeylara stands the remains of a thirteenth century Cistercian Abbey founded by Richard deTuite, the Anglo Norman lord who built the motte at Granard. A semi circular earthwork north of the village is regarded locally as the site of the original church founded here by St Patrick about 460AD. From the shore of Lough Kinale, northeast of Abbeylara, parts of the ancient defensive earthwork known as the Black Pigs Dyke extends north-westwards towards the shore of Lough Gowna and on into County Cavan. In the parish of Abbeylara there are two well preserved remains of a stone circle. Lough Kinale is also the site of an important Bronze Age settlement. The lake, along with the neighbouring lake Derragh Lough are protected Special Protection Area, due to the wealth of migratory wild birds found here. 11 Driving Tours Offaly The starting point of this tour is Tullamore, which is on the N80 & N52 routes: Tullamore is the county town and is situated in the centre of the county. It is a vibrant, progressive town and is recognised as a major shopping centre for the midlands. It was the home of Irish Mist Liquor and Tullamore Dew, a fine whiskey. The Tullamore Dew Heritage Centre charts the growth and development of the town, tracing the part the whiskey industry played in that development. The Grand Canal is a valuable and attractive amenity to the town. The canal reached Tullamore in 1798. The Heritage Centre exhibition traces the development of the canal and its impact on the growth of Tullamore in the nineteenth century and early twentieth century. About a mile to the south of the town on the N52 is Charleville Forest Demesne. Charleville Castle is considered to be the finest and most spectacular early nineteenth century, gothicrevival building in Ireland. There are a number of ancient oak-trees in the grounds. The castle is occasionally open to the public, check hours in advance. The parkland is in private ownership. From Tullamore travel the N80 to Clara: As you approach Clara you will drive through a cut in a snake like ridge of gravel, this is one of the eskers which are such an important part of Offaly’s landscape. They were formed by deposition of stone sand and gravel when the ice cap was retreating after the last Ice Age around 10,000 years ago. Clara town has a long industrial tradition; however it is also a place abounding with nature. The Gageborough River joins the Brosna a mile downstream of Clara, County Offaly. The trout stocks and fishing conditions are much the same as on the Tullamore Silver River. The best of the trout fishing is in the three miles upstream of the confluence. Clara also has one of the few large raised midland bogs remaining substantially intact. The Clara Bog visitor centre opened in 2011 and is run by the National Parks and Wildlife Service. It is free and located on the R436 towards Ferbane. It shares a building with Offaly Branch Library. They run a number of events so check with Claraguides@environ.ie. For those interested in walks in the area there is a circular walk through eskers and on a trackway through the bog located on the N80 into Clara directions from the Visitor Centre. 9 11 Driving Tours From Clara travel the R436 to Ballycumber & on to Ferbane: In Ballycumber there is a statue of a pilgrim. This was erected by the local community to mark the fact that from here to Clonmacnoise is one of the early routes taken by pilgrims going to Clonmacnoise. After approx. 10km at Lemanaghan there is an old school house on your right and a ruined medieval church and graveyard on your left. You can park at the entrance to the graveyard or to the rear of the school house. This is the early Christian site of St Manchan and there is an information board in the graveyard. Behind the graveyard is a holy well, a stone togher or path to an early Christian oratory. The 12th century shrine from Lemanaghan is now on public display north of Lemanaghan in Boher church (return towards Ballycumber and take the first turn left to arrive at Boher for a short and very worthwhile detour). The junction at Lemanaghan also marks the end of the Offaly Way and there is a walkway to Boher across the bog. Situated on the River Brosna, Ferbane is a town which has prospered through peat development and electricity generation by State agencies. Other industries include engineering, printing and vehicle bodybuilding. However Ferbane is rich in heritage and was once held by the McCoghlans, who were chieftains. They built many castles in the Ferbane area and were known in that era as the MacCoghlans of the Fair Castles. 10 11 Driving Tours From Ferbane travel the N62 to Ballinahowen & the R444 to Clonmacnoise: Clonmacnoise is an early Christian site founded by St Ciaran in the sixth century on the banks of the River Shannon. The site includes the ruins of a Cathedral, eight Churches (tenth thirteenth century), two Round Towers, three High Crosses and a large collection of early Christian graves. The original High Crosses and some of the grave slabs are on display in the visitor centre. There is an audio-visual show as well as a number of exhibitions. Adjacent to the site is the spectacular ruins of the 12th century Anglo Norman castle, showing that politics and religion were closely linked to key locations. From Clonmacnoise travel to Shannonbridge on the R444: Leaving Clonmacnoise the river Shannon is on your right. The Clonmacnoise Holy Well is about 1 km from the main site. Shannonbridge is well-known for its bars and music. Shannonbridge pottery has a shop on the main street which stocks the pottery President Barack Obama purchased on his visit to Moneygall in May 2011. This area is renowned for bream, rudd and hybrids and has outstanding potential for the coarse angler 11 11 Driving Tours Westmeath Outlined in this section are two driving trails, the Belvedere Trail and Fore Trail. The Lough Ree Trail is another driving tour which incorporates the counties of Westmeath, Longford and Roscommon. It starts in Athlone and travels around Lough Ree through the villages of Ballykeeran and Glasson in County Westmeath towards County Longford where the trail passes through Ballymahon, Newtowncashel, Keenagh, Lanesborough and on to Longford town. From Longford the trail take you back to the Shannon at Clondra and Tarmonbarry and into County Roscommon to the towns of Strokestown and Roscommon. From Roscommon town the trail returns to Athlone passing through the villages of Knockcroghery and Lecarrow. For information on this trail please contact: Discover Ireland Centre, Market House, Market Square, Mullingar, County Westmeath +353 (0) 44 9348650 eastandmidlandsinfo@ failteireland.ie 12 The Belvedere Trail The Starting Point for the Belvedere Trail is Mullingar Town. Mullingar town is noted for is interesting buildings, to mention a few, the Railway Station, Columb Barracks, Masonic Hall, the Old Infirmary, Clonard House, and the Market House where the Tourist Information office is housed. Another fine building is the Cathedral of Christ the King. The town is surrounded by the Royal Canal and due to its proximity to many lakes it is aptly named the Capital of the Lakelands and is an angler’s dream. From Mullingar travel the N52, the Tullamore Road where you will pass Belvedere House Gardens & Park. Belvedere is situated on the shores of Lough Ennell and it is connected with a wealth of stories about the Anglo-Irish gentry and the imprisonment of Mary Molesworth by her husband. Visitors to Belvedere can do a tour of the house which was designed in the 1740s as a fishing and hunting lodge for Robert Rochfort and see a glimpse of the upstairs down stairs life of the mid eighteenth 11 Driving Tours century. See the Jealous Wall and Follies such as the Gothic Arch, octagonal gazebo and icehouse. Visit the walled garden and explore one hundred and sixty acres of parkland. From Belvedere follow the signposts to Lilliput. Lilliput was named after Jonathan Swift, who published Gulliver’s Travels in 1726. Swift was the Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin and was a regular visitor to Westmeath. He stayed with the Rochfort family at Gaulstown House, which was located on the MilltownpassRochfortbridge road close to Belvedere. Swift looked across the expanse of Lough Ennell one day and saw people on the other side of the lake. It is said this is what inspired him to write about the Lilliputians in Gulliver’s Travels. At Lilliput there is an adventure centre where people can do activities such as: canoeing, kayaking, orienteering, archery and hill walking. Lough Ennell is a premier brown trout lake. The largest brown trout ever caught in Ireland was caught at Lough Ennell. It weighed an amazing 26lbs 2oz. It is now on display at Belvedere House Visitors Centre. On the N52 follow signs for Kilbeggan. From Kilbeggan you have the option of travelling to Tyrellspass, which is five miles east of Kilbeggan. Take the N52 to Tyrellspass. 13 11 Driving Tours Alternatively travel the N6 to Horseleap and on to Moate. Moate takes its name from the Motte & Bailey erected by the Normans in 1180. Moate owes its later development to the Quaker community. They established a number of industries in the eighteenth century. Today Moate is a bustling market town. Dún na Sí Heritage Park is the genealogy research centre for County Westmeath. Included at the centre are horse drawn farm machinery, a hedge school, portal dolmen and an early Christian ring fort. The centre also has a picnic area and a souvenir and coffee shop. Dún na Sí holds evening seisúns or céilís. There is music song, dance and storytelling. From Moate travel the Ballymore Road. Since the Middle Ages markets and fairs were held at Ballymore. Norman evaders erected a Motte and bailey at Ballymore and administered the county from there. Around Ballymore are remains of castles, convents and monasteries. In 1691 the fort at Ballymore was the site of a major battle between two armies the Jacobite’s and the Williamites. From Ballymore travel to Mullingar on the R390 where you will pass the Hill of Uisneach. The Celts herded cattle here and held ritual assemblies on the Hill of Uisneach, which is close by. Uisneach was an ancient Druidic sanctuary and assembly for the May time festival. It was a royal residence in the second century A.D. The Catstone a large rock on the hill marks the meeting point of the five provinces of ancient Ireland. This site is privately owned. 14 The Fore Trail The starting point for the Fore trail is Mullingartravel the R394. You will pass Mullingar Hospital. On your left you will see St Mary’s Hospital, which was opened in 1841 as a Workhouse. This building accommodated eight hundred people. Continuing on the main road the trail veers right taking the road to Collinstown. There is an area known as The Cut by locals, which has a slipway, picnic area, toilets and a car park. To your left you will see the Rugby Club. This was formerly the Cullen Estate, which was once owned by the Duke of Mecklenberg. Further along this road on the right hand side you will see the gates of Knockdrin Castle. The castle is still occupied but is not open to the public. On your left hand side in the distance you will notice the spire of a church. This is a restored church, which houses the Belfry restaurant. This was once St Mary’s Church. The families of the nearby estates of Knockdrin Castle and Ballynagall House built it in 1824. As you pass along this road you will be impressed by mature trees and stonewalls bordering the estate. Continue until you come to the village of Crookedwood. Continuing on straight from Crookedwood towards Castlepollard you will see Lough Derravaragh. Lough Derravaragh featured in the famous Legend called Children of Lir. There is an information point and resting area on a little further. As you descend a hill there is a lane way to the left that will bring you to the lakeshore. 11 Driving Tours Continuing on the main road the trail veers right taking the road to Collinstown. Barbavilla House & Estate is on your right as you go into Collinstown village. It was once home to the Smyths and is now an industrial complex. Collinstown is just beside Lough Lene. There is an area known as “The Cut” by locals, which has a slipway, picnic area, toilets and a car park. The Gaelic name for Collinstown is Baile na gCailleach meaning town of the veiled women. In the early Christian Era, they lived in the area so the town was named after them. There are many ring forts in the locality. Detour: To Delvin Clonmellon Delvin Castle in the village of Delvin was built in 1184 by Gilbert de Nugent. The old Castle at Clonyn was the second castle built on this site by the Nugents. Richard Nugent destroyed the first castle when Cromwell was approaching. The present castle is now surrounded by an 18hole golf course. In 1918 Brinsley Mc Namara, a local, wrote a well-known book called The Valley of the Squinting Windows. There is also a Motte at the end of the village. This was built by Hugh de Lacy in 1181. Leaving Delvin via the N52 you will see Ballinlough Castle on your right six miles from Delvin. Continue straight on and you will come to the village of Clonmellon. This village on the Westmeath/Meath border is close to Killua Castle and is reputed to be the birthplace of Laurence of Arabia. Situated close by is a monument commemorating the introduction of the potato into Ireland by Sir Walter Raleigh. 15 11 Driving Tours From Collinstown Village travel to Fore Village The village of Fore is in a valley between two hills. Here you will see the ancient ruins of a Christian monastery. Fore is the town of the springs and was named after St Fechin’s spring, which is beside the old church. It was St Fechin who founded the ancient Fore Abbey around 630 A.D. By 665 A.D. (the time of the yellow plague) there were three hundred monks living in the community. Between 771 and 1169 A.D. Fore was burnt 12 times. The Fore Abbey is famous for its seven wonders: 1. The monastery in the bog; 2. The mill without a race; 3. The water that flows uphill; 4. The tree that has three branches or the tree that will not burn; 5. The water that will not boil; 6. The anchorite in a stone; 7. The stone or lintel raised by St Fechin’s prayers. 16 An important aspect of Fore is the Fore Crosses one of which is in the village of Fore. There are eighteen crosses; some crosses are plain whilst others are carved. They are spread out over seven miles on roadways and in fields and bare witness to religious persecution during penal times. Above Lough Lene is Slieveboy Hill and Gallagher’s Moteens which are Bronze Age graves. These are Cist graves, which succeeded the communal burial chambers of the New Stone Age. 11 Driving Tours From Fore travel to Castlepollard This village was built in the late seventeenth– early eighteenth century by the Pollard family, which explains where the village got its name. Castlepollard has a museum with the display of home and farm artefacts. There are two churches called St. Michaels, the Catholic Church dates from 1806 and the Church of Ireland was built in 1821. There are several tablets for the Pollards and other families in the vicinity of the church. The town square once known as the fair green has a sculpture of Children of Lir. There is a ruin of an old church called Kilafree (1672 – 1818) in the town. This holds burial vaults of the Pollards. From Castlepollard travel the Coole Road On this road you will pass Tullynally Castle & Gardens, home of the Pakenhams who are Earls of Longford since the seventeenth century. This is now one of the largest Castles in Ireland still lived in as a family home. The Castle is open to the public during the summer months. From Tullynally Castle travel to Coole village. You will see a hospital on the left which was an Orthopaedic Hospital for children until 1981. The church dates from 1841 and Turbotstown House across the road is about two hundred years old. It was the home of the Dease family. Turn left at the crossroads near Coole Hall. Keep right at the next junction and continue for Multyfarnham. You will travel through moorland and forest and reach the village of Multyfarnham. Multyfarnham has a seven hundred-year-old Franciscan Friary and extensive gardens with life size Stations of the Cross. The stained glass windows depict the burning of the Abbey in 1601, a priest holding a secret mass and the legend of the Children of Lir. The tabernacle is a millstone with a copper ear of wheat. This symbolises the bread of life. One mile east of the village a roadway leads to the Donore Shore of Lough Derravaragh where a modern Caravan & Camping Park is located. This is a great area for boating, fishing, swimming & walking. Detour: Mullaghmeen Forest is a state forest and provides 22.5 km of roadway for the walker. It leads to the highest point in Westmeath (849ft.) From the Rock of Curry you go straight to come to Mullaghmeen. Carrick Craft is situated in Mountnugent, which is close to Finea. There is a visitor’s centre here and a basketry museum, which exhibits traditional baskets made from rod, rush and straw. Craft workshops are available here from time to time. 17 11 Driving Tours From Multyfarnham travel to Mullingar. You will come to a junction with a pub called the Covert on your left. There is a lake across the road called Ballinafid, which has a fishing platform. Turn left at this junction 3 km on further you will see a breathtaking view of Lough Owel at Portnashangan, which will be on your right. You will see several small islands. The largest of these islands is called Church Island. There was 18 once a monastery settlement here. The ruins still remain. The last burial on the island was in 1830. If the water level decreases substantially a causeway out to the island can be seen under the water. There is a sculpture in the car park of the Children of Lir. A pathway leads down a slope across a railway bridge and down to the lakeshore. The railway line will be on your right as you continue on for Mullingar. MidlandsIreland.ie MidlandsIreland.ie Bridge Centre, Bridge Street Bridge Centre, Bridge Street Tullamore, County Offaly Tullamore, County Offaly + 353 (0) 57 93 52996/7 T: + 353 (0) 57E: info@midlandsireland.ie 93 52996/7 www.midlandsireland.ie E: info@midlandsireland.ie www.midlandsireland.ie