COUNTY WESTMEATH

(Redirected from Westmeath)

'County Westmeath' () is a county situated in the Irish midlands, also popularly called the "Lake county" and the "great county" in the western part of the province of Leinster. Area: 1,764 km². The county was once part of the ancient province of Meath and later of County Meath. This association ended in 1543 when County Westmeath was created under the Counties of Meath and Westmeath Act.
Mullingar with a population 18,529 is the county administrative centre, and has the largest urban population of the county. Athlone (population 16,888), Mote, Kilbeggan, and Castlepollard are also important commerce and marketing centres within the county.
Economy:
Westmeath has traditionally been an agricultural economy. Urban development centred on market centres like Mullingar, Moate, and Kinnegad. Athlone developed due to its critical military significance in the 1500s, as it was located located where the main East-West route crossed the Shannon. Mullingar got considerable advantage from the development of the Royal Canal making possible bulk transport to Dublin, and the sea. Both Athlone and Mullingar developed further in significance with the construction of the Irish railway network.
After the famine the population of Westmeath dropped dramatically, and never recoverd until the late 1950s. Agriculture has always been important in Westmeath, and the county is renowned for its cattle production.
Tourism in Westmeath is centred on its water amenities. The county has lakes such as Lough Derravaragh, Lough Ennell, Lough Lene, Lough Owel and Lough Ree. Both the Grand Canal,and the Royal Canal go through Westmeath, and the Shannon (Ireland's key tourism waterway) has a considerable inland harbour in Athlone.
The development of industry in Westmeath was based on food processing and consumer products. Whiskey production in Kilbeggan, tobacco processing in Mullingar, and the meat trade were prominent. In reccent times, the drug company élan has located in Athlone. The district to the East of Mullingar is now part of the commuter belt serving the technology parks on the western side of Dublin, proving popular with people who wish to work in Leixlip, County Kildare.
Notable Westmeath people include Michael O'Leary the CEO of Ryanair, Joe Dolan, broadcaster Marian Finiucane, and Nuala Holloway, former Miss Ireland, model and actress, now artist and academic.
Westmeath's main achievements in Gaelic Games were winning the Leinster Senior Football Championship, or Delaney Cup, in 2004, and winning the Christy Ring Cup in hurling in 2005.
According to the ''Irish Independent'', 12 December 2006, Westmeath is the goat capital of Ireland, with five times as many goats as Kerry.

Contents

Towns and villages in Westmeath

Infrastructure

Images

External links

Towns and villages in Westmeath

★ Athlone

★ Castlepollard, Castletown-Geoghegan, Collinstown, Coole

★ Delvin

★ Finnea, Fore Abbey

★ Glasson

★ Horseleap

★ Kilbeggan, Killucan, Kinnegad, Knockdrin

★ Moate, Mullingar, Multyfarnham

★ Raharney, Rochfortbridge, Rosemount

★ Tang, Tyrrellspass

★ Midlands (ATM) Gateway
Westmeath is bordered by the counties of Cavan, Longford, Meath, Offaly and Roscommon.

Infrastructure

★ Midlands (ATM) Gateway

★ National Development Plan

★ Transport 21

★ Platform 11

Images

External links

★ Westmeath Census information

★ Westmeath Community Development

★ STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK FOR THE MIDLANDS GATEWAY; Census stastics page 27

★ Athlone Advertiser and Mullingar Advertiser local newspapers

★ Local job vacancy listings online

★ Westmeath County Council

★ Westmeath Tourism

★ Westmeath Enterprise

★ Westmeath Examiner (Local Newspaper)

★ Tullamore Life & Community

★ Westmeath Bands