Discover mullingars 7000 years of history

Seven thousand years of Mullingar history are to be outlined in a history walk taking place on Sunday May 17 at 3pm, hosted by historian Ruth Illingworth.

“Mullingar is a town with a rich and varied history going back thousands of years,” said Ruth this week.

While the town was founded by the Normans in the 1180s, people have lived in this part of Westmeath for up to 7,000 years.

“A millennium ago the High King of Ireland lived close to the town at the shores of Lough Ennell.

“St Patrick may have visited the Mullingar area and the Vikings had trading posts on Lough Ennell,” she says.

Ruth’s tour will take in the historic heart of Mullingar.

Places visited will include the county buildings, which stand on the site of what was once the Norman castle of Mullingar; All Saints church; the sites of the two monasteries of Norman Mullingar; the Cathedral; the Famine Memorial and St Mary’s Hall – where Patrick Pearse once spoke at a Gaelic League meeting.

“The only town in Ireland to be named after a miracle and the only Irish town outside Dublin to feature in the writings of James Joyce, Mullingar has a heritage worth remembering and celebrating,” says Ruth.

The tour will last two hours and is wheelchair accessible.

The tour departs from Market House and the cost for adults is €5, while for children, it is free, and further details are available from 087 947 2583.