History tour ‘Emergency Town: Mullingar and World War II’

Emergency Town: Mullingar and World War II on Sunday August 29 at 3pm from the Market House; adults €5, children free; guide Ruth Illingworth; booking 087 947 2583; ruthillingworthmullingar@gmail.com.

This tour will explore what life was like in Mullingar during the Second World War, known in Ireland as The Emergency. Many local men served in the Local Fence Force (LDF) and the Local Security Force (LSF), supporting the army and the garda. The military barracks, which had all but closed up in the 1930s, re-opened and was soon full to capacity. Roads were trenched and bridges mined in case of foreign invasions and the cathedral grounds were turned over to food production. There were blackouts and rationing. Places visited on the tour will include the cathedral grounds, the Parochial Hall and the site of the military recruitment office.

Columb Barracks tour on Monday August 30 at 3pm; adults €5, children free – meet at barracks gate (booking as above). Columb Barracks is one of the most historical areas of Mullingar. A military base for two centuries, it has connections to conflicts ranging from the Napoleonic Wars to WWII and from the Second Afghan War to the Siege of Jadotville. Famous visitors to the barracks included Michael Collins and William Carleton. This tour will explore the rich history and heritage of the complex, including stories of executions, ghosts and the longest lease in history.