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Mullingar (Irish: An Muileann gCearr - "The Crooked Mill") is the administrative centre of County Westmeath, Ireland and the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Meath. The town and its hinterland have a combined population of some 20,000 inhabitants.

The town had a proud tradition of cattle-trading up until 2003, when its cattle market was finally closed for development of a mixed commercial and residental scheme called the Market Point. The fame of the fine beasts to be seen at the Mullingar marts spawned the popular Irish phrase "beef to the heels like a Mullingar heifer" (an unkind remark about ladies with less than slender legs).

Mullingar is also famous for the neighbouring lakes, Lough Owel and Lough Ennell, which attract many anglers. In recent times one of Mullingar's major exports has become the items of fine pewterware produced by the firm of Mullingar Pewter located near the town.

Transport

Mullingar lies on national primary route N4, the main Dublin - Sligo road, 79 km (49 miles) from the capital. The town is also served by national rail company Iarnród Éireann's Dublin - Sligo InterCity trains and Arrow commuter services (see Rail transport in Ireland) aswell as by a Bus Éireann service to Dublin and Athlone where passengers can catch connecting buses.

The town currently suffers from heavy afternoon traffic partially caused by a lack of off-street parking (there is currently an underground carpark in construction to help solve this problem). The town is bypassed and a ring road is in construction also in a bid to aliviat traffic. A new road to Athlone is also in the planning stages.

In the 19th century the town was served for a time by the Royal Canal - however displaced first by the railway and then the car, it is no longer commercially used for the transport of goods or people.

Industry

Mullingar contains several industrial estates including Lough Sheever Corperate Park and the Lynn Industrial estate. Two of the towns major manufacturing plants - Penn tennis balls and Tarket - both closed in the early 2000's causing many job losses. However new industrys have absorbed the job losses - including Fox Electronics and Mullingar Pewter which are both sizeable operations. The town is also home to a Van Nelly (Ireland) tobacoo factory which has provided employment for many years. The town recently lost out when a major retailer Lidl decided not to locate its national distribution center in the town. There is currently talk of building an IDA Business Park in the town.

Tourism

Mullingars main tourist attractions are its lakes - Lough Owel and Lough Ennell - which are popular among anglers - and Belvedere House and Gardens which is heavily promoted for its beauty. The town has several hotels - the Greville Arms Hotel, Bloomfield House Hotel and the 4 star Park Hotel which houses a conference center among others.

Notable citizens and buildings

• Mullingar is the home town of the well-known singer Joe Dolan and of Michael O'Leary, the CEO of Ryanair.

• Mullingar's most famous building is the cathedral of Christ the King, the cathedral of the Diocese of Meath.

External links

• Mullingar Pewter (http://www.mullingarpewter.com)
• Mullingar Chamber of Commerce (http://www.mullingar-chamber.ie/)