The ease of access to watersports is just one ofthe things that makes County Westmeath soappealing. Its location also makes it excellently placed for exploring the restof the country, and towns such as Athlone,Mullingar,Delvin,Kilbegganand Finnea offer much to explore in terms of culture, history andentertainment.
Travellingto County Westmeath
Although surrounded by rich rural landscapes andnatural beauty, County Westmeath is still only 61miles away from Dublin Airport. With over 50 different airlines serving 175European and international destinations, and flights landing and taking offevery day of the year except Christmas day, Dublin Airport offers a gateway to CountyWestmeath from the rest of the world.
Once you’ve landed at the airport, the heart of thecounty is just an hour and 10 minutes away by road.
Attractionsin County Westmeath
If you’re interested in history, architecture, thentwo of the historical gardens in the county are sure to delight. BelvedereHouse and Gardens, located close to the shores of Lough Ennell, offthe N52, is a beautifully restored Georgian villa set in 160 acres of parkland.As well as the beauty of the house and gardens themselves, Belvedere stagesevents throughout the year, including weekend music festivals, open air theatreperformances and special events to mark Christmas and Halloween.
TullynallyCastle and Gardens is located in rural splendour between LoughDerravaragh and LoughLeane. It was built in the 17th century and is home to the Pakenhamfamily to this very day. As well as the chance to admire the buildings andgrounds, a visit to the castle includes a tour of a unique collection ofhistoric artworks and furniture and a genuine Victorian kitchen and gardens.
Unlike most castles, Tullynally also has its own distillery,the LockesDistillery Museum. This produced whiskey between 1757 and 1957, andis thought to be the oldest of its kind in the world.
Events inCounty Westmeath
The Athlone Agri Show and Festival takes placeevery June in Athlone and is, ostensibly, a chance to learn something about theplace that agriculture and farming occupies in Irish life. It is a lot more funthan it sounds, however as well as the livestock on display, you can enjoypony rides, watch show jumping, peruse traditional Irish arts and crafts, takea ride at the funfair and tuck into some delicious, freshly prepared food anddrink.
If you want to soak up some of the culture forwhich Ireland is famed, then look out for the RTE All Ireland Drama Festival,which takes place in Athlone at the end of April and the first week of May.This celebration of amateur dramatics groups brings together companies from allover Ireland to battle it out for the grand prize. The plays on offer areaugmented by performances of music, dancing, poetry and dance.
