Mullingar
 |
|
This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages)
|
| Mullingar
An Muileann gCearr
|
|
|---|---|
| Town | |
The Cathedral of Christ the King, May 2007
|
|
Mullingar
|
|
| Coordinates: 53°31′21″N 7°20′16″WCoordinates: 53°31′21″N 7°20′16″W | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Leinster |
| County | Westmeath |
| Government | |
| • Dáil Éireann | Longford–Westmeath |
| • Local authority | Westmeath County Council |
| Elevation | 101 m (331 ft) |
| Population (2016) | |
| • Total | 20,928 |
| Time zone | WET (UTC±0) |
| • Summer (DST) | IST (UTC+1) |
| Eircode routing key | N91 |
| Telephone area code | +353(0)44 |
| Irish Grid Reference | N425523 |
| Website | Official website |
| [show]Historical population |
|---|
The Counties of Meath and Westmeath Act (Henry VIII 34) of 1543, proclaimed Westmeath (which then included Longford which separated in 1586) a county, separating it from Meath. Mullingar became the administrative centre for County Westmeath. The town was originally named Maelblatha, and takes its modern name from a mill noted in the legend of Colman of Mullingar.[7]
Traditionally a market town serving the large agricultural hinterland, Mullingar remains a significant commercial location. It had a tradition of cattle-trading until 2003, when its cattle market was closed for development of a mixed commercial and residential scheme called Market Point. However, in 2014 the local County Council have allowed an annual Christmas Market to take place on Mount Street.
Mullingar has a number of neighbouring lakes, Lough Owel, Lough Ennell and Lough Derravaragh, which attract anglers.[citation needed] Lough Derravaragh is also known for its connection with the Irish legend of the Children of Lir. The town of Mullingar is linked to Lough Ennell via Lacy's Canal and the River Brosna. Another nearby waterway is the Royal Canal, which loops around Mullingar.
Contents
Local government and politics
Westmeath County Council is the local authority for Westmeath. The county council comprises two constituencies or “municipal districts”. Mullingar town is in the Mullingar Municipal District which comprises thirteen members.[8] The current mayor is Councillor Ken Glynn.The town is part of the Longford–Westmeath constituency for elections to Dáil Éireann.
There is a Chamber of Commerce in Mullingar, and Mullingar is one of the three towns that forms the Midlands Gateway [9] region, along with Athlone and Tullamore, set up as part of the Government’s National Spatial Strategy 2002–2020.
Tourism
Christ the King Cathedral at sunset
Mullingar's most notable building[citation needed] is the cathedral of Christ the King Mullingar, the cathedral of the Diocese of Meath. The Cathedral was dedicated on the day World War II broke out.
Columb Barracks, which closed in March 2012, was a military base which housed the 4th Field Artillery Regiment and the HQ of the 54 Reserve Field Artillery Regiment (Army Reserve). The 1916 Centenary Monument Green Bridge Mullingar was unveiled by Cllr Billy Collentine MCC on Easter Monday 2017. Mullingar Tidy Towns were the organisation that built this monument in memory of the 1916 Easter Rising.[citation needed]
1916 Monument
Economy
Among Mullingar's exports are items of pewterware produced by Mullingar Pewter.[10] Also associated with Mullingar is Genesis Fine Art, which produces gift items. The "Pilgrims" sculpture on Mullingar's Austin Friars Street, at which location there once stood an Augustinian Friary, was crafted by Genesis on foot of a commission by the Mullingar chapter of Soroptimists International.Mullingar's commercial sector has expanded in recent years[when?] from just a few shops on the town's main thoroughfares – Oliver Plunkett Street, Austin Friars Street, and Mount Street – to several major shopping areas. There is an out-of-town retail park at Lakepoint (about 1.6 km from the town centre), the Harbour Place Shopping Centre near the town centre, and a development at the Green – on the site of the former Avonmore and Penneys units.
The town has a mix of local retailers and chain stores, and branches of the major banks. The town also has one of the country's largest credit unions (St Colman's Credit Union)[citation needed].
A proposed development, named "Mullingar Central", was to have been located between Mount Street, the Railway station and Blackhall Street. Planning permission was granted for retail, commercial and residential units. Phase 1, which included tax offices, library, civic offices and County Council buildings was officially opened on 11 June 2009.[11] Phase 2 did not, however proceed.[12]
The Famine Memorial Fountain and a millstone, recalling the origin of the town's name
Castle Street is one of the town's high streets
Iralco,[17] an automotive component manufacturer, is located nearby in Collinstown. The town is home to a €25m Lidl warehouse and distribution centre. Mullingar is served by internet providers, and speeds of up to 240 Mbit/s are available in the town.[citation needed] As of April 2015, eircom Wholesale announced that by mid-2017, it would be able to offer ISPs the opportunity to purchase access to Fibre to the Home (FTTH) technology in Mullingar, as well as Athlone and Kinnegad, which will allow for speeds of up to 1,000 Mbs.[needs update][citation needed]
Mullingar has a Chamber of Commerce which represents almost 160 businesses from varying commercial sectors.[citation needed]
Transport
Road
The Royal Canal
The town currently[when?] suffers from heavy afternoon traffic partially caused by a lack of off-street parking problem.[original research?] The town is bypassed and a ring road has been completed in a bid to further alleviate traffic.
Waterway
.jpg)
Ferry crossing at Downs, near Mullingar on the Royal Canal, 1961
Railways
There were two secondary stations in Mullingar, Canal Crossing cattle bank was on the Sligo Line and on the Athlone Line, Newbrook racecourse had its own station. This was a two-platformed station with both platforms on the Down Line.
These days, the Dublin-Sligo railway line northwest to Longford and Sligo is the mainline, Galway is accessed from Heuston Station via Portarlington and the line between Mullingar and Athlone is currently disused. Mullingar station is served by national rail company Iarnród Éireann's Arrow commuter services to Dublin and InterCity trains to/from Sligo.
The Railway Preservation Society of Ireland have a secondary base in the town. There is a photo survey of the disused Athlone Line via Moate.
Healthcare
Midland Regional Hospital, Mullingar
Education
The town has several primary schools. Those run under the Catholic ethos are Presentation NS, St Mary's NS and St Colman's NS, as well as the Irish language primary school, Gaelscoil an Muileann. All Saints NS is a Church of Ireland School. Other schools serving the town are the Educate Together NS; Gaelscoil an Choilin, at Cullion, and Curraghmore NS, due to move (2015)[needs update] onto a new building on a greenfield site on the Ardmore Road. Second level schools are Coláiste Mhuire, the town's oldest post-primary school, St Finian's College; Loreto College[18] and Mullingar Community College.[19] Coláiste Mhuire is primarily a boys school, however the repeat Leaving Certificate class is co-educational.[citation needed] Just to the north of Mullingar on the old Longford Road is St Finian's College. Until 2003, St Finian's was an all-boys boarding school; however, in 2003 the decision was made to phase out the boarding school by 2007, and to admit girls as well as boys.[citation needed] Loreto College for girls is the largest secondary school in the town,[20] while Mullingar Community College is a co-educational school for boys and girls.[21] The Community College also runs evening courses for adults and awards the FETAC certificates.Wilson's Hospital School, a co-educational boarding school, operates under the patronage of the Church of Ireland (Anglican Communion). It is located in the nearby village of Multyfarnham. It serves day-students from the Mullingar area.
Culture
.jpg)
Earl Street, Mullingar, in the late 19th century
Media
Two print newspapers serve the community: the Westmeath Examiner[22] and the Westmeath Topic.Music
The Mullingar Town Band was founded in 1879 by Father Polland as a Holy Family Confraternity Band.[23] The local military barracks supplied some of the early members, who themselves were serving members of the British Regimental bands stationed in Mullingar. The Mullingar Confraternity Band remained under the auspices of the Confraternity until the 1940s, when it was handed over to a committee and continued under the title of Mullingar Brass and Reed Band. The band has a dual role as a concert band and a marching band (the latter known as the Celtic Crusaders).[citation needed] In 2015 the Celtic Crusaders were Irish Marching Band Association League champions, after securing one first and two second-place results in the IMBA League.[citation needed]First opened in 1989, "The Stables" is a music venue in Mullingar which hosts a variety of music and has featured well-known performers.[citation needed] Critic and writer Ronan Casey has described it as an "essential" stop for national touring acts.[24]
Niall Horan, born and raised in Mullingar, is a member of the boy band One Direction. Horan has won four Brit Awards and four MTV Video Music Awards with One Direction. Niall Breslin, from the band The Blizzards, is also from Mullingar. The Academic are another local band.
In popular culture
In Doubt, a 2008 film adaptation of the John Patrick Shanley stage play, starring Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman, the town is referenced in dialogue between the main character, Sister Aloysius (Streep), and the school caretaker.Mullingar featured on Three Men in a Boat on BBC 2 on 30 December 2009, in an episode called "Three Men Go to Ireland". Dara Ó Briain, Rory McGrath and Griff Rhys Jones were greeted by a large crowd on the Market Square and spent a night at the Mullingar Greyhound Stadium during this episode where Dara O'Briain's dog Snip Nua raced.
The Furey Brothers also sang "The Reason I Left Mullingar", a song written in 1980 by Pat Cooskey.[25]
The song "Ode in Praise of The City of Mullingar", was written by William J Macquorn Rankine.[26]
Mullingar is mentioned in the song "The Rocky Road to Dublin" by The Dubliners. It is one of the few songs in the 2009 film, Sherlock Holmes that was not composed for the film.[27]
The town is also associated with Irish author James Joyce, who was an occasional visitor to Mullingar during his youth. Joyce's father, John, was a civil servant posted from Dublin to compile an electoral register of Mullingar and the surrounding townlands. He often stayed in the Greville Arms Hotel. James referred to Mullingar in three of his novels, mentioning it twelve times in Ulysses,[28] in chapter 14 of Stephen Hero,[29] and three times in Finnegans Wake.[30][31][32][33][note 1]
Mullingar was mentioned at the end of the song "Horse Outside" by the Rubberbandits, in which the bridesmaid was promised a horse-back ride out to Mullingar.
Pat of Mullingar is an Irish rebel song.
Outside Mullingar, a play by John Patrick Shanley. Starred 'Will and Grace' star Debra Messing.
Mullingar is mentioned several times in The Hostage, a play by Irish playwright Brendan Behan, in the context of the Civil War.
A short video was compiled for Mullingar man Niall Horan's song 'this town' showing an illustrated outline of Mullingar.
Sport
|
|
This section is written like a directory. (January 2018) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
|
Athletics
Mullingar has a tradition in athletics with the club Mullingar Harriers producing many international athletes and several Olympians. Bobby Begley was Irish Team Manager when Eamonn Coughlan won the 5,000 meters World Championship in Helsinki.GAA
There are seven G.A.A. football clubs in the Mullingar area: Mullingar Shamrocks,[34] St. Loman's Mullingar, Ballymore GAA , Raharney GAA, St. Mary's GAA and The Downs[35] are the senior teams. Shandonagh fields an intermediate team. St Oliver Plunkett's[36] and Cullion respectively facilitate both senior and intermediate hurling players. The Westmeath GAA team plays its home games at Cusack Park. Mullingar also supports women's teams including Mullingar Shamrocks and St Lomans MullingarFootball
Mullingar has three adult football teams: Mullingar Athletic (who play in Gainstown) and Mullingar Town (who have their grounds in D'Alton Park). The third, set up in 2009, are known as Hibernian Celtic AFC, they were originally formed in 1948, but ceased in 1986. They play their home games in the Raithin community pitch in which they share with Grange Utd, an under 18 side formed in 2009. Outside the town there are Rathowen Utd, Raharney FC, Rochfortbridge and Coralstown FC. All teams play in the CCFL league system.[citation needed]Rugby
Mullingar rugby football club is located in Cullionbeg, and has had a degree of success in the 1990s with two towns cup final appearances. The club also made it to the 1989 towns cup final. The club has a pick of up to 50 players with three senior teams in very competitive leagues. The 3rd team won the Anderson Cup.[when?]Australian Rules Football
There has been an Australian Rules Football team, the Midland Tigers – based in the town since 2000.[37] Over the years the club have provided numerous International Players for the Irish Warriors,[citation needed] the national team for the sport in Ireland and they compete annually in the Aussieproperty.com Premiership.[citation needed]
Champions Board
Snooker
Westmeath Snooker Ranking events at Junior, Intermediate and Senior levels are hosted by St Mary's Snooker Club Mullingar and is a member of the Republic of Ireland Billiards & Snooker Association.[citation needed] The club's "Handicap Cup" is the longest running snooker event in the midlands running since 1963.[citation needed] The four ranking events are the Midland Open, St Marys Open Classic, Westmeath Championships & the Mullingar Open Snooker Championship at all levels. St.Mary's Snooker Club team won the Peter McNally Memorial Cup 1997 in Edenderry Snooker Club defeating Kildare in the final of the tournament in memory of Peter McNally, an Irish International Snooker player that was fatally injured in a car accident.
View of clubhouse and top courts
Tennis and badminton
The Mullingar Tennis and Badminton Club is located in the heart of the town and includes eight outdoor tennis courts and a hall containing two badminton courts[38] The committee consists of eight members and president John Murphy.[39] The club was founded in 1892 by members of the Uisneach Badminton Club. It now has eight courts, a practice wall, coaching service, changing room facilitates, kitchen, meeting room, tabletennis table and balcony's.[40]Greyhound racing
Greyhound Track,
Lynn, Mullingar
Lynn, Mullingar
Golf
Mullingar Golf Club, view from carpark
Basketball
The Mullingar Monarchs were formed in 2001, training from the CBS gym in the town centre. Recently[when?] however the Monarchs have switched training locations to Rochfortbridge. While the club took 2 years to get off the ground they are now one of the most decorated in the Midland League,[citation needed] securing one treble and two double titles.[citation needed] The team have also played in the National League Division 1, one step away from the superleague.The Mullingar Dragons were formed in 2007 and play in the North Eastern Basketball League. In July 2008 a Women's team was added to the already established Men's team.
Cricket
The Cricket club is based on the St. Finian's ground in Mullingar. The club fields three men's teams in Leinster and Midland Cup and league competitions. First IX – Leinster Division 4 Second IX – Leinster Division 9 Third IX – Leinster Division 14.Hockey
Mullingar Hockey Club has 4 adult teams and the club play its matches in the Loreto College, on the Longford road, not far from the hospital. The men's side of the club are in its 26th year,[when?] and has between 40 and 50 members, with their 1st team currently[when?] in Leinster League Division 4, the 2nd team play in Division 7. The Ladies side of the club were re-formed three years ago,[when?] after a break of five years and also have two teams. The matches are played every Saturday (an odd Sunday game does occur) and are open to the public.[citation needed] There are three coaches at the club and several high level umpires.Swimming
The Mullingar Jets Swimming Club is based in the town swimming pool located in Mullingar Town Park.Cycling
Lakeside Wheelers Mullingar Cycling club has leisure and touring cyclist members of all ages and abilities.[citation needed] The Club's main touring activities are short, medium and longer distance cycles on Saturday and Sunday morning and in the summer months on Monday and Wednesday evenings.[citation needed] Lakeside Wheelers Cycling Club was formed over 20 years ago,[when?] having previously been known as Mullingar Cycling Club. The club is affiliated to Cycling Ireland, the governing body covering cycling in Ireland. The club has grown over the last number of years increasing its membership from 40 members in 2003 to the current high of over 450 members.[citation needed] There is also a growing mountain bike section of the club.[citation needed]Equestrian
Mullingar is also the home of one of Ireland's international riding centres. Mullingar Equestrian Centre ( 5 minutes outside the town) regularly hosts competitions. Also they are available for lessons, and on Friday evenings during the year there are competitions for riders to compete in. Other schools in the area include Ladestown House Riding Stables and Catherinestown Riding School. Studs include Tally Ho Stud, Cleaboy Stud, and Charlestown Stud.Boxing
Two-time Olympian boxer John Joe Nevin is from Mullingar. He won a silver medal in the bantamweight competition at the 2012 Summer Olympics.Notable people
- John Alexander, Victoria Cross recipient
- Niall Breslin (Bressie) and The Blizzards, musicians
- Emmet Cahill, singer for Celtic Thunder
- Breon Corcoran, chief executive officer (CEO) of Betfair[42]
- Joe Dolan, singer
- J. P. Donleavy, author
- Wellington Guernsey, 19th-century composer and writer
- Josephine Hart, Baroness Saatchi, author and wife of Lord Saatchi
- Niall Horan, singer-songwriter and member of One Direction
- Thomas Kavanagh, recipient of the Victoria Cross
- Aidan Keena, footballer
- Tina Kellegher, actress
- Terry McMahon, actor, writer and filmmaker [43]
- Joseph Murphy, Irish equestrian Olympian 2012
- John Joe Nevin, boxer
- Michael O'Leary, CEO of Ryanair
- Declan Power, defence and security analyst and author
- Mai Shanley Fitzgerald (Born 1963), Former Miss USA 1984. Her father Patrick Thomas Shanley came from nearby Gurteen, Mullingar.
- Connor Smith, footballer for Watford defender
- Ailish Tynan (born 1975), operatic soprano[44]
Climate
Climate in this area has mild differences between highs and lows, and there is adequate rainfall year-round. The Köppen Climate Classification subtype for this climate is "Cfb" (Marine West Coast Climate/Oceanic climate).[45]| [hide]Climate data for Mullingar (1979–2008, extremes 1943–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 13.8 (56.8) |
15.4 (59.7) |
20.5 (68.9) |
22.6 (72.7) |
25.5 (77.9) |
29.8 (85.6) |
29.7 (85.5) |
29.5 (85.1) |
25.5 (77.9) |
22.9 (73.2) |
17.3 (63.1) |
14.6 (58.3) |
29.8 (85.6) |
| Average high °C (°F) | 7.4 (45.3) |
7.9 (46.2) |
9.8 (49.6) |
12.1 (53.8) |
14.9 (58.8) |
17.3 (63.1) |
19.2 (66.6) |
18.9 (66) |
16.7 (62.1) |
13.2 (55.8) |
9.9 (49.8) |
7.9 (46.2) |
12.9 (55.2) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 4.5 (40.1) |
4.7 (40.5) |
6.3 (43.3) |
8.1 (46.6) |
10.6 (51.1) |
13.2 (55.8) |
15.2 (59.4) |
14.8 (58.6) |
12.8 (55) |
9.7 (49.5) |
6.7 (44.1) |
5.0 (41) |
9.3 (48.7) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 1.5 (34.7) |
1.5 (34.7) |
2.8 (37) |
4.1 (39.4) |
6.3 (43.3) |
9.2 (48.6) |
11.1 (52) |
10.8 (51.4) |
8.9 (48) |
6.2 (43.2) |
3.5 (38.3) |
2.2 (36) |
5.7 (42.3) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −14.9 (5.2) |
−12.2 (10) |
−9.2 (15.4) |
−4.4 (24.1) |
−2.6 (27.3) |
0.2 (32.4) |
3.4 (38.1) |
2.1 (35.8) |
−0.1 (31.8) |
−4.4 (24.1) |
−6.9 (19.6) |
−14.1 (6.6) |
−14.9 (5.2) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 91.7 (3.61) |
72.0 (2.835) |
78.3 (3.083) |
62.1 (2.445) |
68.7 (2.705) |
70.5 (2.776) |
61.8 (2.433) |
80.8 (3.181) |
73.8 (2.906) |
102.1 (4.02) |
82.4 (3.244) |
97.1 (3.823) |
941.3 (37.059) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 19 | 17 | 20 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 209 |
| Average snowy days | 5.0 | 4.4 | 3.5 | 1.6 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 2.7 | 17.8 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 83.4 | 77.8 | 72.8 | 68.1 | 67.1 | 69.1 | 69.9 | 70.6 | 72.1 | 77.0 | 82.2 | 85.9 | 74.7 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 55.8 | 70.6 | 99.2 | 147.0 | 179.8 | 150.0 | 142.6 | 142.6 | 117.0 | 99.2 | 66.0 | 49.6 | 1,319.4 |
| Mean daily sunshine hours | 1.8 | 2.5 | 3.2 | 4.9 | 5.8 | 5.0 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 3.9 | 3.2 | 2.2 | 1.6 | 3.6 |
| Source: Met Éireann[46][47][48] | |||||||||||||
See also
Notes
- Mullingar appears in Ulysses in the Calypso episode; in Lotus Eaters; twice in Hades; in Lestrygonians; in Nausicaa; twice in Oxen of the Sun; in Circe; in Eumaeus; and twice in Ithaca. The town is also mentioned three times in Finnegans Wake in Book 1, Section 6, page 138, line 19; in Book 2, Section 2, page 286, line 21; and in Book 2, Section 3, page 345, line 34. Mullingar does not appear in Dubliners nor in A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.
References
- "Absolute Minimum Air Temperatures for each Month at Selected Stations" (PDF). Met Éireann. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 January 2017. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar