Page 255 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Ireland

THE MIDLANDS  253

Dublin with the River Shannon.
The cost of building the canal
bankrupted its investors and it
was never profitable. Mullingar’s
main appeal is as a base to
ex plore the surrounding area,
but pubs such as Canton Casey’s
and Con’s are a pleasant interlude.
Environs
The Dublin to Mullingar stretch
of the Royal Canal has attractive
towpaths for walkers, and fishing.
Just off the Kilbeggan road
from Mullingar stands Belve dere
House, a romantic Palla dian villa
overlooking Lough Ennel.
The house, built in 1740 by
Richard Cassels, is decorated
with Rococo plasterwork and
set in beautiful grounds. Athlone Castle below the towers of the church of St Peter and St Paul
Shortly after the house was
built, the first Earl of Belvedere u Kilbeggan E Kilbeggan Distillery Experience
accused his wife of having an Road map C4. Co Westmeath. Lower Main St. Tel 057 933 2134.
affair with his brother, and * 1,000. @ Open Apr–Oct: 9am–6pm; Nov–Mar:
imprisoned her for 31 years in a 10am–4pm daily. & 7 0 8 =
nearby house. In 1760, the Earl Situated between Mullingar and ∑ kilbeggandistillery.com
built a Gothic folly – the Jealous Tullamore, this pleasant village
Wall – to block the view of his has a small harbour on the Grand
second brother’s more opulent Canal. However the main point i Athlone
mansion across the way. The of interest is Kilbeggan Distillery Road map C3. Co Westmeath.
Jealous Wall remains as does an Experience. Founded in 1757, it * 16,000. £ @ n Market Square
octagonal gazebo and follies. claims to be the oldest licensed (090 649 4630). ( Sat.
Charming terraces descend to pot still distillery in the world to
the lake. On the other side of be still producing whiskey. The town owes its historical
the house is a picturesque Unable to compete with Scotch importance to its position by
walled garden, enclosed by an whisky manufac turers, the a natural ford on the River
arboretum and parkland. company went bank rupt in Shannon. Athlone Castle is a
1954, but the aroma hung in 13th-century fort ress, which
P Belvedere House the ware houses was badly damaged
6.5 km (4 miles) S of Mullingar. Tel 044 for years and in the Jacobite Wars
934 9060. Open May–Aug: 9:30am–5pm was known as (see pp42–3). It lies in
(house), 9:30am–8pm (garden) daily; “the angel’s share”. the shadow of the
Mar–Apr & Sep–Oct: 9:30am–7pm The distillery 19th-century church of
(house), 9:30am–5pm (gar den) daily; reopened as a St Peter and St Paul.
Nov–Feb: 9:30am–4pm (house), museum in 1987. The neighbouring
9:30am–4:30pm (garden). & - The building is streets offer several
7 centre. ∑ belvedere-house.ie
authentic, a good pubs. Across
solid structure Miniature whiskey bottles at the river from the
complete with Kilbeggan Distillery Experience castle, boats depart
waterwheel and for Clonmacnoise
steam engine. A tour traces the (see pp254–5) or Lough Ree.
process of Irish whiskey-making,
from the mash tuns to the vast + Athlone Castle
fermentation vats and creation Visitors’ Centre Tel 090 644 2130.
of wash (rough beer) to the Open 11am–5pm Tue–Sat; 12pm–
distillation and maturation 5pm Sun. & 7 limited.
stages. At the tasting stage,
workers would sample the Environs
whiskey in the can pit room. The Lough Ree Trail starts 8 km
Visitors can still taste whiskeys (5 miles) northeast of Athlone, at
in the bar. Produc tion restarted Glasson, and is a popular cycling
The Jealous Wall at Belvedere House, in 2007, and the results have tour that runs around the shores
near Mullingar been on sale since 2014. and into County Longford.

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