REMARKS BY PRESIDENT MARY McALEESE AT A CIVIC RECEPTION BY WESTMEATH COUNCTY COUNCIL
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT MARY McALEESE AT A CIVIC RECEPTION BY WESTMEATH COUNCTY COUNCIL, MULLINGAR ON TUESDAY 19 MAY, 1998
I would like to thank you, Chairman, for your warm words of welcome to County Westmeath – on my first ‘official’ visit to the County. I am very grateful for the warm welcome, which I have been given by you today – and which the other members of the Council here have reinforced this morning. Later I will be opening the new Educational, Training and Childcare facility for the Women’s Community Projects – in the grounds of the Cathedral – and indeed I look forward to visiting the Cathedral itself while I am there. Later I move on to Westmeath’s other magnificent and historic town of Athlone – to hear of the work of the Drug Awareness Group - and then onto Glasson – in Goldsmith country – where I will open their Community Heritage Centre.
Westmeath’s position – in the centre of Ireland – and on the main routes between Dublin and the West and North West of Ireland – means that practically everybody in Ireland who has had occasion to move between the East coast and the West coast – has had to travel through the county on their way. With my family roots in neighbouring County Roscommon – I am one of the many fortunate people to have travelled through Westmeath – indeed through Mullingar itself – and have on many occasions sampled the warmth of the hospitality - and the beauty of the countryside – of this county. While Westmeath is completely land-locked – it seems as though God has well compensated for that - in giving the county a generous share of lakes – and access to the majestic River Shannon - including a fair slice of Lough Ree. Indeed, it is the closeness of Lough Owel and Lough Ennell – on either side of Mullingar - that gave the town a major significance - as a stopping point and market town for travellers from East to West.
Westmeath represents a link with the ancient Ireland – an Ireland with a unique and rich civilisation – an Ireland that made a great impact on the world. It was formerly part of County Meath – before being detached and made into a separate county in 1543 – four hundred and fifty five years ago this year – following the arrival of the Normans – whose influence in Westmeath can be seen to this day in the many castles and mottes that survive - and in place-names like Walshestown, Hopestown, Marlinstown or Robinstown.
Since then, the town of Mullingar has consolidated its position as the County Town of Westmeath – and as Sir Henry Piers in 1682 said – the town was ‘a great thoroughfare or road from Dublin to Connacht. All the houses are alehouses, yet some of the richer sort drive at other trades also; the sell all sorts of commodities to the gentry abroad in the country, and some besides have large farms abroad’. That passage suggests that the level of affluence and commercial activity - was quite healthy. The fairs at Mullingar were to become renowned as second only to Ballinasloe – bringing buyers and dealers from all over Ireland, - from Britain - and even from the continent.
Mullingar has one other claim to fame in the McAleese homestead – my only son is called after a Mullingar man – Fr. Justin Coyne – a Passionate priest of great holiness whose love for the children of my native parish in Belfast, Ardoyne, is legendary. He would be proud of the many changes in his native county today.
Today Westmeath is a thriving County – and boasts of many attractions for visitors – attractions like boating, angling, golfing, walking – with towns and villages that have retained their original charm – and are proud of their architectural heritage – yet are playing their full part in the prosperous and modern Ireland of today – with modern industries competing successfully on the world stage.
The County has seen much infrastructural investment in recent years – indeed, Mullingar itself has had a life-saving bypass – which has taken a considerable volume of choking traffic away from the centre of the town. The success of those projects – and those still in the pipeline – would not have been possible without the dedication and support of the County Council. In thanking you again for receiving me today - I want to pay tribute to the Chairman and members of the Council – and to the County manager and his hard-working staff – for making Westmeath the successful county that it is today.