Mullingar facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mullingar
An Muileann gCearr
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Town
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    From top left: Market Square, Dominick Street, Mullingar Cathedral, Town Park
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 Mullingar
Location in Ireland
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| Country | Ireland | |
| Province | Leinster | |
| Region | Eastern and Midland | |
| County | Westmeath | |
| Elevation | 101 m (331 ft) | |
| Population
(2022)
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| • Total | 22,667 | |
| Time zone | UTC±0 (WET) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (IST) | |
| Eircode routing key |
N91
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| Telephone area code | +353(0)44 | |
| Irish Grid Reference | N425523 | |
| Historical population | ||
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| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1821 | 3,684 | — |
| 1831 | 4,295 | +16.6% |
| 1841 | 4,569 | +6.4% |
| 1851 | 4,817 | +5.4% |
| 1861 | 5,375 | +11.6% |
| 1871 | 5,103 | −5.1% |
| 1881 | 4,787 | −6.2% |
| 1891 | 5,323 | +11.2% |
| 1901 | 4,500 | −15.5% |
| 1911 | 5,539 | +23.1% |
| 1926 | 5,293 | −4.4% |
| 1936 | 5,237 | −1.1% |
| 1946 | 5,445 | +4.0% |
| 1951 | 5,643 | +3.6% |
| 1956 | 7,488 | +32.7% |
| 1961 | 7,442 | −0.6% |
| 1966 | 7,943 | +6.7% |
| 1971 | 9,245 | +16.4% |
| 1981 | 11,703 | +26.6% |
| 1986 | 12,127 | +3.6% |
| 1991 | 11,867 | −2.1% |
| 1996 | 12,492 | +5.3% |
| 2002 | 15,621 | +25.0% |
| 2006 | 18,416 | +17.9% |
| 2011 | 20,103 | +9.2% |
| 2016 | 20,928 | +4.1% |
| 2022 | 22,667 | +8.3% |
Mullingar (pronounced mul-in-GAR) is a busy town in County Westmeath, Ireland. It is the main town of the county. In 2022, about 22,667 people lived there, making it the third largest town in the Midland Region.
Mullingar got its name from an old mill, as told in the story of Colman of Mullingar. The town was first called Maelblatha. In 1543, Westmeath became its own county, separate from Meath. Mullingar was chosen as its main administrative center.
For a long time, Mullingar was a market town for farmers. It was well known for trading cattle until 2003. Today, it's still an important place for business. A fun annual Christmas Market is held on Mount Street.
The town is surrounded by beautiful lakes like Lough Owel, Lough Ennell, and Lough Derravaragh. Lough Derravaragh is famous for the Irish legend of the Children of Lir. The Royal Canal also winds its way around Mullingar.
Contents
Fun Things to Do in Mullingar
Mullingar has many cool places to visit. The nearby lakes, Lough Owel, Lough Derravaragh, and Lough Ennell, are great for fishing. The Royal Canal is also a lovely spot to explore.
You can visit Belvedere House and Gardens, a historic estate with beautiful grounds. If you like golf, there's the Mullingar Golf Club. The Bloomfield House Hotel is another popular place nearby.
The town has several hotels, including the Newbury Hotel and Annebrook House Hotel. The Greville Arms Hotel is special because it displays two Brit awards won by famous singer Niall Horan. It also has a large stone monument given to the town by Lord Greville.
One of Mullingar's most important buildings is the Cathedral of Christ the King. This large church is the main cathedral for the Diocese of Meath. It was officially opened on the very day World War II began.
Mullingar Town Park is a big public park right in the middle of town. It has lots of playgrounds, a swimming pool, and a large pond. In 2016, the park received a Green Flag award, showing it's a well-managed and eco-friendly space.
Mullingar's Economy
Mullingar is known for making special items from pewterware, created by Mullingar Pewter. Another local company, Genesis Fine Art, makes gift items. They even crafted the "Pilgrims" sculpture on Austin Friars Street.
The town's shopping areas have grown a lot. You can find shops on Oliver Plunkett Street, Austin Friars Street, and Mount Street. There's also a big shopping area called Lakepoint Retail Park. Closer to the town center, you'll find the Harbour Place Shopping Centre.
Mullingar has a mix of local shops and bigger chain stores. You'll also find branches of major banks and a local credit union, Mullingar Credit Union.
The town has several industrial areas, like Lough Sheever Corporate Park and Clonmore Industrial Estate. These parks are home to various businesses. A large Lidl warehouse and distribution center is also located here.
Getting Around Mullingar
Roads and Buses
Mullingar is located near the N4, which is the main road connecting Dublin and Sligo. It's about 79 kilometers (49 miles) from Dublin. The N52 also links Mullingar to the M6 motorway at Athlone.
Bus Éireann provides bus services from Mullingar to many places. You can catch buses to Dublin, Athlone, Sligo, and other towns.
Waterways
In the past, the Royal Canal was used to transport goods. Today, it's mostly used for recreation. Mullingar is also connected to Lough Ennell by Lacy's Canal and the River Brosna.
Trains
The train line from Dublin to Mullingar opened in 1848. The current station opened in 1855. Mullingar is on the main train line that goes northwest to Longford and Sligo.
You can take Arrow commuter trains to Dublin or InterCity trains to Sligo from Mullingar station. The Railway Preservation Society of Ireland also has a base in the town.
Health and Education
Healthcare Services
The Midland Regional Hospital at Mullingar serves the areas of Longford and Westmeath. There are also other hospitals in town. St Loman's helps people with mental health needs. St Mary's is a care center for older people, and there's also the St Francis Private Hospital.
Schools in Mullingar
Mullingar has many schools for different age groups.
- Primary Schools: There are Catholic schools, a Church of Ireland school, and a non-religious Educate Together school. You can also find two Irish language primary schools.
- Secondary Schools:
- Coláiste Mhuire is the oldest secondary school in town, mainly for boys.
- St Finian's College used to be an all-boys boarding school. Now, it's for both boys and girls and no longer has boarders.
- Loreto College Mullingar is the largest secondary school in Mullingar, for girls.
- Mullingar Community College is a school for both boys and girls. It also offers evening classes for adults.
- Nearby Schools:
- Wilson's Hospital School is a boarding school for boys and girls, located in Multyfarnham.
- St. Joseph's Secondary School in Rochfortbridge also serves students from Mullingar.
Culture and Music
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Local Media
Mullingar has two local newspapers: the Westmeath Examiner and the Westmeath Topic.
Music Scene
Mullingar has a lively music scene. The Mullingar Town Band started in 1879. It performs as a concert band and a marching band, known as the Celtic Crusaders. In 2017, the Celtic Crusaders won the Irish Marching Band Association League.
"The Stables" is a well-known music venue in Mullingar that hosts many national music acts.
Mullingar is also the hometown of famous musicians:
- Niall Horan: A member of the popular boy band One Direction. He has won several awards with the band.
- Niall Breslin: Also known as Bressie, he is from the band The Blizzards.
- The Academic: Another popular band that comes from Mullingar.
The Mullingar Arts Centre is a great place to see live performances. In August 2022, Mullingar hosted the Fleadh Cheoil, a big traditional Irish music festival.
Sports in Mullingar
Gaelic Games
Mullingar has several Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) clubs for football:
- Mullingar Shamrocks
- St. Loman's Mullingar
- The Downs
- Shandonagh
For hurling, you can find St Oliver Plunkett's and Cullion clubs. The Westmeath GAA county teams play their home games at Cusack Park.
Football (Soccer)
There are three adult football (soccer) teams in Mullingar:
- Mullingar Athletic
- Mullingar Town
- Mullingar Celtic
Tennis and Badminton
The Mullingar Tennis and Badminton Club has eight outdoor tennis courts. It also has a hall with two badminton courts. The club was started in 1892.
Greyhound Racing
You can watch greyhound racing at the Lynn Greyhound track on Thursday and Saturday evenings.
Golf
Mullingar Golf Club was founded in 1953. It hosts a yearly competition called the Mullingar Scratch Cup in August. Famous golfers like Pádraig Harrington and Rory McIlroy have won this competition.
Boxing
John Joe Nevin, a boxer from Mullingar, has competed in the Olympics twice. He won a silver medal in the bantamweight category at the 2012 Summer Olympics.
Hockey
Mullingar Hockey Club started in 1979. It has teams for men, women, and younger players. They play at Loreto College.
Other Sports
- Athletics: The Mullingar Harriers club has trained several Olympic athletes.
- Rugby: Mullingar rugby football club is located in Cullionbeg.
- Basketball: The Mullingar Monarchs and Mullingar Dragons are local basketball teams.
- Equestrian: Mullingar Equestrian Centre offers lessons and hosts competitions. There are also other riding schools and horse studs nearby.
- Cycling: The Lakeside Wheelers Mullingar Cycling club is part of Cycling Ireland.
- Canoeing: The Mullingar Harbour Canoe Polo Club is based on the Royal Canal.
- Snooker: St Mary's Snooker Club is on Bishopsgate Street.
Famous People from Mullingar
Many well-known people have connections to Mullingar:
- Niall Breslin (Bressie) and The Blizzards, musicians
- Joe Dolan, a famous singer
- Niall Horan, singer-songwriter and former member of One Direction
- Thomas Kavanagh, a brave soldier who received the Victoria Cross
- Tina Kellegher, an actress
- Shane Lowry (golfer), who won the 2019 Open Championship in golf
- Michael O'Leary, the CEO of Ryanair
- John Joe Nevin, an Olympic boxer
- Ailish Tynan, an opera singer
Mullingar's Climate
Mullingar has a mild climate with not too much difference between high and low temperatures. It rains enough throughout the year. The climate is known as a "Marine West Coast Climate" or "Oceanic climate." Mullingar is considered the coldest place in Ireland, with an average yearly temperature of 9.3 degrees Celsius.
| Climate data for Mullingar weather station (WMO identifier: 03971), 100m amsl, 1979–2008, extremes 1943–present | |||||||||||||
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| 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) |
30.4 (86.7) |
29.5 (85.1) |
25.5 (77.9) |
22.9 (73.2) |
17.3 (63.1) |
14.6 (58.3) |
29.8 (85.6) |
| Mean daily maximum °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 (66.0) |
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 (55.0) |
9.7 (49.5) |
6.7 (44.1) |
5.0 (41.0) |
9.3 (48.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 1.5 (34.7) |
1.5 (34.7) |
2.8 (37.0) |
4.1 (39.4) |
6.3 (43.3) |
9.2 (48.6) |
11.1 (52.0) |
10.8 (51.4) |
8.9 (48.0) |
6.2 (43.2) |
3.5 (38.3) |
2.2 (36.0) |
5.7 (42.3) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −14.9 (5.2) |
−12.2 (10.0) |
−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 (2.83) |
78.3 (3.08) |
62.1 (2.44) |
68.7 (2.70) |
70.5 (2.78) |
61.8 (2.43) |
80.8 (3.18) |
73.8 (2.91) |
102.1 (4.02) |
82.4 (3.24) |
97.1 (3.82) |
941.3 (37.06) |
| 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 |
| Average dew point °C (°F) | 3 (37) |
3 (37) |
3 (37) |
5 (41) |
7 (45) |
10 (50) |
12 (54) |
11 (52) |
10 (50) |
8 (46) |
5 (41) |
3 (37) |
7 (44) |
| 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 1: Met Éireann | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Time and Date (dewpoints, between 2005−2015) | |||||||||||||
Images for kids
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1916 Monument
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Castle Street, one of the town's main streets
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Earl Street, Mullingar, in the late 19th century
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See also
In Spanish: Mullingar para niños
