County Westmeath business directory

County Westmeath (Irish: Contae na hIarmhí) is a county situated in the Irish Midlands, also popularly called the "Lake county" in the western part of the province of Leinster. Area: 1,764 km². The county was once part of the ancient province of Meath and later of County Meath, this association was ended in 1543 when County Westmeath was created under the Counties of Meath and Westmeath Act. Mullingar (population 18,529) is the largest town and the county town, Athlone (population 16,888).

The county is famous for its cattle, lakes such as Lough Derravaragh, Lough Ennell, Lough Lene, Lough Owel and Lough Ree, pewter such as Mullingar Pewter, scenery, the canal, the drug company élan and is rapidly becoming part of the outer commuter belt of Dublin. Another local chieftain called Melaghlin, acclaimed to have drowned Turgesius the viking in Lough Owel.

According to the Irish Independent, 12 December 2006, Westmeath is the goat capital of Ireland, with five times as many goats as Kerry. Notable Westmeath people include Michael O'Leary the CEO of Ryanair, Joe Dolan, a popular singer and Nuala Holloway, a former Miss Ireland, model and actress, now artist and academic.

Westmeath's main achievements in Gaelic Games were winning the Leinster Senior Football Championship, or Delaney Cup, in 2004, and winning the Christy Ring Cup in hurling in 2005.

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