WESTMEATH IS A COUNTY OF REMARKABLE BEAUTY ANDDIVERSITY.SITUATED IN THE HEART OF IRELAND, IT STRETCHESFROM THE SHANNONS LOUGH REE IN THE WEST TO THESHORES OF LOUGH SHEELIN IN THE NORTH EAST AND TOKINNEGAD AND THE ROYAL CANAL IN THE SOUTH. IT HASAN AREA OF 710 SQUARE MILES AND A POPULATION OF62,000.THE COUNTY BOASTS ONE OF IRELANDS LARGESTCASTLES. TULLYNALLY CASTLE, LOCATED IN CASTLEPOLLARD AND DATING FROM THE 17TH CENTURY, IS AHUGE STRUCTURE ADORNED WITH NUMEROUS TURRETS ANDBATTLEMENTS.THE COUNTYS LAKES ARE ONE OF ITS GREATEST ASSETSWITH FISHING, CRUISING, AND WATERSPORTS READILYAVAILABLE. THERE IS A WEALTH OF TROUT AND COARSEANGLING ON LAKES ENNELL, OWEL, DERRAVARAGH, LENE,REE AND THE RIVER SHANNON.LOUGH DERRAVARAGH IS FOREVER ASSOCIATED WITH THELEGEND OF THE CHILDREN OF LIR WHO ARE SAID TOHAVE SPENT 300 YEARS IN ISOLATION ON ITS WATERS.THE LAKE COUNTYFAMOUS FOR ITS RIVERS AND LAKES, FROM THE SHANNONAND LOUGH REE TO THE MULLINGAR LAKES AND THEROYAL CANAL. ALL SORTS OF WATERSPORTS CAN BEENJOYED IN THE COUNTY AS WELL AS SOME OF THEFINEST GOLF AND EQUESTRIAN FACILITIES IN THECOUNTRY. TOP CLASS ANGLING IS AVAILABLETHROUGHOUT WESTMEATH WITH ALL SPECIES OF COARSEFISH AND BROWN TROUT. ATHLONE CASTLE, BELVEDEREHOUSE, GARDENS AND PARK, FORE, DUN NA SI ANDLOCKES DISTILLERY ARE SOME MAJOR ATTRACTIONS.ATHLONE AND MULLINGAR ARE TOURING CENTRE S ANDARE IDEAL FOR SHORT BREAKS WITH A WIDE VARIETY OFVISITOR ENTERTAINMENT, QUALITY RESTAURANTS,SHOPPING AND OTHER ACTIVITIES.MULLINGARTHE COUNTY TOWN OF WESTMEATH, MULLINGAR IS ATHRIVING BUSINESS, ADMINISTRATIVE AND INDUSTRIALCENTRE. IT IS LOCATED ON THE RIVER BROSNA ANDMIDWAY BETWEEN LOUGH ENNELL, OWEL ANDDERRAVARAGH, WHICH SERVICE THE AMENITY NEEDS OFTHE TOWN AND IS ENCIRCLED BY THE ROYAL CANALWHICH WITH ITS LOCKS LINKS DUBLIN WITH THE RIVERSHANNON. THIS CANAL IS NOW NAVIGABLE TOABBEYSHRULE IN NEIGHBOURING COUNTY LONGFORD.FAMOUS FOR BEEFSTEAK AND BACHELORS, MULLINGAR SSPORTING FACILITIES,