Mullingar man promotes town’s surprising history

Not satisfied with what the IDA and tourism bodies are doing to promote Mullingar, Jack Kiernan has taken a proactive approach.

Born and reared in the town, he has produced four booklets on ‘Mullingar scenery and talent’, which present history and notable figures alongside photographs of local landmarks. Each booklet begins with an explanation of why Jack has undertaken the project: “This is an honest attempt by me to highlight what Mullingar, and the surrounding area, has to offer to the tourist,” he said. “I’m talking about the beautiful scenery, history, and the international achievements by numerous, talented locals.”

Speaking to the Westmeath Examiner, Jack said: “I feel Mullingar has been neglected, especially by the IDA, not enough is done for tourism in Mullingar… I went around and I took photographs of places I knew, attractive places… and then I did a lot of research on people from Mullingar that broke into the international scene, and there’s a good lot of Mullingar people, big stars. There’s a lot of other people that have done well nationally.”

Jack consulted archives as well as the internet. “I do it online, the archives down there (local library), the military archives in Dublin. I gave them information that they hadn’t got; I had it in a file. And I do the national archives in Bishop Street,” he said.

“History-making people from Mullingar’ featured in the booklets include Joe Dolan, Mae Behan, Niall Horan, Emmet Cahill, Ollie Kennedy, Ailish Tynan, Tanya O’Callaghan and the O’Meara brothers; authors Josephine Hart and Patricia Gibney; boxers Maxie McCullough, Chris Cole, Jack Kiernan, John Joe Nevin, Johnny Joyce and Eddie ‘The Killer’ Byrne; footballer William Joseph Keogh; artist Patrick Graham; actor Niamh Algar and film producer, writer and actor Terry McMahon; comedian Conor Moore and businessman Michael O’Leary. Jack is working on a booklet in which Foster and Allen will appear, among others.

Historical events and landmarks are explored in detail. There’s an account of a record trout caught in 1894 by William Meares, the formation of the Chamber of Commerce, how the town was once lit by peat gas, and on rebellions and the Civil War. Jack also details Lough Ennell, Lough Owel, Scragh Bog and the Hill of Uisneach.

Booklet 2 reproduces a 1950 article from the Westmeath Examiner, with sentiments similar to those Jack expresses: “It is only possible to give a brief sketch of a few of the more outstanding periods in the history of this ancient town.” It continues with an appeal for more action from locals, which echoes the incentive behind Jack’s project: “The younger generation of Mullingar people should awake from that civic slumber which has far too long beset its citizens. They must appoint themselves as publicists of their own town.”

Jack hopes the booklets will create more awareness of the marvels of Mullingar and generate a sense of pride in residents. “There’s a lot of information there that a lot of Mullingar people don’t know about either, you know. I did know about some of it. I sat down and did a lot of research. Leo Casey, he wrote The Rising of the Moon. Well, we were taught a lot of his songs going to school, but we didn’t know he was from this area.

“That girl Mae Behan, she left here in 1929, I think. She died in 1947 in America. She was supposedly a brilliant singer, an operatic singer. And they said she was the best singer, in one of the papers, since John McCormack, the best Irish singer.

Now I never heard of her until I was being nosy, rooting around… There’s a lot of things that will surprise you there, I’m sure, and that will surprise a lot of people in Mullingar.”

The booklets are sponsored by Eden Beauty and Massage and Greenpark Montessori. Anyone looking to for copies can contact Jack at jackkiernanauthor@gmail.com, 087 1216350 or 044 93 42226.