A Westmeath Christmas (2022)

A 

24-PAGE FREE SUPPLEMENT WITH WESTMEATH TOPIC 

Westmeath 

Christmas 

I N S I D E 

Gift ideas for all your 

family and friends! 

Places to go, things 

to do this Christmas 

Great recipes to try 

for the festive table

TOPIC • December 8, 2022 

2 A Westmeath Christmas 

A 

Westmeath 

Wishing all our customers and 

friends a very happy Christmas 

Daly’s Barbers 

3 Generations of Barbers 

• After Hours Call out Service Available • 

• All Kids Catered For • 

Austin Friar Street, 

Mullingar, Co. Westmeath 

Martin 087 996 5823 • Nikki 085 103 0030 

MULLINGAR BUSINESS PARK 

Stocking leading brands 

of tyres for private, 

commercial, agricultural 

and construction vehicles. 

T: 044 9349600 

Christmas Greetings to all 

our Customers 


Shop, sparkle and shine in your local 

town this Christmas .....................................3 

Fly high and Mullingar, the home of family 

businesses........................................................4 

Some Christmas gift ideas...........................5 

Christmas puzzles .........................................6 

How to keep Christmas trees alive for 

longer this year..............................................7 

A book for Christmas – that’s 

just perfect!.....................................................8 

Shop local and reduce your carbon 

footprint when Christmas shopping.......10 

What’s on in Mullingar over the 

Christmas season........................................11 

It’s Christmas from the Mill to the 

Bridge to the Castle...................................12 

Balance out your eating – some festive 

recipes for you to try ................................14 

Christmas in Castlepollard, Collinstown, 

Fore and Drumcree....................................16 

Some gifts you can make yourself...........16 

Christmas Experience at Dún na Sí 

Amenity and Heritage Park......................17 

Castletown-Geoghegan this Christmas.18 

What’s on in Streete..................................18 

Christmas puzzles.......................................19 

Celebrate, Ballynacargy! ............................20 

The Market brings Clonmellon 

alive every fortnight ...................................20 

Festive cheer in Delvin and 

Clonmellon underway................................21 

Kinnegad at Christmas ..............................22 

Coming home for Christmas ...................23 

Not forgetting the new year!...................23 

Mullingar Gift Vouchers.............................24 

The Greenway is your day out................24 

OPEN 24/7 

Ph: 044 9371621 

Tel: 044 93 716 28 

O’Reilly Commercials 

Tel: (044) 9371360 

Ballinalack, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath


A Westmeath Christmas 

3 

Shop, sparkle and 

shine in your local 

town this Christmas 

It’s almost Christmas time ... 

yaayyy! No matter how much you 

love or despair this time of year, 

you can’t escape the cheer it 

brings. Everyone is happier in anticipation 

of something to look forward to. 

Whether it’s a child that is looking forward 

to the visit of the Santa Claus or adults 

looking forward to a few days off work, giving 

you time to relax with family and friends, 

there’s no denying that it is a very special 

time of the year. 

Rumour has it that we’re going to have snow 

this Christmas, a small dusting of which will 

be really atmospheric for the season that’s in 

it. We haven’t had a white Christmas for some 

time now and it’s about time our children 

experience the magic it brings. Above all, we 

all should definitely take a few moments to 

remember the real reason we celebrate 

Christmas and the birth of Jesus Christ, as 

this has a grounding effect and keeps things 

real throughout the season. 

SHOP LOCAL IS THE ETHICAL CHOICE 

You don’t need to have a degree to 

understand why shopping local at Christmas 

or any other time of the year is an ethical 

choice and one we all should make as a matter 

of principle. 

Spending money in your local town = 

keeping money in your local town = more 

investment in your local town = more jobs for 

you and your family in your local town. 

It’s as simple as that! 

PERSONALISED SERVICE 

This supplement is full of local advertisers 

who would be delighted to welcome you and 

your business throughout the year. You will 

be offered a personalised service and value 

that is unmatchable in any part of the 

country. 

Take some time out and read through what 

your local shops have on offer for you this 

Christmas. You won’t be disappointed. 

● We will use this opportunity to remind you 

 

 

As Christmas Day falls 

on a Sunday this year, 

regular Mass times 

apply to most places. 

Below are the Mass 

timings for the 

churches in Mullingar 

parish. 

The Cathedral of 

Christ The King 

Christmas Eve, 

December 24 – Vigil 

Masses at 6pm and 

10pm 

Christmas Day, 

December 25 – 

08.30am, 11am and 

12.30pm 

St Paul’s Church 

Christmas Eve, 

December 24 – 6pm 

and 9pm 


December 25 – 

10.30am and 12 noon 

Walshestown 


December 25 – 09am 

Brodenstown 



Jamestown 



 

Christmas shopping doesn’t have to be a dread. 

Get your thinking cap on and make your 

Christmas shopping day one filled with 

interesting and fun moments. 

Plan it out by the hour so that you get to shop, 

socialise, meet a friend for lunch, and perhaps 

even take in one of the many great plays that 

the Mullingar Arts Centre hosts over the festive 

season. 

Your day out also doesn’t have to cost the earth 

if you plan properly. Here are a few tips to keep 

your budget on track: 

(i) Plan your shopping trip on one of the free 

parking in town days so you don’t have to pay 

for parking. The free parking dates for Christmas 

2022 in Mullingar are Saturday December 10, 

Friday December 16, Saturday December 17, 

Thursday December 22, Friday December 23 and 

Christmas Eve, December 24. 

(ii) Shopping on a weekday first thing in the 

that a subscription to Topic newspapers or 

Ireland’s Eye would also make a great gift for 

that special someone – feel free to get in touch 

with us to organise your subscription. 

All that is left for us to do is to thank you for 

your custom throughout the year and extend 

greetings for the season. Fifty-one years and 

Wishing all our 

customers and friends 

a very Happy Christmas 

Lakeland Plumbing 

& Heating Ltd. 

FRANK DARBY 

Woodlands, Mullingar 

Tel: 044 9343497 

Mob: 086 2519253 

E: frankdarby28@gmail.com 

morning (when children are in school) is always 

advisable as it’s usually quieter and you’re more 

likely to stick to your budget, whereas when the 

children are with you, you’ll be tempted to spend 

more to calm temper tantrums that will likely 

take place on the day. 

(iii) Make use of any vouchers you have lying 

around and use them all up to lighten your 

expenses this Christmas. 

(iv) Avail of ‘real’ Christmas special offers, buying 

two for one when it really is a bargain and 

availing of money off your bill when you spend a 

certain amount. 

(v) Avail of free delivery services that may be on 

offer from local shops to save on fuel / parking 

costs – plan the delivery for when the children 

are away so that you can hide away what needs 

to be hidden for Christmas day. 

counting...we could not do it without you! 

Topic Management and Staff wish you and 

your family, your near and dear ones a very 

healthy, happy and special Christmastime, 

and we wish you all the very best for 2023 and 

the years to come. 

Wishing all our customers a Happy 

Christmas and Peaceful New Year 

Peter Moore & Co. Ltd 

(P.E. MOORE, B. Agr. Sc. & F.A.I.A.) 

Accountants, Taxation and 

Agricultural Consultants 

Over 40 years experience in Farm Accounts 

6 Patrick St., Mullingar 

T: 044 9341577 • M: 087 9875156 

Croghan Demense, Tullamore, Co. Offaly 

Tel: 046 9737146 

Busy during Fleadh week, 

Mullingar is a shopper’s Mecca. 

Wishing all our customers a very 

happy Christmas and best wishes for 2023 

MULLINGAR BUSINESS PARK, MULLINGAR 

Tel: 044 9343557 

Tyres Sales & Repair • Wheel Balancing 

Wheel/Lights Alignment • Oil/Bulb Change 

Breaks - Exhausts - Shocks Alloy Rim Repairs 

Servicing • 24HR Breakdown Service 

Wishing our customers and 

friends a happy Christmas

4 


Take to the 

sky with 

Funfly 

Aerosports 

Flying Club! 

Happy Christmas and best wishes 

for 2023 from 

DAMIEN 

DUNLEAVY 

HEATING & PLUMBING CONTRACTOR 

Funfly 

Aerosports 

Flying Club 

is a flying 

club based in Clonbullogue, 

Co. Offaly, 

that provides members 

with safe and 

affordable sport aviation 

activities. 

We are approved by 

the Irish Aviation 

Authority as a 

National Flight 

Training 

Organisation and 

Designated Training 

Organisation. This 

allows us to train our 

members to achieve 

the EASA PPL, the 

European Pilots Licence. 

Our activities include 

flight and ground-based 

training for the EASA 

Private Pilots Licence, 

aircraft and engine 

maintenance courses and 

aircraft building courses. 

Members that hold pilot 

licences have costeffective 

access to the 

club aircraft. 

Friendly 

Funfly Aerosports 

Flying Club has developed 

a reputation as being one 

of the friendliest, 

inclusive flying clubs in 

Ireland. We have club 

members from all walks 

of life, who are achieving 

a life ambition of 

learning to fly. 

Moreover, we have a topclass 

instructional team 

within our club 

membership that between 

them have more than 

50,000 hours of flying 

experience on a wide 

range of aircraft types 

and environments. Our 

instructional team are 

passionate about teaching 

club members safely and 

efficiently. This 

experience ensures that 

we give the best possible 

training that is also 

tailored to the individual 

member’s needs. 

Effectively, we teach 

private pilots using the 

most current training 

methods employed in 

commercial pilot training 

operations, but at a 

fraction of the cost. 

Our members consist of 

people from all walks of 

life and all age groups. 

Why not treat someone 

to the perfect present this 

year with a one hour 

flight voucher from 

Funfly Aerosports Flying 

Club. Visit our website 

www.funfly.ie or call Mark 

087 661 7115, or scan the 

QR code. 


 

 

 

 

Mullingar has a huge number 

of local, family owned 

businesses that have been in 

town for many years. 

Chances are your parents, 

and grandparents would 

have shopped in some of the 

excellent shops and 

businesses we are fortunate 

to still have in our town, and 

they would have done 

business with parents and 

grandparents and maybe 

even great-grandparents of 

the current shopkeepers. You 

would have seen some of the 

‘Keeping it in the family’ 

features in the past two 

years in Topic Newspaper, 

which convey a sense of how 

closely knit the community is, 

supporting family businesses 

and the local economy for so 

long. We can only hope that 

the upcoming generation is 

taught and made understand 

the benefits of visiting and 

spending money in local 

shops. While it may seem 

that nowadays everything 

can be acquired at the click of 

a button, nothing can ever 

replace the value of walking 

into a local family run shop in 

your local town, where 

everyone knows you by 

name; they know your 

families’ names, they enquire 

after them and their health, 

they banter with you and 

give you discounts and they 

offer first class after-sales 

service and the best smiles 

and laughs, when you need 

them most, that money just 

can’t buy online. 

You know what you have to 

do this Christmas – stick to 

shopping local. 

All the Lenders under one roof… 

OIL • GAS • SOLID FUEL 

SOLAR PANELS 

RENEWABLE ENERGY 

INSTALLATION & REPAIRS 

DOMESTIC & COMMERCIAL 

Tristernagh, Ballynacarrigy 

T: 087 9376156 

Now Located on the 

2nd Floor Blackhall St, Mullingar 

Tel: 044 933 5443 

E-mail: tara@newstarfm.ie 

Website: www.newstarfm.ie 

PLANNING A NEW 

HOME THIS YEAR? 

If so, Contact Tara 

Wylie @ New Star 

today to help you 

get your mortgage 

sorted!


A Westmeath Christmas 5 

Christmas gift ideas 

This is a dangerous subject as 

we could quite easily fill a 

book, let alone a few pages 

with ideas for Christmas gifts. 

The main message remains though - make it 

a point to stay in town and shop local this 

Christmas. 

GIFTING 

Perhaps you need some fresh ideas about what 

to get for that special someone this year. 

Remember old can sometimes be gold, so 

consider gifting things that might be considered 

old-fashioned – things like books, perfumes, 

jewellery, clothes, concert tickets, something 

practical for your home, garden or car ... the list 

is endless. 

You also can’t go wrong with practical gifts, 

especially at a time when money is scarce for 

everyone. Maybe there’s someone you know who 

could benefit from a bit of pampering, in which 

case you’d organise a gift from Beauty Box 

(Page 10 of this supplement), or something rich 

and delicious from Kilbeggan Chocolate (Page 

17). 

Perhaps there’s a family member or friend 

who would benefit from a few litres of home 

heating oil, in which case you’d call up Klass Oil 

(Page 24), or perhaps some fuel vouchers for 

diesel or petrol from Geerah’s Daybreak (Page 

8), Amber Filling Station (Page 12), M6 Service 

Station (Page 17) or Rathconnell Service Station 

(Page 21). 

Other practical gift ideas would be to gift 

someone a set of new tyres for their car from 

Newbrook Tyres who are advertised on Page 2 

or Mileage Tyres (Page 3) of this supplement, or 

how about treating a special someone to new 

tiles from Total Tiles (Page 4) or making a 

contribution towards a new or upgrade to a 

bathroom using Lakeshore Bathrooms (Page 5). 

Every farmer out there would probably benefit 

from a bit of a fashion injection and that’s why 

a call to Farm Wardrobe in Delvin (Page 21) 

would make an excellent gift for the special 

farmer in your life. 

How about offering someone special a gift 

voucher for Mullingar Arts Centre. Vouchers 

are available in various denominations and 

would be put to great use by the arts lover in the 

family. It’s also a great gift for an older person, 

who may enjoy the social aspect of attending 

plays and the wide range of events hosted by 

Mullingar Arts Centre every day of the year. 

Call into the Arts Centre to buy your gift 

voucher today or you can also purchase the 

vouchers online. 

A very practical gift for a younger person 

could be some driving lessons from the wellknown 

Eugene’s School of Motoring (Page 10) or 

a week’s worth of lunches at the one and only 

Spiced Bean Cafe in Mullingar (Page 3). 

Fun (free) gift ideas for teenagers to gift are 

things like handmade vouchers offering the 

bearer of the voucher to avail of a free night’s 

babysitting, a free home cooked meal, a free 

window clean, a free car wash, etc. Ensure they 

are aware of the importance of delivering when 

the voucher is redeemed and they will likely 

really enjoy the whole experience. It will also 

teach them the value of all these redeemable 

actions and give them a sense of purpose, 

having delivered as required. 

MULLINGAR GIFT VOUCHERS 

Mullingar Gift Vouchers make an ideal 

Christmas present and are win-win presents for 

the giver, the receiver and the town, as the 

money spent goes back into the town, 

supporting local all the way. You can purchase 

Mullingar gift vouchers at the Mullingar Credit 

Union, or in the Mullingar Chamber Office on 

the Market Square or order your vouchers 

online via the Mullingar Chamber website 

(https://mullingarchamber.ie/buy-giftvouchers). 

 

 

 

 

You’ve heard it here first – whatever 

it was, we’re sure you must 

have read it in Topic Newspaper! 

Topic has been in Mullingar since 

1971 and is the only newspaper in 

the country that still has a 

newsroom and printing press onsite. 

Nothing needs to be outsourced, 

apart from the paper and ink. Topic 

is a family run business that keeps 

all things local as much as possible, 

from our reporting to our staffing. 

Many people may not realise but 

Topic prints much more than just 

the weekly newspaper; we print 

books, posters, visiting cards, 

magazines, calendars...you name it, 

we’ll print it! 

Call in to us in Topic today and 

discuss your printing requirements 

for your local business. 

We’re open five days a week, from 

9am to 5pm. 

We do close for lunch between 

1pm and 2pm but you can always 

email us also on printing@topic.ie 

or sales@topic.ie. You are also 

welcome to give us a call anytime 

on 044 938 1205. 

BACK IN ACTION 

Physiotherapy & 

Sports Injury Clinic 

Prop. Jeanette McDonnell M.I.S.C.P. 

plus team of 3 physiotherapists 

TREATMENT FOR PAIN, STIFFNESS 

AND SPORTS INJURIES 

Merry Christmas 

to all our Customers 

PILATES RUNNING WEEKLY AGAIN 

Instructed by Chartered Physiotherapist 

Phone: (044) 93 42476 • Mob: 085 7086977 

Email: info@backinaction.ie 

Address: Unit 12a, Market Point Medical Park, 

Mullingar, Co. Westmeath

6 



SOLUTIONS: PAGE 23



How to keep Christmas trees 

alive for longer this year 

Have you got your tree up 

yet? If you have a real tree, 

you’re probably dreading 

the needles and pins that 

fall off when the tree starts to age and dry 

out. 

The subject of keeping a Christmas tree 

alive for longer is an age old subject that 

everyone will have different advice on, but 

we will use the information provided to 

us by Brosnan Property Solutions, which 

we received during the week, just in time 

for this supplement, offering their best 

advice on how to keep Christmas trees 

alive for longer over the festive period. 

WHEN TO BUY? 

First things first; when is the optimum 

time to buy? It all depends on when you 

take your tree down, according to Des 

Brosnan, resident gardening expert at 

Brosnan’s. 

“If you only plan on having your tree up 

until January 1 or thereabouts, now is the 

right time to buy - any time between 

November 28 and December 1. If you want 

to leave the tree up until the traditional 

twelfth night, around January 5, you 

should be looking at buying the tree 

around December 5. 

“Most Christmas trees last a solid 5-6 

weeks, if they’re looked after properly, so 

if you pick up your tree now, you’re going 

to have a pretty picturesque scene come 

Christmas morning!” 

HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT TREE 

“You need to know exactly what you’re 

looking for, know how much space you 

have at home for the tree, ensuring to 

leave at least 6-7 inches between the top of 

the tree and the ceiling – if you place a 

star or an angel on top of your tree, you’ll 

want to be leaving around 14 inches if 

possible. Most homes feature 8ft ceilings, 

so a 7ft tree would be perfect.” 

When it comes to choosing the tree itself, 

Des says it’s all about the density – 

“The tree should be quite dense and 

have that healthy, bushy shape. You 

shouldn’t be able to see the trunk through 

the branches of the tree – if you can see 

the trunk, avoid at all costs! That’s an 

unhealthy tree and it won’t last. You can 

also test the tree’s general health by very 

gently grabbing one of the inside 

branches and pulling your hand back out 

Which kind of tree should you buy? Ask the salesperson! 

towards you, the needles should stay on 

the tree. If they fall off, pick another tree. 

Generally speaking, always look for the 

greenest tree available – this is a good 

indicator of tree health. The trees usually 

tend to transition into a dull grayishgreen 

type colour, if they lose a lot of 

moisture and dry out.” 

TRANSPORTING THE TREE 

Once you have your tree selected, you’ll 

need to get it home. According to Des, this 

is when the biggest mistakes start to 

happen – 

“Once the tree is cut, you’ve got to start 

thinking of it like a cut flower. It’s 

delicate, it needs water and it needs to be 

protected! Most people strap the tree on 

top of their car when transporting it. If 

you’re doing this, make sure the tree is 

covered – if you don’t, the wind the tree is 

exposed to on top of the car will dry it 

out, shortening the lifespan.” 

WATER, WATER & MORE WATER 

At last, the tree is back at the house, but 

now the real work begins – 

“If the seller of your tree hasn’t already 

done so, make a one inch cut off the 

bottom of the tree – this ensures the tree 

can properly absorb moisture and isn’t 

clogged up with dried resin from its 

initial felling. If your seller has cut your 

tree onsite, wrap a damp cloth around the 

base of the trunk in order to keep it moist 

on your journey home. Your tree stand 

should be capable of holding around 4 and 

a half litres of water. Keep the base 

constantly topped up with water. 

Otherwise resin will begin to form on the 

 

 

Distance is no issue when sending something 

sweet and delicious this year to your 

colleagues or loved one/s in other parts of the 

country. Sugar Plum Sweetery, located at 19 

Dominick Street in Mullingar, makes the most 

delicious fresh handmade chocolate, sweets 

and gifting products and delivers them all 

across Ireland. 

Their in-house Master Chocolatiers make all 

of the chocolate and fresh products by hand 

in the Sugar Plum Sweetery Chocolate 

Factory in Mullingar. 

They offer premium pick and mix sweets, 

handmade chocolate and tasty bakery 

products. You can create your own hampers 

and sweet boxes and have them delivered 

anywhere in Ireland, or to your office, to a 

special event, or to valued clients. Check out 

the Sugar Plum website 

on sugarplumsweetery.ie or call in and sample 

some of the tasty treats on offer. 

You can also telephone them on 087 165 7967. 

base of the tree, which will cause it to dry 

out.” 

DO YOU NEED TO ADD ANYTHING TO THE 

WATER TO KEEP THE TREE FRESHER FOR 

LONGER? 

“Forget whatever you may have heard 

about adding stuff to the water – regular 

tap water provides exactly what the tree 

needs. Just keep things fresh! We’ve seen 

and heard of people adding bits of bleach 

to the water, lemon juice, sugar and other 

sorts of nonsense. Avoid this; you’re just 

making more work for yourself.” 

WHERE SHOULD I PLACE MY TREE? 

Location is key when it comes to tree 

survival – 

“As we’ve mentioned before, it’s 

important to keep the tree from drying 

out, so keep it away from things like 

fireplaces, log burners, stoves, radiators – 

just any heat source in general. You need 

to keep the tree moist. Keep it protected 

and out of a draught. If your home or the 

area around your tree is particularly dry, 

introduce a humidifier into the area. This 

should aid the tree.” 

OTHER ADVICE – LED LIGHTS, TREE REMOVAL 

AND BRANCH CLIPPING 

LED Lights – “The type of lights you put 

on your tree can actually seriously affect 

the overall health of the tree! The older 

string of incandescent bulbs create a lot 

of heat, which can dry out the tree, so try 

and avoid these if possible and stick to 

LEDs. They’re more energy efficient, 

create less heat and are less of a fire 

hazard.” 

Tree Removal – “Some tree sellers may 

organise to collect your tree in January or 

create a drop off point for you to dump 

your tree – this isn’t the only option 

available to you however. You can allow 

the tree to dry out and then chop the 

branches into small pieces which can be 

added to a compost pile.” 

Branch Clipping – “Over the weeks, 

some branches on the tree may dry up, 

leading to brown needles. Give these a 

trim. We always compare it to deadheading 

a plant. When you cut off the 

dead leaves or stems, you’re just 

funnelling energy into the still living 

sections of the plant. The effects are not 

as dramatic on a Christmas tree but it’s 

still very beneficial to do so.”

8 



A book for Christmas 

www.powerwashingireland.com 

www.lifthireireland.com 

044 939 0890 

Thank you to all of our customers. 

Wishing you a very Happy Christmas 

and all the best for 2023. 

Abook is a gift you can open 

again and again, and in 

these days of digital and online 

everything, the joy of 

taking a physical book in your hand and 

making time to read the written word and 

immerse yourself in that world, if even 

for half an hour, is therapy at its best. 

Youngsters of today are slowly losing 

out on the joy of reading a real book. 

Even in school, almost everything is 

online and focused on the world of digital 

entertainment. While our libraries are 

still a place of joy to visit, it is most 

important that the love of books and 

reading is cultivated at home. 

Christmas is always a great time to zone 

out of what’s on the TV and do something 

different, like read a book, or two. Lock 

the mobile phones away for a few hours, 

disconnect the wifi and go back to the 

basics of reading. Involve the whole 

family and have a family book club, so you 

can enjoy discussing what you read 

around Christmas meetings and perhaps 

the odd Christmas treat. Even after 

Christmas, set aside one evening every 

week as Book Night. It can be so much fun 

and reading a real book really gets your 

mind active in a way that online books 

don’t. 

JUST BOOKS, MULLINGAR 

We’re blessed to have the cosy, unique 

Just Books on Pearse Street in the town of 

Mullingar, where you can drop in, browse, 

read and order your book of choice in 

case it’s not readily available on the 

shelves. Proprietor Stella Lynch is a mine 

of information and offers fantastic 

personalised book advice when requested. 

Stella has very kindly come up with a 

great list of books to consider buying for 

yourself or gifting this Christmas. 

1. Sweet Therapy: The 

Joy of Baking 

Mullingar baker Una Leonard is best 

known for her bakery 2210 Patisserie and 

Happy Christmas from all at 

MULLINGAR 

ND CLEANING 

Tel: 044 9342199 

Mob: 087 2453534 

noel@ndcleaning.com 

A PROFESSIONAL 

CLEANING COMPANY 

ALL TYPES OF FLOORS, 

WINDOW CLEANING, 

GUTTERS, POWER WASHING, CARPET, 

UPHOLSTERY, 

OFFICES, DOMESTIC CLEANS 

BUILDERS CLEANS, 

BEFORE AND AFTER TENANT CLEANING 

the 

bestselling 

brownies, 

blondies, 

dotie bars, 

cookies and 

cakes in 

town. 

In her first ever book Sweet Therapy: 

The Joy of Baking, Una shares her unique 

story of how baking transformed her life 

and, for the first time ever, the mouthwatering 

recipes that have turned her 

bakery into a popular destination and her 

thriving online business into the 

phenomenal word-of-mouth success it has 

become. 

While packed with amazing recipes, this 

book also touches upon topics concerning 

mental health. Definitely a sweet gift for 

the whole family to enjoy. 

Lenehan Motor Factors 

Car Parts • Accessories • Batteries 

Zone A, 

Mullingar 

Business Park, 

Mullingar 

(Previously located in 

Millmount S.C.) 

Ph: (044) 934 2415 or (044) 933 3660 

email: lenehanmotorfactors@gmail.com 

Wishing all our customers a very Happy 

Christmas and a wonderful New Year



– that’s just perfect! 

 

2. A Guest at the Feast by 

Colm Tóibín 

This book uncovers the places where 

politics and poetics meet, where life and 

fiction overlap, where one can be inside 

writing and also outside of it. 

From the melancholy and amusement 

within the work of the writer John 

McGahern to an extraordinary essay on 

his own cancer diagnosis, Tóibín 

delineates the bleakness and strangeness 

of life and also its richness and its 

complexity. The imprint of the written 

word on the private self, as Tóibín himself 

remarks, is extraordinarily powerful. In 

this collection, that power is gloriously 

alive, illuminating history and literature, 

politics and power, family and the self. 

3. Nonfiction: What We 

Owe the Future by 

William MacAskill 

A guide for making the future go better. 

Humanity’s written history spans only 

five thousand years. Our yet-unwritten 

future could last for millions more; or it 

could end tomorrow. Staggering numbers 

of people will lead fluorishing lives or 

lives of misery, or never live at all, 

depending on what we do today. 

4. International History: 

The World by 

Simon Sebag 

Montefiore 

In this epic, eversurprising 

book, 

Montefiore chronicles the 

world’s great dynasties 

across human history 

through palace intrigues, 

love affairs, and family 

lives, linking grand 

themes of war, migration, 

plague, religion, and 

technology to the people 

at the heart of the human 

drama. A dazzling 

achievement as 

spellbinding as 

fiction, this 

book captures the whole 

human story in a single, 

masterful narrative. 

5. Irish History: 

The Irish Civil War in 

Colour by Michael B. 

Barry and John O'Byrne 

Here is the story of Ireland’s Civil War 

in colour – a defining moment in Irish 

history brought to life for the first time in 

hand-coloured photographs. The events of 

1922–1923 are revealed using photographs 

painstakingly hand-coloured by John 

O’Byrne. Many of these photographs, 

carefully selected from archives and 

private collections, have never been 

published before. If you want a better 

understanding of the story of the Irish 

Civil War, this is the book for you. 

6. Ideal Interest: Listen to 

the Land Speak by 

Manchán Magan 

Another Westmeath resident makes it to 

our Top 10 list as Collinstown 

resident 

Manchán 

Magan writes 

about our 

ancestors who 

lived in a 

unique and 

complex 

society, 

inspired by 

nature and 

centred upon 

esteemed 

poets, seers, 

monks, healers 

and wise 

women, all of 

whom were 

deeply 

connected to 

the land around 

them. With 

infectious joy and wonder, Manchán 

Magan roams through Ireland’s ancient 

bogs, rivers, mountains and shorelines, 

tracing our ancestors’ footsteps. A 

magical and 

reinvigorating 

exploration into the 

wisdom that lies 

beneath us, Listen to the 

Land Speak casts the 

world in a new light. 

7. Sport: Kellie 

by Kellie 

Harrington 

with Roddy 

Doyle 

Kellie Harrington 

grew up in Dublin's 

north inner city and 

was in danger of going 

down the wrong path in 

life before she 

discovered boxing. Her 

development into an 

elite boxer was confirmed with medals at 

the 2016 and 2018 world championships, 

and crowned with a gold medal at the 

Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Working with 

Booker Prize-winning author Roddy 

Doyle, Kellie tells the story of her 

sometimes troubled childhood, her 

unlikely rise to greatness, and her 

continuing commitment to living a 

normal life. 

8. Children’s 

Gift (0-6): 

What the 

Ladybird 

Heard at 

Christmas by 

Julia 

Donaldson 

and Lydia 

Monks 

Packed full of fun, 

this lovely children’s 

book is a 

fantastically lively 

rhyming adventure 

from the bestselling picture book 

partnership of Julia Donaldson and Lydia 

Monks. 

9. Children’s Gift (7-12): 

Girls Who Slay Monsters 

by Ellen Ryan and Shona 

Shirley MacDonald 

This book highlights unsung stories 

from ancient Irish myths re-imagined for 

Just Books 

Fantastic selection to suit 

all ages and interests 

Book tokens and gift 

vouchers available 

nine to twelve-year olds. From mermaids 

and fashionistas to athletes and farmers, 

meet goddesses of all shapes and sizes 

from Ireland's ancient myths. Stand by 

their sides as they wield magic, fight 

monsters, and protect the powerless – and 

you might discover that you, too, are a 

force of nature. 

10. Children’s Gift (7-12): 

What Makes Us Human 

by Luke O’Neill 

What do you have in common with the 

7.75 billion other people on the planet? 

This is the question that Professor Luke 

O'Neill attempts to answer in this exciting 

new book for young readers. Starting with 

the origin of life, Professor Luke explores 

what makes us interesting as a species, 

why we sleep, laugh and enjoy music, and 

our efforts to stop disease. What Makes Us 

Human is the perfect book for curious 

minds. 

Pearse Street, Mullingar 

044 933 2969 

Email: justbooksmullingar12@gmail.com 

www.justbooksmullingar.com

10 



Reduce your carbon footprint when 

shopping for presents this Christmas 

We can plan far in advance 

for Christmas 

Day and make lists of 

what to get as presents 

and what food shopping we might 

need (keep Topic’s editorial from a few 

weeks back in mind, about food waste). 

You may be tempted to head for the 

bright lights of the capital city or further 

afield for your shopping, when in fact the 

shops in your own town have everything 

you could possibly need. 

Stop for a few minutes and calculate how 

much savings you’re really making, if 

any, travelling distances to purchase 

something you could easily purchase in 

your local town. In these days of the 

‘green’ revolution, think about your 

carbon footprint and how much you’re 

unnecessarily spending on fuel to get 

things that you can get right here in your 

own town. 

Don’t be shy to ask your local 

shopkeeper to order whatever it is you are 

looking for, in case they do not readily 

stock it. First class customer service is a 

given when you shop local, so asking them 

to order something is usually a pleasure 

they will happily assist you with, knowing 

they have your custom and knowing you’ll 

likely spread the word about their great 

service. 

Also, remember that if something goes 

wrong with the product you have bought, 

you don’t have to send it off and wait for 

months to have it repaired; shopping local 

means you give it back to where you 

bought it and more than likely, get an 

immediate replacement. 

While it’s nice to sometimes get out and 

go somewhere different, you can still do 

that, but commit to spending the bulk of 

your Christmas budget locally. 

Take a few minutes to go through this 

Topic Christmas Supplement and review 

the advertisers. Guaranteed, whatever list 

you have for presents, you’ll be able to 

source them all in your local town. 

Castle St., Mullingar 

Ph: 044 934 4122 

Spray Tan Thursdays - €15 

Late Opening Thursdays & 

Fridays and selected days over 

the Christmas - Phone for info 

Gift Vouchers available 

Wishing all our lovely customers and 

friends a happy Christmas! 

Brosna Art Group donation: The kind hearted members of the Brosna Art group recently 

held an art exhibition in the Greville Arms Hotel in Mullingar and raised the grand sum of 

€645 from a raffle they had at the exhibition. Pictured making the presentation of the 

proceeds to Ken Smollen for the Ken Smollen Food Appeal are Mary Curran, Patricia 

Leogue, Kai Keegan, Ken Smollen and Mary Murtagh. 

Conor Tulley and Rebecca McGlynn are 

planning to do some Christmas shopping in 

Mullingar this year.



Land of Light 

The Jealous Wall at Belvedere House and 

Gardens is magically lit up every Friday, 

Saturday and Sunday night at 8.30pm, 

with bright lights illuminating the dark 

winter sky every weekend. The Land of 

Lights programme runs until Friday, 

December 23 at 8.30pm – finishing just 

before Santa Claus makes his way across 

the sky on the night of December 24. 

Railway Christmas 

Markets 

The 2022 Christmas Markets and Santa 

Grotto are being held in association with 

the Railway Market Team and Mullingar 

Chamber. The markets run on Saturday, 

December 3, 10 and 17 from 11am to 6pm 

and on Sunday, December 4, 11 and 18 

from 11am to 3pm in the Band Hall 

(Eircode N91 YY96). There will be a huge 

variety of stalls and entertainment, 

including Christmas food and baked 

goods, Christmas crafts and handmade 

gifts, Christmas trees, plus music, song 

and dance. For enquiries on market stalls 

please email Patricia at 

marketmullingar@gmail.com . 

Drive-in Cinema 

Mullingar Chamber and Lis Café/Apache 

Pizza Mullingar will be hosting a Drive-In 

Cinema at Tudenham, Lough Ennell, on 

December 3, 4, 9, 10, 16 and 17. Movies 

being screened include Home Alone 1 and 

2, Jack Frost, Bing Crosby’s White 

Christmas, The Polar Express and The 

What’s on in 

Mullingar over 

this Christmas 

season 

Santa Clause. 

This is the perfect opportunity for the 

whole family to spend fun evenings 

together; you will even be able to preorder 

your Apache Pizza right to your car! 

There is a minimum capacity available, 

so book early. 

Booking (online only), will be opened in 

the coming days on Mullingar.ie through 

EventBrite. 

Beauty & The Beast in 

Mullingar Arts Centre 

Pantomime season is back and Mullingar 

Pantomime Group are proud to present 

this year’s production of ‘Beauty and the 

Beast’. The panto runs from Thursday, 

December 8 until Friday, December 30, on 

various dates and times, including 

matinee shows. 

The ‘Beauty and the Beast’ panto’ story 

follows Belle and her hilarious comrades, 

Strudel and Minnie, as they battle against 

the mean-spirited Dick Dastardly (and 

crew) and curse of the evil witch. Are the 

Beast and his comrades to be loved by all? 

Oh yes they are! Watch as true love and 

magic conquers all, and be amazed by the 

wonderful transformations. 

Full of song, dance, costume and 

comedy, panto’ this year will have singing 

from the rooftops. 

Tickets are extremely limited, with the 

majority of shows already sold out, so call 

the Box Office today on 044 934 7777 to 

book your seats. 

Women’s Community 

Project Centre – 

Christmas Markets 

Join the Women’s Community Project 

Centre, Mullingar, for their first ever 

Christmas Markets on Tuesday, December 

15 from 1pm to 5pm in the Parish 

Community Centre on Bishopsgate Street, 

Mullingar. 

Teenkix Christmas tour 

2022 – Mullingar 

Ireland’s biggest under 18 nightclub disco 

takes place in The Greville Arms Hotel on 

Thursday, December 22 from 8pm to 11pm. 

The disco is strictly for first and second 

year students. ID is mandatory and there 

is a strict no alcohol policy in place. Time 

for the teenagers to have fun in safe 

surroundings. 

Foster & Allen 

Join the local lad, Mick Foster, and the 

almost local lad, Tony Allen, at home in 

The Greville Arms Hotel on Tuesday, 

December 27 from 7pm to 11.30pm. The 

duo are on home territory over the festive 

period as they continue their Irish tour. 

Contact The Greville Arms for more 

details.

12 



It’s Christmas from 

Bridge to the Castle 

Tyrrellspass, Co. Westmeath 

Tel: 087 9938753 • 044 922 3931 

info@sheridanwindows.ie • www.sheridanwindows.ie 

Christmas greetings to all our 

customers and best wishes for 2023 

www.newforest.ie 

TYRRELLSPASS, CO. WESTMEATH 

Telephone: 044 9221100 

Wishing all our customers, neighbours and 

friends a very happy and healthy Christmas 

Thank you for your support in 2022 

and wishing you all the best for 2023 

Bethlehem 

PIZZA & PASTA 

Restaurant & Takeaway 

Main St., Tyrrellspass 

044 9221840 

Wishing all of our customers a 

very Happy Christmas 

Rahugh Christmas 

Tractor Run 

Rahugh Hall Development Association are 

holding a novel Tractor Run with a 

Christmas theme on Saturday, December 

17. There will be a prize for the best 

dressed seasonally decorated vehicle (i.e. 

streamers, lights, etc). 

That should be a great attraction. So lads 

and lassies, clean up and smarten up 

those machines and you could be on a 

winner. Registration starts at 4pm. The 

entry fee is €25. The tractor run starts at 

5pm. A cabaret and raffle will be held afterwards 

in The Hazel, with a special appearance 

by ‘The 

Sailors’ who reform 

for the night. 

They should bring 

back nostalgic 

memories to so 

many people. Enquiries 

to 086 6022 

731. 

Christmas Greetings from 

Jamie Farrell 

Amber Filling Station 

Open 6am - 11pm 

Keenest Fuel Prices 

Great Value 

Grocery Offers 

Dublin Road, Tyrrellspass 

Mob: 087 055 3334 

Children’s Disco 

St Mary’s GAA, Rochfortbridge, are 

holding a children’s disco in St Joseph’s 

Community Centre on December 16, 

between 7pm and 9pm. Admission is €5. 

Christmas Tractor Run 

from Corrigan’s 

Corrigan’s Bar in Rochfortbridge are 

hosting a Christmas Tractor Run on 

Saturday, December 10, in aid of Motor 

Neurone Disease. Registration starts at 

3.30pm in the old compound, followed by 

the Tractor Run. There will be live music 

afterwards and a raffle in Corrigan’s 

Lounge. 

Christmas Crib and Choir 

in Gibbonstown 

Gibbonstown Community will have a 

special event for the festive season. It 

Seasons Greetings 

to all our customers and friends 

starts at 2pm with the arrival of Santa on 

December 11 at Gibbonstown, where a 

crib will be on site and all the trimmings 

of Christmas presents. 

This will be followed by the blessing of 

the crib, and Santa will have little 

surprises for all the children. 

Milltownpass Choir will be singing hymns 

for the occasion and there will also be a 

Craft Fair and a raffle. All proceeds of 

this fundraising event will go towards 

Ben’s Lifeline, who have very generously 

given a defibrillator to the community. 

The chief organisers are Ceppie Keogh, 

Mary Cleary, Mary Wynne and Ciara 

Dolan. 

Local Entertainment 

Peter Newman in Bagnall’s has a full 

schedule over the festive period with top 

entertainment. On December 16 – Ruaile 

Buaile, December 23 – Blessed, December 

26 – Gavin Cribben, December 31 – Chris 

Loughrey. It’s the same story in Lyster’s, 

with plenty of good music. The usual 

‘Joker Poker’ takes place every Saturday 

night, then music on December 17 by Alan 

Lalor, music on December 26 – Just Davy, 

December 31 – Kitty Bo and January 1 

(2023) – Crúiscín. 

Duck Race in 

Milltownpass 

Milltownpass GAA are holding a very 

novel event during the festive holidays. 

It’s a Duck Race on the Milltown river! 

The ducks are made of plastic and 

numbered. You select the duck you want 

and if your number is on the duck that 

crosses the finish line first, then you’re on 

a winner. The final decision on the date is 

still unknown but it is worth keeping an 

eye out for. This will be a fun event for all 

the family to enjoy. 

Willie’s and the 

Village Barn 

Would like to wish each 

and every customer 

all the best for 

Christmas and 2023 

For enquiries call 

David at 087 2709646 

or visit 

www.thevillagebarn.ie



the Mill to the 

 

 

Milltownpass Community 

Action Group Cake Sale 

Milltownpass Community Action Group 

continue their activities with a Cake sale 

on Saturday, December 10 in the 

Community Centre between 10.30am and 

12.30pm. 

Also on show that day will be Sewing 

Craft products produced by those who 

took part in the sewing classes during the 

past couple of months. All proceeds will 

go towards the upkeep of the centre. 

St Anne’s National School 

(Famous) Cake Sale 

On Friday, December 9, St Anne’s 

National School are holding a Cake Sale 

from 1.30pm to 2.30pm. This is a repeat of 

last year’s very successful Cake Sale – so 

bakers, get baking! 

Christmas Lights in 

Tyrrellspass 

Tyrrellspass Tidy Towns are turning on 

the Christmas lights on December 3 on 

The Green. Attendees will be treated to 

mulled wine, mince pies and other 

seasonal refreshments. There will also be 

carol singing and a special appearance by 

Santa Claus. The festivities start at 5pm 

and go on until around 6.30pm. 

Christmas Lights in 

Milltownpass 

The turning on of the Christmas lights in 

Milltownpass is set to be another success 

this year. The Tidy Towns team are 

gearing up to making this special event an 

evening of community and student 

engagement, an evening to meet old and 

new friends and of course an evening 

where the younger members of the 

community get to meet Santa Claus in 

person! 

The lights will be switched on at 4.30pm 

on Saturday, December 10, by a local 

student, in the centre of Milltownpass 

village, at the T-Junction outside Skyclad 

and next to Grennan’s Bar, where light 

seasonal refreshments will be served 

afterwards. Come along and join in the 

festivities. 

Merry Christmas from Milltownpass! The 

kindness of everyone in Milltownpass 

village and beyond made it possible for the 

children in the local St. Joseph’s Primary 

School in Milltownpass to enjoy having 

their own Christmas Tree outside their 

school last year (2021). 

Happy Christmas from 

Kids Kottage 

Main Street, Tyrrellspass 

FULL & PART TIME DAY CARE 

FROM 8.00am to 5.30pm 

MORNING PRESCHOOL SESSION 

9:00am to 12:00pm MONDAY to FRIDAY 

TYRRELLSPASS 

ECCE 2 Free Preschool Years 

After School Care and Pick up from 

Tyrrellspass Schools. 

Contact Deirdre on 086 0212100 

Christmas greetings from 

John Healy Coaches 

John Healy 

Funeral Director & Chapel of Rest 

Dublin Road, Rochfortbridge 

Tel: 044 9222 187 / 087 8951937 

E-mail: lolhealy74@gmail.com 

Happy Christmas from all at 

GRENNAN’S BAR 

Christmas quackers: go to the Duck Race in Milltownpass this Christmas! 

Wishing everyone a 

Happy Christmas & Happy New Year 

HAPPY CHRISTMAS, FROM 

Rochfortbridge 

FARM LAND 

FOR SALE AND 

FOR LETTINGS 

BUILDING SITES FOR SALE 

HOUSES URGENTLY 

REQUIRED FOR SALE 

Mobile: 087 2508626 

www.gavinauctioneer.com 

The specialists in precision sheet and 

plate metalwork in Stainless Steel, 

Mild steel & Aluminium 

T: 044 922 2208 

M: 086 819 9650 

E: colearc.hd@gmail.com 

Intelligence in Design, Excellence 

in Engineering since 1989 

Milltownpass, Co. Westmeath 

shaygrennan@gmail.com

14 



Balance out your 

eating! 

Only 

89c 

EACH 

Only 

49c c 

EACH 

Christmas Dinner is something we all look forward to 

every year and something we all end up complaining 

about afterwards, with moans and groans of “oh, I’ve 

eaten too much turkey” or “I shouldn’t have had the trifle 

and the Christmas pudding and custard”. . . 

This year, why not balance 

out your eating pattern a bit 

and make the food go that 

little bit further. At a time 

when some grocery items have 

become almost double the 

price since last year, dividing 

small and serving all is the 

order of the day. 

MEAL PLANNING 

Take five minutes and sit 

down with a pen and paper 

and make a list of the meals 

you’ll likely cook over the few 

days of Christmas, and from 

there, check what ingredients 

you have in your cupboards 

and make a list of those you 

might need to make the meals 

you want. Making a grocery 

shopping list is key to 

controlling your expenses and 

compulsive buying. 

Ideally, it’s best to get all 

your Christmas grocery 

shopping under one roof, and 

there’s no better place in 

Mullingar to get your 

shopping than Hughes 

Eurospar Supermarket on the 

Green Road. Hughes Eurospar 

is buzzing every minute of the 

day, from when it opens at 8am 

until it closes at 9pm. 

The added bonus in Hughes 

Eurospar is that they have 

household items, an offlicense, 

an in-house butcher 

and bakery as well as a large 

section of chilled food items 

and general everyday 

groceries. 

RECIPES 

We’re not going to bore you 

with recipes on how to cook a 

turkey or a roast beef or ham, 

but rather how to make an 

edible Christmas gift, 

something nice to cook for the 

vegans or vegetarians in your 

household, how to use up 

leftovers, and a nice light old 

fashioned porter cake recipe. 

Drop into Hughes Eurospar 

today on the Green Road, 

Mullingar and shop for all the 

items to give these recipes a 

try over the Christmas 

holidays. 

u p 

re as 

eb e 

ra y 

Only 

€12 

SAVE 

€4 

Only 

€1 15. .99 

Independently 

audited 

by the EIQA 

Offers available 1st December to 28th December 2022, unless otherwise stated. 

Prices correct at time of going to print. In participating stores only, while stocks last. Customer quotas may apply. 

All savings shown are versus recommended retail price. *Programme applicable at participating ting EUROSPAR 

Stores only. See eurospar.ie for full T&Cs. 

www.eurospar.ie 

@eurosparireland 

@eurospar_ireland 

The fantastic baking products section in Hughes Eurospar on The 

Green Road, Mullingar.


This is a beautiful no bake tiffin recipe 

that is seasonal, colourful and very tasty. 

They are very easy to make; something 

the teenagers in the household might 

enjoy making with you. 

These christmassy looking tiffins make 

a perfect edible gift for any age – place 

them on a nice plate or in a hand 

decorated airtight container, wrap with a 

pretty ribbon and gift to your loved ones. 

INGREDIENTS 

● 250g shortcake/digestive or ginger nut 

biscuits (or a mix of all three), crushed 

● 125g butter (melted) 

● 1 tbsp golden syrup 

● 50g weight of mixed nuts/raisins (use 

pistachios/pecans/raisins) 

● 50g cranberries (or orange infused ones 

if you wish) 

● 2 tablespoons of grated orange rind 

● 200g white chocolate, melted 

● To decorate – handful of chopped 

cranberries, pistachios and a teaspoon of 

grated orange rind 

METHOD 

1. Crush the biscuits into crumbs and 


 

 

 

You can’t have a celebration of 

any type without cake. Well, we 

think so anyhow! 

While a traditional Christmas 

cake used to be something we 

all looked forward to, 

nowadays, many people are a 

bit more health conscious and 

opt for something different or 

something lighter. Here’s a nice 

traditional Porter Cake recipe 

that we came across a few years 

back and have tried and tested 

it and confirm it tastes great. 

Porter cake is very easy to 

make and while it has plenty of 

fruit in it, it is much lighter 

than your average Christmas 

Cake recipe. Porter cakes don’t 

require icing, which is a bonus 

as you’re eating less sugar! Give 

this a try and enjoy something 

old, yet perhaps new for you. 

INGREDIENTS 

● 450g plain flour 

● 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg 

● 1 teaspoon mixed spice 

● 340g brown sugar 

● 225g butter 

● 150ml approx. porter 

(Guinness) 

● 1/4 teaspoon bread (baking) 

soda 

● 450g currants 

● 450g sultanas 

● 110g mixed peel 

● Grated lemon rind from one 

lemon 

● 4 eggs, lightly beaten 

METHOD 

1. Prepare your ingredients – 

weighing and leaving them 

ready to use. Keep your wooden 

spoon handy to mix your 

ingredients. 

2. Preheat the oven to 170c; line 

an 9 inch cake tin with baking 

parchment. 

3. Sieve flour into a bowl and 

add nutmeg, mixed spice and 

stir in the sugar. 

4. Using your fingertips, lightly 

work in the butter until the 

mixture resembles dry 

breadcrumbs. 

5. Heat the porter a little and 

stir in the bread soda – stir this 

mix to the flour mixture. 

6. Mix in the dried fruit, mixed 

peel, grated lemon rind and the 

lightly beaten eggs, mixing 

gently but thoroughly until 

everything is combined. 

7. Transfer the mixture to the 

cake tin and bake for about 2 

hours or until nicely browned 

and a clean knife inserted into 

the centre comes out clean. 

8. Cool the cake completely in 

the tin. 

9. When the cake is cool, wrap 

it in greaseproof paper and 

store it in a cool dry place. 

Note: This cake will keep for 

two to three weeks, properly 

wrapped. 

This is almost a no cook soup as 

you simply gather all the 

leftover vegetables from the 

Christmas dinner to a pan, add a 

stock cube, bring gently to the 

boil and blitz! 

There you have it, a simple, 

tasty, super quick soup that will 

take care of any small hunger 

pangs that may occur after 

feasting the day before. Spice up 

the soup with a spoonful of 

curry powder/paste if you wish 

and keep a tub of natural 

yoghurt or crème fraîche nearby 

to top it off. Serve with melba 

toasts for crunch! 

INGREDIENTS (SERVES 4) 

● 1 teaspoon butter 

● 1 tablespoon olive or 

sunflower oil 

● 1 medium onion, chopped 

● 2 celery sticks, washed and 

diced 

● 2 medium potatoes, peeled and 

cut into small chunks 

● 1 tablespoon curry paste 

(optional) 

● 1 litre vegetable stock, (fresh 

stock or made with a stock cube) 

● Approx 500g leftover (roasted 

or boiled) vegetables, roughly 

chopped (use Brussels sprout, 

carrots, parsnips, beans, etc.) 

● Salt & pepper, to taste 

● Natural yogurt or crème 

fraîche (optional), to serve 

METHOD 

1. Heat the butter and oil in a 

large saucepan on a medium 

heat. Fry the onion for about 

five to seven minutes until 

golden colour. 

2. Stir in the celery and sauté for 

about five minutes. 

3. Add the potatoes and fry for a 

further two minutes, stirring 

often. 

4. Stir in the curry paste or 

powder (if using). Let it cook for 

a minute or so, then pour in the 

stock. Bring to the boil and stir 

place in a large bowl 

2. Melt the butter and syrup together in a 

large bowl, mixing often until well 

combined. 

3. Pour the melted butter mixture onto the 

biscuit crumbs and combine thoroughly. 

4. Add the mixed nuts, raisins, 

cranberries and orange rind and mix 

well. 

5. Line a 6 inch square tin with strong 

cling film or greaseproof paper. 

6. Tip the mixture into the tin and press 

down well with the back of a spoon or the 

base of a glass. Put into the fridge to set. 

7. Once set, melt the white chocolate and 

pour evenly over the biscuit base. 

8. Scatter with a handful of chopped 

cranberries, pistachios and orange rind as 

you wish. 

9. Refrigerate once more until the 

chocolate is set. Cut into squares, 

rectangular bars or triangular wedges to 

serve. (or wrap/pack to make the perfect 

edible gift). 

Note: This is best served from the fridge 

as it is only the cold that holds it together. 

 

well. 

5. Lower the heat, cover and 

simmer for 15-20 minutes until 

the potatoes are tender. 

6. Add the leftover vegetables to 

the pan and warm through for 

about five or six minutes. 

7. Pour the soup into a food 

processor or blender and blitz to 

a smooth purée. Thin down to 

the consistency you like with hot 

water or stock, then add salt and 

pepper to taste. 

8. Serve in bowls with spoonfuls 

of natural yogurt or crème 

fraîche swirled on top.

16 


Castlepollard 

CHRISTMAS MARKET AND CRAFT FAIR 

The Christmas Fair usually held at 

Tullynally is being held at Castlepollard 

Hurling Club on the Pakenham Hall road 

on Saturday, December 10 and Sunday 

December 11 this year, from 11am to 5pm. 

There will be lots of stalls with jewellery, 

wood crafts, candles, home baking and 

much more on offer. 

SEASON’S GREETINGS FROM 

Creates beautiful images for all your 

Business and Personal needs 

GIFT VOUCHERS AVAILABLE 

CALL ME NOW ON 

087 298 2443 

People, Places, Product 

and Food Photography 

Wishing all our clients and friends a Merry 

Christmas and Happy New year from 

ANTONE BRIODY 

CONSTRUCTION 

Finea, Co. Westmeath 

P: 087 275 7230 / 043 668 1914 

E: briodyantone@gmail.com 

W: antonebriodyconstruction.ie 

• New House Construction 

• Renovations, Extensions and Refurbishment 

JOHNNY GUIRKE 

E-mail: Johnny.Guirke@oireachtas.ie 

Navan Office Ph: 087 3370308 

Trim Office Ph: 046 9481402 

Castlepollard Ph: 044 9662688 

FATHER CHRISTMAS FOR FORE 

We hear that Father Christmas, also 

known as Santa Claus, will take time 

away from his busy schedule to pay a very 

important visit to Fore's Abbey House 

Public House (Coffey’s) on Sunday, 

December 11. Proceeds from this event are 

in aid of Ballycomoyle GFC. We’re not 

exactly sure of the time yet but keep an 

ear out in your area for news of Santa’s 

arrival. 

Wishing all our customers and friends a 

Happy Christmas and Peaceful New Year 

O’Reilly & Son 

Painting & 

Decorating 

Contractors 

- Commercial 

- Industrial - Domestic 

- Interior - Exterior 

Phone: 087 968 2428 

Merseydale, Townparks, Castlepollard, Co. Westmeath 

City & Guild Qualified 

Over 35 years experience 


Christmas in Castlepollard, Fore, 

Collinstown and Drumcree 

Fore 

CHRISTMAS POKER CLASSIC 

A Christmas Poker Classic will be held in 

The Seven Wonders Bar, Fore, in aid of 

the Jack & Jill Foundation on Sunday, 

December 11 at 5pm. Refreshments served 

and raffle on the night. Tickets available 

from the Seven Wonders Bar. 

TRACTOR RUN 

A Tractor Run, which will start from, and 

conclude at, Doyne’s Public House, 

Glenidan, takes place on Monday, 

December 26, St Stephen's Day. This event 

will take place in honour of the memory 

of Martin Doyne (1977 – 2022). 

Registrations for the Tractor Run will be 

accepted at Doyne’s from 10.30am 

onwards on St Stephen's Day. The Tractor 

Run starts at 12 noon. Proceeds from the 

Tractor Run will be donated to Good2Talk. 

CHRISTMAS DRAW 

Collinstown Pitch and Putt Club now has 

cards for its 2022 Christmas Draw. Lines 

are €2 each or €5 for three lines purchased 

together. There are very good prizes to be 

won. Prizewinners will be drawn at 

Collinstown's Lough Lene Inn on Friday 

night, December 23. 

Finances are tight for everyone this 

year and as a result, the thought of 

buying Christmas presents for 

friends and family members may 

be a worry for many. Don’t let the thought 

of not being able to gift get you down. 

With these few helpful suggestions, you 

can make your own presents to gift. They 

may not be huge gifts, but keep in mind 

that ‘small is beautiful’ and the more 

practical the gift, the more it will be 

treasured, and used for years to come. So, 

invest in a glue gun and get your 

creativity flowing to make the perfect 

present for your special someone this 

Christmas. You’ll find the majority of 

crafting items (like glue guns, notepaper) 

available in your local hobby/toy shop. 

TWINE TOPPERS 

These little cookie cutter toppers make 

perfect gifts by themselves if you 

tie a bunch of them together, 

or to finish off your 

already wrapped gift. 

They are inexpensive to 

buy and make great 

gifts for children and 

adults. 

These wrapped cookie 

cutters also make nice 

tree decorations and can 

be used afterwards for the 

purpose they were intended! 

To make, simply wrap a cookie 

cutter with baker’s twine (if your twine is 

COLLINSTOWN CHRISTMAS MARKET 

A wonderful Christmas festive family day 

out is promised at Collinstown market on 

Sunday, December 11 from 11am to 6pm. 

Come along and enjoy the beautiful stalls 

featuring food and crafts that would make 

fantastic Christmas presents for family 

and friends. 

Santa Claus will be visiting on the day, 

and there will be great music and lots 

more. 

 

 

thin, wrap two strands at a time) and 

secure it to the package with extra twine. 

Gift a whole bunch of these by tying five 

or six of them together with a colourful 

ribbon, finished off with a large bow. 

COOKIE CUTTER CONTAINERS 

Gift a box of colourful sweets or biscuits 

and individually wrapped chocolates in 

your favourite cookie cutter shapes. All 

you need is a small empty box, some 

parchment paper, a cookie cutter, small 

biscuits or sweets and some nice ribbon. 

To make, line the box with parchment 

paper, place the cookie cutter/s inside and 

fill them with small biscuits andor 

individually wrapped sweets, to make a 

sweet gift for someone you love this 

Christmas. Make the box even nicer by 

applying some colourful fabric or paper 

on the flaps and wrapping with a simple 

colourful ribbon. 

GIFT A BOX OF BELLS 

It might seem small but gifting 

Christmas bells or ornaments are 

guaranteed to have you 

remembered every Christmas 

from this year onwards! 

To make, you only need to make/ 

use a 9 x 9 inch cardboard 

(colourfully decorated with paper or 

fabric inside and outside) or metal 

box – insert separators if you wish. Fill 

the box with different Christmas bells/ 

baubles or ornaments (make sure to 

attach some gold hanging thread to each 

one), and gift this classic present to be 

remembered forever. 

CLOTHES-PEG TREE ORNAMENT 

Gather up all your old wooden/regular 

hooped clothes-pegs and make this 

beautiful Christmas tree ornament in 

your favourite colours. This 

gift would make a nice 

teacher gift; they are 

easy enough for 

children to make and 

help with. 

To make, remove 

the metal hoops from 

14 mini-clothespins. 

Turn each clothes-peg 

back to back and glue 

them. Using one of the 

hoops as a guide, glue the 

pins together onto and around the hoop to 

create a circular shape. Glue a piece of 

thick gold twine to one clothes-peg for 

hanging.


KILBEGGAN DISTILLERY OPEN DAY 

The Kilbeggan 

Distillery held an 

Open Day on 

Saturday, 

November 19 in 

Kilbeggan 

Distillery and 

welcomed local 

crafters, who 

were given the 

opportunity to 

display their 

products on the 

day. The event 

attracted visitors 

from the local 

area and 

surrounding 

towns. 

Left: Donal 

Murray with 

Sinead and Shane 

Murray pictured 

at the Refill 

Mullingar stall 

with Sharon 

Devine and Evelyn 

Fitzpatrick. 


Christmas Experience 

at Dún na Sí Amenity 

and Heritage Park 

●Dún na Sí Heritage Park are delighted to announce ‘Christmas Experience 2022’, 

which will take place on Saturday, December 10 from 12.30pm to 7.30pm. 

Enjoy a tour around the park and meet the naughty elves, see the live crib, and join 

Mrs. Claus in her kitchen, where she will be cooking up some food for the reindeers. 

There will be a few more surprises along the way. Last but definitely not least, meet 

the main man himself, Santa Claus. This is Santa's busiest time of the year but he 

has kindly agreed to visit Dún na Sí for one day only, on December 10. 

Just in case the weather outside is frightful, there will be non-alcoholic mulled 

wine and hot chocolate served before you exit the park. 

Kilbeggan N91 WF61 

Tel: 087 742 8948 

TO ALL OUR 

CUSTOMERS 

Merry Christmas 

and Happy New Year 

We would like to thank you for 

your continued support this year - 

it is very much appreciated! 

Below left: 

Diarmuid Mollin 

chats with Teresa 

Doyle about her 

unique bespoke 

dolls, at the 

recent Open Day 

markets. 

Breakdown Recovery 

Pre NCT Tests 

Car Servicing 

Much More!! 

Wishing all of our customers a 

Happy Christmas 

From all of us at 

The Hair Gallery 

Kilbeggan 

057 9333693 

KILBEGGAN 

CHOCOLATE 

AND 

COFFEE BAR 

Bridge Street, 

Kilbeggan, Co. Westmeath 

Contact: 086 1913980

18 



Castletown-Geoghegan this Christmas 

Get your best tractor decorated for the 

Castletown-Geoghegan Christmas Tractor 

Run, which is set to take place on Sunday, 

December 18 at 12.30pm. All funds raised 

on the day will go towards helping with 

Streete at 


FAIRY LIGHT TRACTOR RUN 

Tractor Runs are great fun and those 

taking part and observing get a great 

buzz from joining these community 

events. Join the fun in Streete after 

Christmas on Wednesday, December 28, 

when a Fairy Light Tractor Run will 

take place. 

The convoy will set off from Streete 

Parish Park around 6pm and 

participants will follow a speedcontrolled 

management vehicle, which 

sets the pace along the well-organised 

10km route, before the incredible sight 

will make its way back to Streete Parish 

Park. The run was a fantastic success 

last year. Please spread the word. For 

information call Declan on 086 812 3514 

or Kevin on 087 137 5222. 

WALKING TRACK MEMBERSHIP 

Membership for Streete Parish Park 

walking track is due for renewal in 

January. This might solve a Christmas 

present idea for someone you know who 

enjoys walking on the track, or perhaps 

someone you know who might like to 

start walking. 

New member application forms can be 

found in the entrance hall of the Parish 

Park or by calling into the office 

upstairs on Tuesday, Wednesday or 

Thursday from 10am until 1.30pm. 

Single membership is €20 and a family 

is €30. 

Gift vouchers are available from the 

office. Please ask any of the committee 

or call Kevin 087 137 5222. All cheques 

should be made payable to Streete 

Parish Park. 

Ballinafid 

Multyfarnham 

Bunbrosna 

★ There’s always plenty to do in the 

Multyfarnham area and Christmas is 

no different. Read on and get involved 

in what’s happening in your area this 


Christmas Wreath 

Crafting 

★ Christmas wreath making activities 

with BMB ACTIVE takes place on 

Tuesday, December 13 in 

Multyfarnham Community Centre 

from 10am to 12.30pm. It should be 

enjoyable, and all you need to bring is 

your scissors. Text ‘Wreath’ to 087 172 

3256 to book your place. 

Christmas Dinner 

★ There will be Christmas Dinner and 

music in the Annebrook Hotel with 

increased church heating expenses in St. 

Michael’s Church, Castletown-Geoghegan. 

This festive tractor run was proposed by a 

very alert parishioner, who suggested it 

might be a good idea. 

 

BMB ACTIVE on Tuesday, December 

13 at 3pm. To join in the fun, please 

text ‘Christmas Dinner’ to 087 173 2356 

and let us know if you have any 

specific dietary requirements. 

Carols by Candlelight 

★ Join us for Carols by Candlelight at 

the National Concert Hall on 

Wednesday, December 19 at 3pm. This 

is a lovely way to spend an evening 

during the festive period. If you’re 

interested in joining us, please text 

‘NCH’ to 087 172 3256 and book your 

ticket and place on the bus to the 

venue and home again, safe and 

sound! 

Abbey Blooms 

★ Something exciting is coming to 

Abbey Blooms this December. Come 

along on Thursday, December 15 from 

11am to 5pm and experience 

Christmas at Abbey Blooms with 

Santa, a magical Christmas garden, 

music, market stalls and much more. 

Your support in any way would be most 

welcome. Be sure and tell as many people 

as possible (with tractors) and make this a 

real fun event and a great day out. 

Refreshments will be provided after the 

Sandra and Carmel McGivney with Harry McCormack 

pictured with some of the great handicrafts at the 

Clonkill Christmas Market on Sunday, November 20 

at Clonkill GAA club. 

event in St. Michael’s Hall, Castletown- 

Geoghegan, and a cake sale will also take 

place in the hall afterwards. 

There will be a prize for the Best Festive 

Tractor. 

 

FELT WREATH 

There are many types of wreaths to make 

at Christmastime. This is an easy, 

evergreen wreath that won’t dry out so 

you can use it every year. Using a few 

variations of green coloured felt and 

small red baubles, adds a festive look to 

your creation. 

To make, take one wreath foam 

(available in hobby shops / florists) and 

cut your different coloured felt into strips 

different shades of green felt – cut long 

enough to ensure you have at least 3 

inches hanging after you tie the strips in 

a knot around the foam. 

Tie the strips (in alternate colours) 

around a wreath form. Attach small red 

baubles / ornaments throughout the 

wreath with hot glue. Loop a length of 

wide ribbon around the wreath to hang. 

Gift as it is or in a colourfully decorated 

box. 

WOOD PALLET CHRISTMAS TREE 

Avoid the fuss of Christmas trees this 

year and paint your own! Go one step 

further and decorate it with small lights, 

and set a few presents outside. This might 

be a nice gift for your grandparents for 

outside their door so they don’t have to 

fuss with Christmas trees inside. 

To make, simply paint a tree on a 

shipping crate and embellish the slats 

with coloured pom-poms and small lights. 

THUMBPRINT CHRISTMAS CARDS 

Get ‘all thumbs – big and small’ on board 

to make (and gift) these unique Christmas 

cards, which start with plain white 

notecards. Make postcard type cards or 

proper cards to use or gift in packs of 5/ 

10. These make a fantastic family ‘from 

our home to yours’ cards. 

To make, organise an evening around 

the kitchen table with all the family. 

Agree on some prints and proceed to get 

stuck in! Use festive ink or paint colours, 

such as greens, reds, browns, but use 

whatever colours you wish to create your 

masterpiece. 

For a card with greenery, use green ink 

to stamp thumbs and press onto card to 

make leaves. Add berries and bow with a 

red marker and stems with green watercolour 

paint. 

For a card with a string of lights, stamp 

thumbs in your selection of coloured ink 

shades. Use a black fine-tip marker to 

draw a string connecting the lights and 

write your greeting on the card. 

For a reindeer herd card, simply stamp 

thumbs in brown ink and press onto 

blank card. Use fine-tip black/brown 

markers to draw antlers, eyes, and noses, 

making sure you add at least one red nose 

(for Rudolph!).



SOLUTIONS: PAGE 23

20 



Seasons Greetings to 

all our customers and 

friends from 

MUNNELLYS 

BAR & LOUNGE 

Ballynacargy 

MUNNELLYS 

SCRAP METAL 

Scrap Grab Lorries 

& 

MUNNELLYS 

SKIP HIRE 

Celebrate, Ballynacargy! 

Ballynacargy Comhaltas 

Christmas Concert 

Ballynacargy Comhaltas are holding a 

Christmas concert on Friday, December 9 

at 7.30pm in the Church of the Nativity in 

the village. This concert showcases the 

best of local talent, and special guests 

including the multi award-winning 

Ademar O’Connor. 

Admission is €5 and there will be a raffle 

on the evening. 

Drop in and experience a true Christmas 

concert for yourself. 

SKY TV • Saorview • Free to Air 

Murtagh’s Organic Farm Christmas Wonderland 

Murtaghs Organic Farm are hosting their first ever Christmas Wonderland at the farm 

in Castlegaddery, Ballynacargy, N91KW82. They will have a real live crib, with the 

friendly animals from the farm taking position to transport you back to the time when 

Jesus was born. Murtagh’s Organic Farm will have ten stalls per day for their market, 

a Santa’s Grotto, magical lights and a tree of remembrance. The Christmas Wonderland 

runs every Friday in December from 4pm to 8pm and every Saturday in December from 

1pm to 7pm. 

044 9373000 

044 9373288 

Ballynacargy, 

Co Westmeath 

Rural Broadband Solutions 

086 609 7271 

Ballynacargy, Co. Westmeath 

Wishing all our customers a very 

Happy Christmas and all the best for 2022 

All the animals are friendly and 

looking forward to welcoming 

everyone to the Christmas 

Wonderland at Murtagh's Organic 

Farm. 

Multi-award-winning Ademar O’Connor is set for a 

concert in Ballynacargy. 

The Market brings Clonmellon alive every fortnight 

Killua Castle Farm 

Manager Anthony 

Gilsenan at 

Clonmellon Market. 

Borora Bakery is a 

bit hit at 

Clonmellon Market. 

The market in Clonmellon started during 

the pandemic in 2020 and has become an 

established and well attended bi-monthly 

food and craft market in Co. Westmeath. 

Every fortnight, the village comes alive 

with the hustle and bustle of pedestrians 

and vehicles turning up at the market for 

their favourite bake or their favourite 

honey, or some just come along to browse. 

The market offers a wide variety of food 

stall holders, many of them awardwinning, 

selling organic vegetables, 

sustainable meats, pasture fed eggs, 

homemade jams, chutneys, honey, breads, 

cakes, Spanish olive oil, selections of 

cheeses, tapas and sushi. 

A unique selection of crafts are also 

available at each market, and it is also a 

place to relax and enjoy a coffee and chat 

with friends. 

The market is run on a totally voluntary 

basis by Clonmellon Community Council. 

Joan and Paula are the main organisers 

and they are supported by a group of 

volunteers who assist at each Market with 

setting it up. 

The last Market of the year will take 

place on Sunday, December 18 from 11 am 

to 1.30pm. Make a note of the the date and 

time in your diary and drop in. This is an 

ideal opportunity to buy all you need for 

Christmas dinner as well as that last 

minute gift from our crafters. 

SEE YOU ALL NEXT YEAR 

The committee will be taking a well 

earned break in the New Year, so there 

will be no market in January and 

February 2023. 

For updated details check The Market 

Clonmellon Facebook and Instagram 

pages. 

The Market Clonmellon would like to 

take this opportunity to thank everyone 

who has participated in and supported it 

throughout the year and to wish everyone 

a very Merry Christmas and Happy New 

Year. 

Happy Christmas 

from 

Our Next Market will be on 

Sunday 18th December 2022, 

from 11.00 am to 1.30pm


Festive cheer in Delvin and 

Clonmellon underway 


Similar to so many other rural 

locations, it has been mainly a 

year in pandemic recovery 

mode for both the villages of 

Delvin and Clonmellon. But although the 

pandemic has been mainly responsible for 

so many changes in community and village 

life, the onset of Christmas is always 

something that everyone looks forward to 

celebrating, albeit in a more restricted 

way in these inflationary times. 

Similar to many other tightly-knit local 

communities, Delvin and Clonmellon have 

remained defiant and responded 

heroically throughout all the lockdowns 

and the current cost of living crisis. 

Despite all the changes, there is still 

plenty of scope for Christmas shopping in 

the local shops and especially annual giftbuying 

in the festive season. 

On the social and spiritual scene, there 

has been plenty of scope for shopping 

since the start of November. After a 

hugely successful return of the Clonkill 

Christmas Market which also coincided 

with the first of the annual Christmas 

Fairs/Farmers Markets in the Square in 

November (followed by two more in 

December), the festive season in the north 

Westmeath region got off to the best 

possible start. The annual formal 

Christmas lights ‘switch-on’ in 

Clonmellon took place on Friday, 

December 2, but there were no such plans 

in Delvin this year. 

YULETIDE IN DELVIN AND 

CLONMELLON 

Meanwhile, Clonmellon’s Leonard’s and 

Daybreak are local village shops that 

deserve your support, especially over the 

Christmas period. Leonard’s have been in 

Clonmellon for the over 40 years since the 

late Noel Leonard and his wife Ann 

settled there. Their son Kieran now 

manages the shop with the support of 

family members, including his mother. 

Not too far from Clonmellon, on the way 

to Athboy, the Mellowes Family Fun and 

Childcare Centre has once again been 

transformed into a Santa Wonderland at 

Wishing all our valued customers a 

happy and peaceful Christmas 

RATHCONNELL 

SERVICE STATION 

Delvin Road, Mullingar, 

Co. Westmeath, N91 E6RT 

Moygrehan and is a must-see for all local 

children. 

When it comes to Christmas shopping in 

Delvin, there is no doubt that 

McCormack’s offer the best range in 

terms of Christmas-related merchandise 

and general household hardware and 

consumer durable goods. Situated on the 

corner of Ballyhealy Road, McCormack’s 

offer good competitive prices for solid 

fuels, including wood pellets. 

Across the main street (N52) from 

McCormack’s is Barry’s Pharmacy, which 

has been part of Delvin for more than 

three decades. This company, who also has 

a branch in Castlepollard, have a wide 

range of gift ideas at affordable prices and 

friendly staff to serve their customers. 

The Headquarters hairdressing salon, 

adjacent to Carmel Gaffney’s pub, was 

established in Delvin almost sixteen years 

ago. It is owned by Lindsay Jordan and is 

open every Thursday, Friday and 

Saturday. Also on the Mullingar road end 

of the village, opposite the castle, is the 

For Fade Sake Barber Shop (formerly 

Castle Barbers) run by Ricky Bastos 

since September. 

LARGEST HUB 

Almost adjacent to the Castle, the 

popular Nearby store, formerly owned by 

Michael Leonard, and now run by popular 

Delvin couple, David and Sharon Leavy, 

for the past couple of years, still remains 

the largest hub and meeting place for 

many Delvin shoppers. Sharon plays a key 

role in the successful running of both the 

shop and adjoining Post Office and along 

with her team have done a marvellous job 

since filling the large shoes of their 

predecessor. Always assured of the best of 

personal service and hospitality, there is 

plenty to see in this well-stocked store 

adjacent to the village’s iconic Castle. 

Another well-known Delvin business 

couple are Seamus and Louise Gaffney, 

based on the Mullingar Road approaching 

Delvin opposite Delvin GAA grounds. 

Seamus, through his Gaffney Car Sales 

business, has been involved in the motor 

trade for more than twenty years and 

offers a wide range of the usual services 

associated with motor vehicle 

maintenance as well as being a used car 

dealer, including sourcing vehicles to 

order. His wife Louise also runs a 

Wishing all our customers and friends 

a happy Christmas from 

Martin Lynch 

Dardistown Construction 

Building & Plastering Contractors 

successful hairdressing salon. 

Delvin also boasts one of the few 

remaining craft butchers in the county, 

Lenihan’s family butchers, now owned 

and run by John Coll. As well as offering 

a wide range of ready-to-cook foods, it 

also offers locally sourced beef and lamb 

and it is also a very well presented shop. 

It is also possible to have a drink at 

Carmel Gaffney’s and O’Shaugh nessy’s, 

run by Tom Farrelly, and Brinsley’s 

(formerly The Blue Hackle) run by Frank 

Quinn. Just out the Collinstown Road in 

Drumcree village is Bartley’s Bar. 

Delvin also has two take-way food outlets 

serving Chinese cuisine in The Million 

Dollar and fast-food in the Roma cafe 

opposite the Castle. 

A mile outside Delvin is the Williams 

Daybreak Supermarket and Filling 

Station franchise run by Paul Williams 

and Sarah Orme since 2006. They also 

have their own bakery and off-licence on 

the premises. 

GALLERY 

Down the N51 from Delvin on the road to 

Athboy is Crowenstown, where artist 

Hazel Revington-Cross runs her 

successful Purple Raven Gallery and 

Crafts Centre. Opening hours are from 

11am on Thursdays, Fridays and 

Saturdays. 

Also nearby is Clonmellon mechanic 

Tommy Quaid, who has been in business 

in Crowenstown for well over a decade. 

HO 

HO 

★They came from near and far, including 

the North Pole, from before the 11am 

starting time until well after the finishing 

time of 3pm to the Clonkill Christmas 

Market held in Clonkill GAA Hall on 

Sunday, November 20. 

A very rainy Sunday morning gave way to 

a dry, chilly, sunny afternoon which 

brought people out in their droves to one 

of the first Christmas markets of 2022 in 

Westmeath. 

There was a record number of stalls 

(almost 90) and a record number of 

attendees this year. Even Santa made an 

appearance! Everyone went home happy 

as the market had something for everyone. 

Seasons Greetings from 

COLIN WALSH 

ELECTRICAL Ltd. 

CLONARNEY • DELVIN, Co. WESTMEATH 

Registered Electrical Contractor 

Domestic - Commercial - Industrial 

We specialise in domestic and agricultural 

installations and office & retail fit-outs 

Mob: 087 614 3687 

Tel: 044 966 8576 

Email: colinwalshelectrical@gmail.com 

Wishing all our friends and customers a Happy Christmas! 

See in store for regular special 

offers and Christmas ideas 

Extensions - Renovations 

087 261 7210 

mlynchplasetering@gmail.com 

HO 

BALLIN FARM | DELVIN | 

Co. Westmeath | Ireland | N91 N9WC 

044 9664 755 

www.farm-wardrobe.com

22 



Kinnegad ICA Christmas Market & Raffle 

It’s all hands on deck at the Kinnegad ICA 

as they make final preparations for the 

annual Christmas Market, which takes 

place in the assembly hall at St Etchen’s 

National School, Kinnegad, on Saturday, 

December 17 and Sunday, December 18, 

from 10am to 5pm both days. 

There is a very keen interest in the 

market from many traders, which 

promises a wide variety for you to choose 

from. The very best in delicious home 

baking, lots of Christmas decorations and 

goodies, lovely household items, there’s 

something for everyone and great value. 

Don’t forget the raffle with some lovely 

prizes to be won. If you wish to book a 

stall for the market, please contact 087 221 

4627 without delay. Your full support for 

the market would be greatly appreciated. 

Thank you. 

READY FOR CHRISTMAS... 

Open Fun Day at 

St Finian’s National 

School in Clonard 

St. Finian’s National School, in 

association with Clonard Vintage and 

Heritage Club, invites everyone to their 

Christmas Open Fun Day on Saturday, 

December 10, from 3pm to 5pm. 

All are welcome to this free event, where 

you can meet Santa, listen to a choral 

performance, have fun with the children’s 

entertainer, see the vintage cars and get 

some nice presents at the stalls of local 

craft vendors and much more. 

Put the date, time and place in your 

diary – Saturday, December 10 from 3pm 

to 5pm in St Finian’s National School, 

Clonard. 

Read About Raharney 

★ The Raharney History Group are 

proud to announce the launching of 

their compelling history book, 

‘Raharney Rath Airne A History’. The 

launch will take place on Saturday, 

December 10, from 7pm to 9pm in the 

Third Place, next to St. Brigid’s Church 

in Raharney. There are history books 

published every day, so why does this 

book deserve to grab your attention? 

It’s local, about locals, about local 

achievements, and published locally by 

Aisling and Colm Kerr at Arc studios. It 

is a book that will engage you 

emotionally, as it’s genuinely 

informative and easy to digest, with lots 

of super cool photographs. It’s being 

launched before Christmas, so it will be 

hitting the shops soon. 

This book will make a perfect gift for 

the Christmas stocking. All proceeds 

will go towards our local St. Vincent de 

Paul. Your support will be greatly 

appreciated and you will be supporting 

a very local worthy cause. 

Mass will be celebrated at the Church Of The Assumption, Kinnegad, throughout 


Main Street, Kinnegad, will be buzzing with Christmas cheer this year.



Coming home 

PUZZLE 

SOLUTIONS 

for Christmas 

SUDOKU 

Christmas greetings from 

Joe O’Keeffe 

VETERINARY 

SURGEON 

Opening Hours: 

Mon to Sat 9.00am - 6pm 

Closed Sundays 

Clinic by Appointment 

044 93 75434 

Trim Road, Kinnegad 

Co. Westmeath 

Tel: 044 937 5434 

Kinnegad Veterinary Clinic 

Serving 

Breakfast, 

Lunch and 

Evening 

Meals 

SHOWING ALL SKY SPORTS 

Wishing all of our customers 

and friends a very 

happy Christmas 

James Reddiough 

takes a nostalgic 

look-back at 

Ireland in the 1950s 

In this area here in the 

west of Ireland (north 

Mayo) where this scribe 

was raised, there was a 

tradition of the men and boys 

going to work on the hay and 

harvest in England. The men 

from the area laboured mostly in 

the shires of northern England, 

namely Yorkshire, Lancashire 

and Lincolnshire. 

The men and boys would either 

take the bus or train, or else 

employ a taxi to take them to the 

boat, the Princess Maude. They 

left around mid-summer, 

anytime between the 20 and 24 

June, and this would be to arrive 

in England for the hay-making 

season. 

When the hay crop was saved, 

it would be time to start cutting 

the oats and making them into 

stooks for the thresher to thresh 

them, and this would require a 

good deal of labour to complete 

successfully. After the oats, it 

would be time to pick the beet in 

Lincolnshire and this would take 

a few weeks to complete. After 

this, they would start the 

scratting or picking of the 

potatoes. This would be the final 

job of the season and would be 

over in October, and then they 

would go into the towns looking 

for a little work before it was 

time to head back home via the 

train from Leeds or Manchester 

to Holyhead or Liverpool, where 

they would take the boat for the 

North Wall at Dublin Port, or to 

Dún Laoghaire, where they 

would make their way west by 

train, bus or hackney car, to rest 

and attend to matters in the 

west. 

The people at home would 

await their arrival with eager 

anticipation. There would be the 

wait for the lights of the 

hackney car around the hills and 

villages, and then the people of 

the humble home would know 

they were not far away. They 

would have a nice fire down for 

them and a meal to welcome 

them. The men would be well 

dressed with new suits and 

shoes, finished off with overcoat 

and hat or cap. 

BLAZING FIRE 

They would have the money 

they had earned on the farms 

and they would have presents for 

the women and children. There 

was an air of festivity about 

their return, and the candle and 

the oil lamp would glisten 

brightly to welcome them, and 

with a blazing fire in the hearth, 

the scene was set for a joyous 

greeting. 

During the winter, they would 

attend to their farm tasks and 

when the spring came, they 

would sow the seed and cut the 

turf for the year. They were a 

robust and hardworking people, 

and there was a time and tide for 

everything. They were glad to be 

home for Christmas and to be 

able to celebrate the festive 

season with their families, and 

there would be parties to 

welcome them back to the area. 

The farm labourers who went 

to England were called the 

spalpeens, from the Gaelic word 

for labourer or travelling 

labourer, of the nineteenth 

century, and they began to die 

out in the 1950s as things began 

to improve in Ireland in the 

1960s and 1970s. There is little 

spoken of them now among the 

people from where they came in 

the 1930s and 1940s, when times 

were extremely tough and there 

was very little to live on, but 

through their hard work and 

sweat, they managed to rear 

their families and make a 

valuable contribution to their 

local areas. Ní bheidh a leithéidí 

ann arís. 

 

New Year’s Eve has become in modern times a 

night for celebration and revelry. It is a time to 

shed the disappointments of the Old Year and to 

welcome the bright and promising New Year, a 

fresh start where everything is possible. Here we 

take a look at some fabulous facts from around the 

world. 

■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 

On January 9, 1814, Ulster suffered an extremely 

heavy snowfall. Stagecoaches were unable to travel 

because of the snow, which began falling on 

Christmas Day. 

■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 

In Ireland one of the names for New Year is Oiche 

na Coda Moire, (the night of the big portion). 

Eating a big meal on New Year’s Eve was believed 

to ensure that there would be plenty of food in the 

house throughout the coming year. 

■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 

On New Year’s Eve 1929, Michael Kavanagh shot 

three geese on the South Wexford Sloblands with 

one shot. 

■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 

In Scotland, New Year’s Eve, which they call 

Hogmanay, is the biggest festival of the year with 

lots of eating and drinking. During these 

celebrations, the practice of ‘First footing’ was 

common, when good luck for the coming year 

depended on the appearance of the first person to 

enter the house after midnight. It was believed 

that the best first footer was a tall, dark-haired 

man. If there wasn’t a dark haired man, then a 

dark haired boy would do, or even a black cat, but 

the worse possible luck was associated with a redhaired 

woman. 

■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 

The most traditional of all Scottish dishes is 

haggis, which is eaten at Hogmanay and on Burns 

Night (January 25, birthday of the much loved 

poet). It is a dish made of the heart, lungs and 

liver of a sheep, chopped up with suet, onions and 

oatmeal, and traditionally boiled in a sheep’s 

stomach bag). Once cooked it was served with 

tatties and neeps (potatoes and mashed swede). 

■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 

Before the Haggis is served, the ‘Selkirk Grace’, a 

short rhyme, is recited; ‘Some hae meat and canna 

eat/And some wad eat that want it/But we hae 

meat and we can eat/And sae the Lord be 

thankful’. Those sitting around the table then 

stand ‘to receive the Haggis’ as it is ceremoniously 

piped into the room. In Scotland it is considered a 

discourtesy to send a New Year card to someone 

who has suffered a bereavement during the old 

year. 

CHRISTMASWORD 

Across: 1. Turkey and 

ham 7. Arc 9. Star 10. 

Nation 11. Era 12.Tsar 

14. Eels 15. Roll 17. 

Tame 18. Bari 19. Ibis 

21. Agog 22. Hose 26. 

Jar 28. Stable 29. Orbs 

31. Sad 32. Advent 

wreath. 

Down: 1. Tot 2. Rare 3. 

Etna 4. Ante 5. Door 6. 

Mass 8. Carol singers 9. 

Street lights 12. Tar 13. 

Alumni 16. Orange 20. 

Sue 23. Soda 24. Stye 

25. Abet 26. Jeer 27. 

Rota 30. Bah. Word: 

BETHLEHEM. 

WORD BUILDER 

Answer, Beaten, Candid, 

Detour, Eras-ed 

Factor,Golden, Hoards, 

Iguana, Jester. SANTA 

CLAUS. 

WORD ON THE TOWN 

Across: 1. Competitor 6. 

Scum 10. Siren Slumbered 

12. Conifer 15. 

Otter 17. Earl 18. Raft 

19. Valet 21. Mediate 

23. Extra 24. Undo 25. 

Lean 26. Hovel 28. 

Started 33. Uncertain 

34. Maids 35. Easy 36. 

Caravaggio. 

Down: 1. Cash 2. Marrowfat 

3. Ennui 4. Issue 

5. Onus 7. Carat 8. Moderation 

9. Absolve 13. 

Fare 14. Regions 16. 

Greenhouse 20. Lingering 

21. Mallard 22. Tuba 

27. Vices 29. Tonga 30. 

Rumba 31. Gala 32. 

Oslo. Town: CASTLE- 

BAR 

FIVE-A-SIDE 

1. Babel 2. Slide 3. 

Cured 4. Jetty 5. Ashes. 

E, S, U, J, S = JESUS. 

CHRISTMAS TREE

24 


Don’t forget – you can 

choose to give someone 

Mullingar Gift Vouchers 

Mullingar Gift Vouchers are the perfect 

all year-round gift idea. The Mullingar 

Gift Voucher is an opportunity for local 

people and employers to back local 

businesses, which in turn boosts the local 

economy and helps sustain local 

jobs. Every €10 spent locally is worth €24 

to the local economy. 

Mullingar Gift Vouchers come in 

denominations of €50, €20, €10 and €5 and 

are redeemable in over 100 outlets in 

Mullingar, with more being added every 

day. Vouchers can be used in a multiple of 

various retail outlets, petrol stations, 

restaurants and take aways, hotels, toy 

shops, electrical stores, beauticians, hair 

salons and much more. 

You can purchase Mullingar Gift 

Vouchers at the Mullingar Credit Union, 

or in the Mullingar Chamber Office on 

the Market Square or order your vouchers 

online via the Mullingar Chamber 

website 

(https://mullingarchamber.ie/buy-giftvouchers). 

TAX BREAKS 

Don’t forget that employers, employees, 

retailers, the local economy and jobs all 

benefit when bonuses of up to €500 are 

paid using Mullingar Chamber Shopping 

Vouchers rather than payment through 

regular salaries. Under the Revenue 

Commissioners’ approved ‘Small Benefit 

Exemption’ scheme, up to €500 (annually) 

of bonuses could be paid in vouchers and 

therefore be totally exempt from PAYE 

tax, USC and PRSI. 


Mullingar Community College teachers, Marie Louise Naughton and Christina Wall, were 

spotted at the Christmas Carol Service in Enfield on Friday, November 27. 

The Greenway is your day out! 

★ The enchanting Royal Canal Greenway 

is 130km of level towpath, ideal for 

walkers, runners and cyclists of all ages 

and stages. 

There’s enough mileage in this to keep 

you going for a few days! Aim to complete 

the full distance throughout the holidays, 

doing a few kilometres every day. Bring 

the bikes on the train or car and cycle (or 

walk) a bit every day. Consider the 

excitement of exploring a different stage 

of the Greenway every day. You can get a 

map of the Greenway and learn more 

about it on the Waterways Ireland 

website. The Royal Canal Greenway 

starts in cosmopolitan Maynooth, and 

follows the 200-year-old canal through 

Enfield, Mullingar and Cloondara in 

Longford, with cafés, picnic spots and 

attractions along the way, as well as 

rustic landscapes, working canal locks 

and historic landmarks. 

This is a great way to get outside, get 

exercise, learn about your surroundings 

and history and enjoy phone and laptop 

free time with the family.

A Westmeath Christmas (2022)

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