Clonmacnoise is an early Christian monastic site on the banks of the River Shannon, founded by St. Ciarán in the mid-6th century and developed into one of Ireland’s most important ecclesiastical centers. The site is represented with high crosses, round towers, and church ruins, which symbolize the Golden Age of Learning in Ireland and attracted pilgrims and scholars from over Europe.
In the medieval period, Westmeath was a battleground for the Norman invaders and the native Irish clans. Athlone Castle was built in the 12th century by King John of England and typified the region as a key site of defense. But it is the history of the castle that indeed interlinks it with many troubled periods of conflict and conquest that were to mold Ireland.
The architectural advances that might be described as the most important during the 17th and 18th century in Westmeath are the erection of principal houses such as Belvedere House and Tullynally Castle. In these estates, key issues with reference to social and economic changes at the time are associated with some tying to the Anglo-Irish Ascendancy and others to the Great Famine. The cultural landscape is one that has greatly been contributed to by history and the environment. The county is renowned for the traditional Irish music sessions in pubs and other places that bring people together and give them continuity in their occurrences.
The Westmeath landscape continued to contribute to the contemporary creative writing and verse from modern writers and poets of the county. The county celebrates its rich cultural tradition with a variety of festivals and events ranging from the Athlone Literary Festival to the Joe Dolan Westmeath Bachelor Festival, which showcases artistic and musical cultures in abundance across the county.
The revival of the festival of Bealtaine, marking the beginning of summer in antiquity, further demonstrates Westmeath’s links to Ireland’s pagan past and, indeed, the cyclical life of the county. The history and culture of County Westmeath thread the tales of people from the ancient times of monks and medieval warriors to modern-day artists and musicians. It is a history filled with struggle and resilience, creativity, and other clichés which sum up the Irish spirit and only add to the fascination that is Westmeath in the greater history of Ireland.