Bus Hire in Mullingar

Mullingar is the county town of Westmeath and sits between Lough Ennell to the south and Lough Owel to the north, in the heartland of the Irish Midlands lake district. The town is on the Royal Canal (the northern companion to the Grand Canal, linking Dublin to the Shannon at Termonbarry) and is a centre for coarse fishing, lake recreation, and cattle farming. Dublin Airport is 80 kilometres east via the M4/N4 (approximately 55 minutes).

County Westmeath's heritage is centred on its lakes and lakeside estates. Belvedere House (6 kilometres south of Mullingar via the N52 on the Lough Ennell shore) is a Rococo villa with one of Ireland's most unusual garden features: the Jealous Wall (a Baroque-style folly ruin built in the 1760s by Robert Rochfort to block the view of his brother's house, the largest folly in Ireland). Fore Abbey (25 kilometres north-east via the R394 and R395) is a 13th-century Benedictine priory in a remarkable lakeside setting, with the nearby Seven Wonders of Fore (natural and legendary features of the landscape).

Belvedere House and Lough Ennell

Belvedere House (6 kilometres south of Mullingar via the N52, approximately 10 minutes) is an 18th-century Rococo villa on the north shore of Lough Ennell, managed as a heritage park by Westmeath County Council. The walled garden, the octagonal gazebo, and the Jealous Wall (a 35-metre artificial ruin built in the 1760s to block the view of his brother's house by the eccentric Robert Rochfort, 1st Earl of Belvedere) are the main features. The grounds extend to the Lough Ennell shore with a lakeshore walk. James Joyce visited the house as a boy (he set part of A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man in its setting). Coach parking is in the Belvedere House main car park.

Fore Abbey and the Seven Wonders of Fore

Fore Abbey (25 kilometres north-east of Mullingar via the R394 through Castlepollard, approximately 35 minutes) is a 13th-century Benedictine priory in a small valley between two limestone hills above Lough Lene. The intact church, tower, and outbuildings are among the best-preserved Benedictine remains in Ireland. The Seven Wonders of Fore are a set of seven natural or legendary anomalies in the valley associated with St Fechin (the 7th-century founder of the earlier monastery): water flowing uphill, a millrace with no wheel, a tree that will not burn, water that will not boil with fire, a monastery built on water, a stone raised by St Fechin's prayers, and a monk who died and was brought back to life. Coaches park at the Fore Valley car park; the walk to the abbey takes 5 minutes.

Lough Derravaragh and the Children of Lir

Lough Derravaragh (15 kilometres north of Mullingar via the R394 through Multyfarnham, approximately 20 minutes) is a long glacial lake associated in Irish mythology with the Children of Lir (the four children transformed into swans by their jealous stepmother in the most famous of the Irish mythological tales). The Derravaragh lakeshore is quiet and uncommercialised, with a car park at the Multyfarnham end and a forest walk along the western shore. The Franciscan friary at Multyfarnham (5 kilometres north of Mullingar) has a remarkable outdoor Stations of the Cross through a woodland garden and is open year-round.

What Bus Hire Costs in Mullingar

As a rough guide, a minibus (up to 19 seats) in Mullingar runs around 370 to 700 EUR per day, a midi-coach (around 35 seats) around 500 to 980 EUR per day, and a full-size coach (49 to 55 seats) around 660 to 1,260 EUR per day. Mullingar is a smaller midlands market with moderate year-round demand from equestrian events (the midlands is a strong horse-breeding county) and heritage groups. Belvedere House and Fore Abbey are the main group generators. The final figure depends on your route, the date, and how long you need the vehicle and driver. We confirm a fixed price with no hidden charges, so send your details for a free quote.

Services Available in Mullingar