MULLINGAR  , a

market-town, and the county town of county Westmeath, Ireland, near the river Brosna and on the Royal canal, 50 M . W. by N. of Dublin . Pop . (Igor), 4500 . It is a junction on the Midland Great Western railway where the branch for Longford, Sligo and Cavan leaves the main line . The principal churches are the parish church (1813) with tower and spire, and the Roman Catholic cathedral for the diocese of Meath . Tanning, brewing, and the manufacture of coarse woollens are carried on, and the town is the centre for the agricultural trade of the district . Mullingar was one of the ancient palatinate towns, but its present appearance is modern . It possessed an Augustine convent founded in 1227, and a Dominican convent founded in 1239, but both were dissolved by Elizabeth . The town was the headquarters of William III. before the siege of Athlone . It formerly returned two members to parliament, but was disfranchised at the Union in 1800 . Mullingar is a centre for the trout-fishing in the Westmeath loughs, being in proximity to Loughs Ennell and Owel .