The geographical centre of Ireland is generally considered to be near the village of Kilbeggan in County Westmeath and whether you’re a local or a visitor, you need to put it on your ‘must-visit’ list. Particularly to visit the oldest licensed whiskey distillery in Ireland, dating as far back as 1757 – Kilbeggan Distillery. If you ask any local or historian about County Westmeath, they will always include Kilbeggan and the story of the revival of Irish whiskey. Today, the distillery is a working whiskey distillery and a popular visitor attraction.
Kilbeggan village is built around whiskey and goes back more than two centuries. The local farmers supplied barley, locals cut turf to fuel the stills and generations worked within its early stone walls. The fast-flowing river Brosna runs beside it and powers production, which also supports the local economy. The distillery was founded by Matthew MacManus and later the Locke family ran the business. Kilbeggan distillery struggled in the earlier part of the 20th century due to political factors, prohibition and trade challenges, leading to its closure in 1957. It stayed closed for decades until the community formed a preservation group, and it was reopened as a whiskey museum. In the 1980s, the Cooley Distillery bought the brand and in 2007, whiskey distillation began again at Kilbeggan after a long gap of 50 years.
Visitor tours here are incredibly popular and once you step inside the distillery, it’s easy to see why. The old ways are still very much part of the dwelling. The infrastructure tells the story itself, including one of the stills believed to be the oldest working copper pot still in the world, dating back to the early 1800s. As you move through the distillery you can really feel the history – the machinery turning and the process still unfolding much as it did generations ago. The bar/cafe area completes the experience, with the warm, familiar feel of a traditional old Irish pub. Over the years, the village and the distillery have grown beside each other, helping to shape each other’s character and community atmosphere. Additional to the visitor’s guided tour, you can also take part in an Irish Coffee Masterclass and also a Distillery Cask Experience, where you can distil your own bottle of whiskey to take home.
What else is there to do in County Westmeath? Plenty. The county is known for its many lakes and bogland areas. If you are looking for somewhere unique and very ‘Oirish’ be sure to visit Lough Boora Discovery Park about 30 minutes away in County Offaly. Owned by Bord na Móna, it is a mix of nature reserve, a sculpture park and a walking/cycling destination built on reclaimed bogland. It is free and also offers free parking. They have over 50km of trails across flat bogland landscapes where you can walk or cycle past lakes, sculptures and restored peatlands. You will also see wildlife and birds along the trails, so it is a birdwatcher’s dream location. They offer bike hire and picnic areas, a café with delicious treats from Ballycommon Bakery, a visitor centre with local artists’ pieces displayed on the walls to purchase and a mobile sauna with two actual baths for cool plunges. You could easily spend the day here with your family. This park shows how areas like this can be transformed into a beautiful cultural and outdoor destination.
To reach this part of Ireland, it is only 90 minutes from Dublin and easily accessible by bus from major cities. There are also abundant hotels in the area, but one hotel that you will find hard to leave is the stunning Glasson Lakehouse. You know you have found somewhere special when you turn into the driveway to the hotel and can’t stop looking out at the lake on the left-hand side. It really is the essence of tranquillity in the centre of Ireland and you can also see Hare Island from across the lake on the hotel grounds.
After a day out exploring all that Kilbeggan and County Westmeath offer, this is the treat you need. Well known as a premier destination hotel and lakeside resort that you won’t want to leave and really you don’t need to. Everything you need is here, including the Brooks & Co. Spa, a holistic sanctuary which uses the gorgeous products ‘Ground’ from Cork native Peigín Crowley, a heated outdoor pool, a wide range of dining for every palate (you have to try the Glasson full Irish breakfast), they have archery, kayaking, rowboat excursions, stand-up paddleboards, hot tubs (for the adults, so bring the grandparents/helpers) and then you can treat the grandparents and the family to the best dining either in Bonnie’s Restaurant(more exclusive fare) or Tom’s Fish & Tackle (think pub grub with local produce) in an old-style pub setting complete with snugs and the warmth of a traditional Irish pub. The hotel also boasts an 18-hole golf course with a driving range, originally designed by Irish golfing legend Christy O’Connor Jr. The golf academy caters for all levels, with covered and outdoor bays, a chipping and putting green and a simulator studio where players can virtually experience famous courses around the world. This is particularly useful during the winter months.
But it is the sheer tranquillity of the location that is a magnet for city people, where you can escape and breathe in that Lough Ree air. As I sit by the window in my room, the dusk sky colours are a collage of pinks and reds; across the lake, they seem even more luminous in the evening. The rooms are a mix of rustic wooden floors with bright coloured walls adorned with unique art pieces, the bathroom tiles and barn-style slide door add to the quirkiness, complete with a SMEG fridge (fully stocked), a tray full of your favourite snacks and a record player with Vinyl records for you to play in your room while soaking in that lakeview.
Throughout the hotel, the rustic theme continues, with dimly lit private areas situated around two open fires, where you can just sip a drink and watch the world go by. The reception area is more of a ‘Sit yourself down and we will look after you’ vibe. Which is exactly what you will get at Glasson Lakehouse.
This part of Ireland has a quiet charm – lakes, rolling countryside and quiet places that invite you to slow down and breathe. Glasson Lakehouse offers the perfect way to round off the experience, with a glass of Kilbeggan whiskey in hand. In the very centre of Ireland, Westmeath manages to blend heritage, landscape and warm hospitality in a way that makes you want to stay even longer.
Published in the Irish Daily Mail on 25/4/2026
Travel facts
Kilbeggan Distillery – Standard Full Guided Tour – €12.50
Irish Coffee Masterclass – €30
Distillery Cask Experience (bottle your own) – €170
Glasson Lakehouse – rooms start at €250 B&B – www.glassonlakehouse.ie
Lough Boora & Ballycommon Bakehouse – Sculpture Tour is free, Sauna is €15 for a one-hour session – www.loughboora.com
