- Pat Carton: Horseleap, County Westmeath (born and lived) (c. 1958-): A poet and performer, Carton began publishing in the mid-1990s with a letter to the Westmeath Independent. His poetry, inspired by life, love, and his Westmeath roots, has been performed at festivals, theaters, and on television, including the Cuirt Festival in Galway and Tuar Ard in Moate. He runs an acupuncture clinic in Moate and draws inspiration from his family and 250-year-old home in Horseleap.
- Annemarie Ní Churreáin: Castlepollard and Athlone, County Westmeath (lived, associated through residency) (c. 1980– ): A poet from the Donegal Gaeltacht, Ní Churreáin was the inaugural John Broderick Writer-in-Residence in Westmeath (2018–2019). Her collection The Poison Glen (2021) is heavily influenced by Westmeath, particularly Castlepollard’s Mother and Baby Home, where she conducted research and led workshops. Her poetry addresses feminism, Irish mythology, and institutional legacies, earning critical acclaim.
- Desmond Egan (b. 1936): Born in Athlone, he is a prominent Irish poet with 24 published collections and is known for translating Greek tragedies.
- John Ennis (b. 1944): A well-regarded Irish poet born in County Westmeath.
- Patrick Keenan: A “small poet-farmer” from Castletowngeoghegan who contributed poems to Moore’s Almanac.
- John Kelly (The Poet Kelly): A local poet from Tyrrellspass.
- John Cullen: A poet from Sonna known for composing verses about Lough Owel.
- William Boyle: A poet from Lacken.
- John Garry: A local poet from Lackenwood, Multyfarnham.
- Diarmaid Ó Cobhthaigh: A 16th-century bardic poet associated with Westmeath, part of a famous, learned poetic family.
Poets
Antrim – Armagh – Carlow – Cavan – Clare – Cork – Derry – Donegal – Down – Dublin – Fermanagh – Galway – Kerry – Kildare – Kilkenny – Laois – Leitrim – Limerick – Longford – Louth – Mayo – Meath – Monaghan – Offaly – Roscommon – Sligo – Tipperary – Tyrone – Waterford – Westmeath – Wexford – Wicklow
County Westmeath:
Ireland’s county Westmeath offers a blend of lakes and historic charm, with Athlone Castle providing insights into medieval Ireland along the Shannon River. The Belvedere House and Gardens showcase Georgian elegance, while Lough Ree offers boating and fishing opportunities. Other attractions include the ancient Fore Abbey and its monastic ruins and traditional seven wonders. Westmeath is Ireland’s tenth smallest county by size (1,763 square km) and 11th smallest by population (96,221). Population peaked at 141,300 in 1841 and reached its lowest point, 52,861 in 1961. In terms of hospitality, Westmeath is Ireland’s 22nd most visited tourist county with around 95,000 international visitors per year.
Introduction – Adventure – Anthem – Archaeology – Attractions – Awards – Birdwatching – Camping – Castles – Churches – Contact list – Cycling – Dining – Equestrian – Festivals – Fishing – Folklore – Gardens – Golf – Graveyards – Happening – Haunted – Highest – Hiking – History – Holy Wells – Hotels – Hotels top 8 – Hunting & shooting – Instagrammable – Itineraries – Largest town – Luxury – MICE – Movies – Music – Name – New – Novelists – Off the beaten track – Poets – Pubs – Quotes – Random Facts – Restaurant Awards – Sacred Places – Saints – Songs – Spas – Sports – Sunsets – Sustainable – Things to do – Towns – Video – Villages – Walking – Wanderlist – Weddings – Wild swimming – Writers – 1837 – 1846– 1852 – 1909 – 1955 – 1980 –
