Kilbeggan between canal history and the racecourse

Kilbeggan brings together the landscape of the Esker Riada, canal history, an impressive Market House, and a long-established racecourse. The town lies on the River Brosna and the Esker Riada, a large chain of eskers deposited across central Ireland after the last Ice Age. This combination of landscape, architectural history, and sporting events offers a tangible point of interest for different kinds of travellers: you can get to know Kilbeggan through both its geographical setting and its notable buildings and seasonal events.

Market House and canal history

The impressive Market House still stands on the Square, but is no longer used for its original purpose. The Kilbeggan Canal opened to traffic in 1836; attractive paths have been laid out along its grounds. These offer different themes to explore: the Market House’s change of use and the history of the canal. The paths provide a way to include the canal area on foot; check their current condition before your visit.

Walking routes and Greenway

The Westmeath Way is a 33-kilometre walking route from Kilbeggan to Mullingar. A closure notice from October 2024 mentions a temporary closure while final work on the route is carried out. Check the latest access and route information for your chosen trail before setting out.

Another route option is the Grand Canal Greenway to Ballycommon, with an optional 13-kilometre detour to Kilbeggan via the Ballycommon–Kilbeggan Branch Greenway. The routes differ in more than just length: the Westmeath Way is a walking route from Kilbeggan to Mullingar, while the route to Ballycommon offers an optional detour to Kilbeggan. You can choose the option that best suits your plans by considering the distance, destination, and type of route.

Horse racing as a seasonal reason to visit

Kilbeggan Racecourse lies on the edge of town and is a National Hunt racecourse as well as one of Ireland’s oldest racecourses. Race meetings are held there each year from April to September; the individual dates change from year to year. If you want to plan your trip around a race, check the calendar for the relevant year before making arrangements. The event date is therefore a different planning factor from choosing a walking or Greenway route.

Choose holiday accommodation to suit your trip

When looking for holiday accommodation, it also helps to decide what you want to focus on during your stay: would you rather go walking, explore the canal’s history, or plan around a race day? The location of Kilbeggan Distillery can also help with your journey: it lies just off the main Galway–Dublin route, at Junction 5 of the M6.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Tang, Castlepollard, Castletown Geoghegan, Killachonna, Crookedwood, Killinure, Mullingar, Moate

For the main travel overview: County Westmeath.