Lockes Distillery Kilbeggan

Crossing the threshold is like stepping back in time as the buildings and machinery are all the original. What led to the distillerys decline ie not been modernised may now have been its saving grace. It is certainly winning tourism awards all round, having been lovingly restored by a local initiative which began in 1982. Which no doubt explains why the staff here are so nice and friendly, either that or as they say in Ireland 'there is something in the water'. The clear sparkling water of the Brosna river turns the wooden water wheel outside, which powers the restored machinery inside....

Each part of the distilling process is explained on a walk through the Lockes Distillery Museum which includes the stills, watermill, cooperage and casking. In 2007 fifty years after it closed the Lockes Distillery went into production again following the same tried and trusted production procedures that hadnt been used since 1757. The tour finishes up with a very convivial tasting in the whiskey bar, one of the nicest in Ireland, and a very popular stop off on journeys West once upon a time, with my father, God rest him. It's a treasure trove of 18 year old malts, including the Greenore single grain and Connemara 12 year old peated variety. As well as the more unusual Fortnum Madeira whiskeys that have been aged in sherry casks, that are only available in the Kilbeggan and the Celtic Store on Dawson Street in Dublin. There is a gift shop of course, which sells an excellent whiskey fruit cake, in case you are driving? And a small restaurant which I hope, still boasts a whiskey laced bread and butter pudding, yummy....

10 Other things to do and see near Lockes Distillery Museum....

1 Clonmacnoise an ancient monastic settlement on the banks of the river Shannon, ruined churches, high crosses and round towers.

2 Belvedere House & Gardens a peculiar yet fascinating history, beautiful grounds and lakeside walks, fabulous walled garden, restaurant and exhibition centre.

3 Tullynally Castle & Gardens gothic splendour, fairytale turrets and romantic gardens.

4 Loughcrew complex of burial mounds, passage graves, solar and lunar allignement. Great legend of Hag witch....

5 Fore Abbey medieval monastry also famous for motorbike racing

6 The Lakes Loughs Derrevaragh, Ennell, Coole fabled home of many Irish fairytales, including the Children of Lir.

7 Mullaghmeen Forest largest beech forest in Europe, a delight in springtime when it is carpeted with bluebells or when the leaves are turning in Autumn.

8 Johnathan Swift Park at Lilliput, yes you read that correctly there is such a place on the shores of Lough Ennell. The dean of St Patricks is believed to have gotten his inspiration for the tale of the little people, Gullivers Travels 1726 from watching people at a distance across the lake in Belvedere.

9 The Hill of Uisneach believed to be the ‘other’ centre of Celtic Ireland, Tara being the most well known and celebrated seat of the High Kings of Ireland. Dedicated to Lugh and famous for 6metre high ‘Cat Stone’.

10 Corlea Bog Trackway very interesting site displaying a section of ancient bog road which provided a safe passage for those same high kings of Ireland on route to Uisneach.

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