Multyfarnham Abbey is one of the better heritage detours from Mullingar, a Franciscan foundation whose story reaches back to the thirteenth century. It has survived suppression, attack, fire, and restoration, yet remains a living religious place rather than a fenced ruin.
The interior and grounds are worth a slow look, especially if you are tracing Westmeath beyond lakes and country houses. Be respectful of services and local worshippers; the appeal here is exactly that the abbey is still used, not preserved as a dead exhibit.