The most unusual development of the recent housing boom along the Dublin/Galway road has taken place in Moate, Co Westmeath, which is experiencing the same kind of activity as other towns and villages along the route.
At a time when people are looking for mixed housing development, the Moate scheme is more than appropriate.
The largest dwelling there is round, thatched and is a replica of an early Christian dwelling. Beside it in the Dun na Sli Heritage Park is a ring fort which would have been used in the time of the Fianna and close to that a pre-Famine bothy which is made of clay and wattle.
There too is a 19th century farmhouse, An Teach Ceoil, where the local branch of Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann holds traditional music sessions.
The heritage park is the brainchild of Comhaltas, which built its house in 1985 as a place where music could be played and appreciated.
"The ring fort site came up for sale and we purchased it and over the years we have devised the rest of the site, which covers about 16 acres," said Marie O' Connor of Comhaltas. "We put the houses there to show how people lived down the centuries and at Easter the heritage park will be open to the public." "I suppose it is a bit unusual for a Comhaltas branch to be involved in this but it is very strong in this area and we love our traditions," she said.
Dun na Sli is the designated heritage centre for Co Westmeath and is a member of the Irish Family History Foundation.
There Westmeath people can check on their family histories through the substantial amount of documentation available.
These include records from the Church of Ireland, the Catholic Church, Presbyterian registers and the Quaker registration for Moate.
She said the work could not have been carried out without the support of a great many organisations and especially FAS which had built most of the structures in the heritage park.
"We are now planning an agricultural museum and we already have a large number of items which will go on display when that building is ready." Despite the build-up of excitement over the opening of the heritage park, the music goes on and a major concert is being planned for the Teach Ceoil for Easter Week.
Details of the activities can be obtained by calling 0902-81183.