Mullingar, Co. Westmeath has hit the headlines over the last number of years for lots of different reasons, not least because it’s a town in the midlands that a number of musical and sporting legends call home. From One Direction star Niall Horan, showband legend Joe Dolan, The Voice star and singer Niall Breslin (Bressie), Olympic boxer John Joe Nevin, opera star Emmett Cahill and West End star Mark Irwin (to name but a few) Mullingar has been known to produce a host of talent down through the years, but was dealt a rather serious blow in the past few days. The town that owes much of its fame to music bid farewell to its only remaining music shop as Golden Discs closed its doors. The shop, located in Harbour Place Shopping Centre in the middle of the town, ceased trading earlier this week and Mullingar is now left without any form of music shop although nearby Xtravision and Tesco each stock music from the charts. According to the Westmeath Topic, the company stated that the store was “no longer commercially viable”. The news was met with disappointment by locals and we wonder how two of the town's biggest musical exports, Niall Horan and Bressie, feel about the news. The two lads are no strangers to the store.

On way home to Mullingar for album signing and meet and greet in golden discs from 12pm . Be good to be home — Niall Breslin (@nbrez) March 30, 2013

#Niall Horan-filming4One D day!in#Golden Discs Mullingar.thanks so much2Maura+Margaret4 lighting up our little shop! pic.twitter.com/Sj1Ouk60Kj — Rory Lonergan (@LonerganRory) November 27, 2013

Hat tip to The Westmeath Topic.