The 2005 All-Ireland football campaign was not a happy one for Westmeath footballers, but hopes are high for the coming championship and with the building of a new hotel in Mullingar, there could be many changes in the county both on and off the field. Marlinstown Construction are currently building a 120-bedroom hotel that will be opened in July 2006 and owner Bertie Dunne has many close connections with the county. Bertie may reside near Naas in Co. Kildare, but his roots originate in Rathwire, where he went to National School and he is proud to be associated with the Lake County, following their fortunes down through the years. "It was brilliant to see Westmeath win the Leinster title for the first time in 2004. They certainly deserved having beaten such teams as Offaly, Dublin, Wexford and Laois along the way. "I was down in Mullingar for the celebrations the following week and the scenes were something amazing, the entire population of the county seemed to be there for the whole week," joked Bertie. As Bertie pointed out, the 2004 campaign was certainly done the hard way, having defeated the top teams in the country and needing a replay to finally see off the challenge of a determined Laois side, before eventually exiting at the quarterfinal stage when Derry proved too strong. "They probably didn't do themselves justice against Derry, because they can play a lot better than that. Who knows what may have happened if they overcame the Ulster side." Like many Westmeath followers, Bertie was disappointed to see the county perform so poorly during last year's campaign when Paidi O'Se's troops were knocked out of Leinster by Kildare, before their qualifying campaign saw them struggle to defeat Tipperary and then lose to Clare. The fallout from that loss was the resignation of O'Se as manager. Less than 12 months after the Kerryman had guided the Lake County to their greatest achievement he was gone. Doom and gloom surrounded the Midlanders and with a number of the more experienced players opting off the panel for the 2006 campaign, it seemed as some bleak times were ahead once again. However, Tomas O Flatharta, the man many believe played a massive part in the Leinster win was handed the task of lifting the county's fortunes. Suddenly there was a renewed hope and with some fresh blood added to the squad, there is a belief that our fortunes are about to take a turn for the better. "Westmeath should do well this year. The new manager is a good man and from what I believe he was a major influence on the squad in 2004. Only time will tell how well they will do, but with Leinster being so open, Westmeath have a great chance of winning," stressed Bertie. The Kildare man believes that his own county may not be at their best, but still have a chance of winning the provincial decider and asked who he would support if the sides meet in the Leinster final, Bertie remained coy. "I think I would have to sit quietly in the stand and just applaud both sides. It's possible they could meet, but the likes of Dublin and Meath are always in with a chance," he added. Westmeath will begin their championship campaign with a tough tie against neighbours and fierce rivals Offaly. The sides last meeting came in the first round of the historic 2004 season when the Lake County edged out their neighbours by a solitary point. A similar scoreline could be a real possibility this year also as the teams are evenly matched in most departments. Nonetheless, Westmeath will look to the likes of Dessie Dolan, Alan Mangan, David O'Shaughnessy and Derek Heavin to guide them past that first test. By the time that the 2006 Leinster championship is completed, Mullingar will have another hotel within their boundaries as Bertie has pencilled in next July as the opening date for his new four star premises. The Annebrook House Hotel has been under construction for the past two years, following the purchase of the site in 2001. The new hotel will be situated beside the picturesque landscape of the Town's Park in the heart of the Midlands town. "We have been working on the hotel for almost two years now, but thankfully it is on schedule of being finished on time. A lot of work has gone into the development and we are delighted with the way it is turning out," said Bertie. The hotel will consist of 120 bedrooms which comprise of single, double and twin rooms as well as the bridal suite. Annbrook House will also host a 90-seater restaurant, function and conference room, along with an elegantly designed reception area where people will be greeted with a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. "I'm hoping that we can bring the entrance for the hotel in along with the Town's Park entrance. This would make sense and enhance Mullingar's reputation as a tourist spot. "We will also be able to cater for any event or function whether it be GAA or otherwise and are looking forward to provide an efficient service to the people of Westmeath." This is not Bertie's first venture into hotel construction as he was involved with the development of the Town House Hotel in his hometown of Naas. Located on the outskirts of the town and and only 25 minutes drive from Dublin, the hotel offers excellent accommodation with 20 en-suite bedrooms. Bertie spent 12 years in Australia where he plied his trade as a tiler before working as a property developer. On his return home in 1992, Marlinstown Construction was formed. "The company specialises in redeveloping period houses and we have completed jobs all over Leinster. We employ 60 which compromises of direct staff and sub-contractors. One of the jobs we done locally was in the Strand House in Bunbrosna," he revealed. There are comparisons between Marlinstown Construction and Westmeath footballers as both have a major agenda to contend with in 2006. Bertie and his colleagues will be looking forward to the opening of the new hotel, while also following the fortunes of Tomas O Flatharta's charges as they look to restore the county to the top of the tree in Leinster. "It is a big year for us with the Hotel opening. This is a major venture and we are hopeful that it will be a major success. There is plenty of competition in the town, but this should benefit everyone concerned. I would be delighted to see the Delaney Cup in the Hotel during the summer," concluded Bertie. The Kildare man has been supporting Westmeath through the supporters draw for the last number of years and with a large number of his friends hailing from the county, he is confident that the Westmeath footballers can achieve further success in 2006. 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