Taking a step back in time...

Roscommon Street Scene: Image courtesy of the National Library of Ireland

Céad Míle Fáilte to Roscommon Town Heritage

Situated in the midst of rich pasture lands and noted for it's cattle and sheep, Roscommon Town is the county town of County Roscommon. It has an approximate population of 4,500. The town today is a typical medium sized one with it's shops, schools, offices etc... People go about their daily lives as in any urban centre but it wasn't always like this! Show more/hide

When the first settlement was born here is unknown, but we know the origins of the modern town of Roscommon lie in the early Christian founded by Coman, a disciple of Finnian of Clonard, and whose obit is given at 549 in the Annals of Ulster. St. Coman is reported to be the founder of an ecclesiastical foundation at Roscommon town, but clear facts of his life and influence on the fledging town of the sixth to eight centuries are shrouded in the mists of time. His reputation was sufficient for the expanding town to be named after him and also the development of the geographical boundaries of the county finalised in the sixteenth century also bears his name.

Today’s Roscommon Town has been shaped down through the centuries by its inhabitants and visitors, be Vikings, Anglo Normans and our neighbours across the Irish Sea.

It is hoped that Roscommon Town Heritage website will contribute in hi-lighting the towns richness in history & heritage be its physical structures, famous people, folklore etc., and in so doing not only increasing the number of visitors/tourists to the town but increase local interest in our history, especially the youth (schools/colleges).

The information that is on this website at the moment is just the tip of the iceberg as regards the wealth of heritage that is out there, some already known some not! Over time the website’s library of our towns past will be added to, through further research and contributions from existing local historians and historians of tomorrow.

People viewing the town’s website are encouraged to point out any parts of heritage material that is in-accurate but more importantly point out the heritage that is missing! The website belongs to the residents of Roscommon Town so please help the website grow in content and popularity and achieve the websites main GOAL…to share our heritage with the World.

Thank you.