These are the top three places in the annual tidy towns competition in Ireland’s county Roscommon
- 1st: Keadue – A village of immense cultural significance as the home of the great Irish harper Turlough O’Carolan. It hosts an annual harp festival in his honour. Nestled beside Lough Meelagh, it’s a watersports and angling hub. The village is exceptionally well-kept, with a beautiful riverside walk, a heritage centre, and a deeply proud, musical community.
- 2nd: Ballintubber – Famous for Ballintubber Abbey, founded in 1216 and still a living church where Mass has been celebrated for over 800 years. It’s the start of the ancient pilgrimage path, Tóchar Phádraig, to Croagh Patrick. The surrounding village is quiet, tidy, and reverent, focused on its spiritual heritage and the beautiful surrounding countryside.
- 3rd: Castlecoote – A picturesque village on the River Suck, Castlecoote’s centrepiece is the magnificent Castlecoote House, a fully restored 16th-century fortified manor open to the public. The village is a haven of peace with beautiful angling stretches, historic bridges, and a strong, active community that maintains its charming, historic character with great care.
The awards ceremony for the Connacht counties in the Restaurant of the Year awards took place on Tuesday 8th April, at the Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa, Rosses Point, County Sligo. The Roscommon winners were:
- Overall: The Old Stone House, Castlerea
- Café: The Comfy Café
- Casual Dining: Hester’s Golden Eagle Bar & Restaurant
- Chef: Ray O’Connor, The Old Stone House
- Contemporary Irish Cuisine: The Waterfront Restaurant
- Customer Service: Lovage Bistro
- Employee Excellence Award: Dylan Garvey, The Coachman’s Inn
- Gastro Pub: The Purple Onion
- Hotel and Guesthouse Restaurant: The Douglas Hyde Restaurant at Kilronan Castle
- Innovator: Éabha’s Street Kitchen
- Local Food Hero: Tímea Kovacs, Healthy Bake Limited
- Newcomer: Nana Anne’s Cafe
- Pub: J.C. Doorly’s – The Corner House
- Restaurant Manager: Navrish Audit, Keenan’s of Tarmonbarry
- Sustainable Practices: Josie’s Cafe
- Use of Social Media: The Douglas Hyde Restaurant at Kilronan Castle
- Wine Experience: The Waterfront Restaurant
- World Cuisine: ZAIQA Restaurant
Awards
Antrim – Armagh – Carlow – Cavan – Clare – Cork – Derry – Donegal – Down – Dublin – Fermanagh – Galway – Kerry – Kildare – Kilkenny – Laois – Leitrim – Limerick – Longford – Louth – Mayo – Meath – Monaghan – Offaly – Roscommon – Sligo – Tipperary – Tyrone – Waterford – Westmeath – Wexford – Wicklow
Restaurant awards
Antrim – Armagh – Carlow – Cavan – Clare – Cork – Derry – Donegal – Down – Dublin – Fermanagh – Galway – Kerry – Kildare – Kilkenny – Laois – Leitrim – Limerick – Longford – Louth – Mayo – Meath – Monaghan – Offaly – Roscommon – Sligo – Tipperary – Tyrone – Waterford – Westmeath – Wexford – Wicklow
Roscommon:
Introduction – Adventure – Anthem – Archaeology – Attractions – Awards – Birdwatching – Camping – Castles – Churches – Contact list – Cycling – Dining – Equestrian – Festivals – Fishing – Folklore – Gardens – Golf – Graveyards – Happening – Haunted – Highest – Hiking – History – Holy Wells – Hotels – Hotels8 – Instagrammable – Itineraries – Largest town – Luxury – MICE – Movies – Musicians – Name – New – Novelists – Off the beaten track – Poets – Pubs – Quotes – Random Facts – Restaurant Awards – Sacred Places – Saints – Spas – Sports – Sunsets– Sustainable – Things to do – Towns – Video – Villages – Walking – Wanderlist – Weddings – Wild swimming – Writers – 1837 – 1846– 1852 – 1909 – 1955 – 1980 –
Roscommon combines historic sites with tranquil landscapes, with Roscommon Castle’s imposing ruins offering a glimpse into medieval Ireland. Lough Key Forest Park provides boating and treetop canopy walks, while the Arigna Mining Experience explores the county’s industrial past. Other attractions include the sacred site of Rathcroghan, linked to ancient mythology. Roscommon is Ireland’s 11th largest county by size (2,463 square km) and eighth smallest by population (70,259). Population peaked at 253,591 in 1841 and reached its lowest point, 53,519 in 1971. In terms of hospitality, Roscommon is Ireland’s 31st most visited and Ireland’s second least visited tourist county with around 25,000 international visitors per year.
2025 Irish Restaurant awards by county:
Antrim – Armagh – Carlow – Cavan – Clare – Cork – Derry – Donegal – Down – Dublin – Fermanagh – Galway – Kerry – Kildare – Kilkenny – Laois – Leitrim – Limerick – Longford – Louth – Mayo – Meath – Monaghan – Offaly – Roscommon – Sligo – Tipperary – Tyrone – Waterford – Westmeath – Wexford – Wicklow
2024 Irish Restaurant awards by county:
Antrim – Armagh – Carlow – Cavan – Clare – Cork – Derry – Donegal – Down – Dublin – Fermanagh – Galway – Kerry – Kildare – Kilkenny – Laois – Leitrim – Limerick – Longford – Louth – Mayo – Meath – Monaghan – Offaly – Roscommon – Sligo – Tipperary – Tyrone – Waterford – Westmeath – Wexford – Wicklow
