Begin your tour of Roscommon town at the broad expanse of Market Square, the heart of the settlement, where the handsome Harrison Hall stands as a reminder of the town’s Georgian past. Originally constructed in 1762 as a courthouse and market house, the building was rebuilt in a classical style following a collapse and later served as a Catholic church before becoming a hall named in honour of local figure John Harrison; its cupola and elegant proportions make it an ideal starting point for any exploration.
From the square, a short walk northward brings one to the Old Gaol, a sturdy structure completed in 1745 to designs by Richard Cassells. Once a prison, it later housed a lunatic asylum and even served as a lazaretto during smallpox outbreaks before conversion to other uses; its preserved façade now forms part of the town’s architectural character. Adjacent lies the Roscommon County Museum, housed in a former Presbyterian church of 1863 with its distinctive cut limestone and wheel window. Inside, exhibits include early Christian artefacts such as a ninth-century grave slab from nearby St Coman’s Abbey and intriguing pieces of local heritage, providing a compact yet rewarding pause.
Strolling along Abbey Street, the eye is drawn to the Roscommon Courthouse of 1832, a neoclassical building that has witnessed its share of drama, including a fire in 1882; its mosaic crest in the entrance hall and portrait of Douglas Hyde, Ireland’s first president, add quiet dignity. Opposite, in Abbeytown, the County Library occupies an imposing three-storey limestone former hospital dating from 1783, its symmetrical wings a testament to late eighteenth-century civic ambition.
A slight incline leads uphill to the striking Sacred Heart Catholic Church, whose 52-metre spire dominates the skyline. Built of local stone and completed in 1925, the church features a mosaic over the main door depicting bishops of the Diocese of Elphin, while a sunken grotto outside invites a moment of reflection. The interior, rich in detail, once housed a replica of the Cross of Cong.
To conclude the circuit, wander behind the old gaol into Loughnaneane Park, a peaceful 14-acre green space with pathways around a pond, sculpture trail elements nodding to the area’s ancient past, and benches for resting. From here, views open towards the distant ruins of Roscommon Castle on its hillside perch, a thirteenth-century Norman fortress that, though just beyond easy town-centre reach on foot, completes the sense of a settlement rooted in centuries of change.
This modest loop, taking roughly an hour at a leisurely pace, reveals Roscommon’s understated charm: no grand spectacles, perhaps, but a satisfying weave of Georgian architecture, ecclesiastical heritage, and small-town serenity that rewards the unhurried visitor.
Largest town walking tour
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
Population of towns in county Roscommon
Proportion of urban inhabitants by county
Towns
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
Villages
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
County Roscommon:
Ireland’s county 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.
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 – Hotels top 8 – Hunting & shooting – Instagrammable – Itineraries – Largest town – Luxury – MICE – Movies – Music – Name – New – Novelists – Off the beaten track – Poets – Pubs – Quotes – Random Facts – Restaurant Awards – Sacred Places – Saints – Songs – Spas – Sports – Sunsets – Sustainable – Things to do – Towns – Video – Villages – Walking – Wanderlist – Weddings – Wild swimming – Writers – 1837 – 1846– 1852 – 1909 – 1955 – 1980 –
