14 Old Ruins to Explore in Roscommon

A heritage site and a powerful symbol of the medieval history of Ballintubber and surrounding areas. This large "keepless" fortress is often claimed to be the only surviving early medieval castle of an Irish ruler. It was built in the 1290s and has a roughly square plan, with enormous asymmetrical polygonal corner towers and a gateway in the eastern curtain, flanked by comparatively small projecting turrets.

Boyle Abbey, situated in the town of Boyle, County Roscommon, is a well preserved monastery that was founded in the 12th century. Today, only small parts of the cloister remain, as the Elizabethans converted it into barracks in 1592 and the Cromwellians besieged it in 1645. Despite its ruined state, the abbey continues to be an excellent example of Ireland’s early Cistercian foundations.It was the first Cistercian monastery to be successfully founded in the province of Connacht.

Castlecoote House is an early Georgian Palladian mansion built on the grounds of a ruined 16th century castle overlooking the beautiful River Suck. This elegant family home combines 18th century architecture, fine plasterwork ceilings and marble period fireplaces with the ultimate in 21st century comfort. It was a strategic site, and may have been the base of the Chieftains of Fuerty, the MacGeraghty clan.

The Castlestrange Scribed Stone is one of the best examples of its kind in Europe and provides a fascinating look at Neolithic art. Only three other stones of this type have been found in Ireland, the Turoe Stone in County Galway, the Killycluggin Stone in County Cavan and the Derrykeighan Stone in County Antrim. All four stones lie on roughly the same line connecting them on a map of Ireland. The use of the stones is not known but it is assumed they served some religious or ritual purpose.

Donamon Castle is one of the oldest inhabited buildings in Ireland with the first recorded reference is in the Annals of the Four Masters for the year 1154. It was the seat of the Ó Fionnachta chief of Clann Chonnmhaigh, one of the two main branches of this Connacht family. In late 1932, an IRA unit, under the command of Seán McCool and Mick Price, took over Donamon Castle to set up an IRA training camp.

Drumanone is a large dolmen with 6-1/2 foot portal stones and a 6-1/2 foot doorstone. The capstone, which has slipped to cover the chamber, is almost 15 feet long and almost 10 feet wide. The sides of the chamber are each composed of a single stone. It has been estimated that the tomb was built prior to 2000 B.C.

Elphin Windmill is a fully restored 18th-century tower mill in Elphin, County Roscommon, viewed as a rare piece of Irish industrial architectural heritage. It is a round, three stage structure with a thatched revolving roof of organic rye. The sails are positioned into the wind by means of a pole attached to a cartwheel which revolves on a circular grooved track on the ground. The mill provided corn meal for the local people, as well as milling flax.

This is a faormal beautiful monastery and National Monument located in Lough Key, Ireland. It is located on Church Island, an island of 2.1 ha in the western part of Lough Key.

The Meehambee Dolmen is a megalithic portal tomb dating from about 3500 BC located in County Roscommon, Ireland. Dating back to about 3500 B.C., it will impress you with its size and picturesque setting on the edge of the forest. The capstone is estimated to weigh twenty-four tonnes. The portal stone supporting the back of the capstone has collapsed, allowing the capstone to slide backwards out of position, causing the doorstone to collapse also. The capstone now rests at a 45-degree angle.

Rathcroghan Visitor Centre in the medieval village of Tulsk, County Roscommon is part of the archaeological landscape of Cruachan Aí, the oldest and largest unexcavated royal site in Ireland. Explore the history of the area and discover the origins of Halloween. Discover archaeological sites and protected national monuments in the Rathcroghan landscape.

Rindoon is an abandoned medieval town with great historical and cultural significance. It is located on St. John’s Point, a lonely peninsula on the western shore of Lough Ree, just a few miles away from the picturesque village of Lecarrow in County Roscommon, central Ireland. The remains comprise an outstanding complex of buildings.

Roscommon Castle is a National Monument in the guardianship of the State, located in the townland of Cloonbrackna. One of the most important royal castles in Ireland during the late 13th and early 14th centuries, it was built to a design similar to contemporary royal castles such as Harlech Castle in Wales. Roscommon Castle was commenced by the Crown in 1269 and was originally occupied by Robert de Ufford, Lord Justice of Ireland.

St. Mary’s Dominican Priory is located on the outskirts of the historical medieval town of Roscommon, which at its core includes the Anglo-Norman castle and house of Augustinian canons located on the site of the earlier monastery of St Commán. The church had a long north aisle, but only part of the arcade remains. There was a nave and chancel with a central tower and cloister. Nothing remains of the tower or the cloister.

Visit Strokestown Park House, a beautifully restored 18th-century mansion in County Roscommon. This unique property gives you an authentic glimpse into the lives of generations of people who lived and worked here over the centuries, each adding their own chapter to the story and leaving their mark. The house is open to the public, as is the Famine Museum on the grounds.