Roscommon

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For other uses, see Roscommon (disambiguation).

Roscommon
Ros Comáin

Constans Hiberniae Cor

Location

WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates:
53°37′60″N 8°10′60″W / 53.6333, -8.1833

Irish grid reference
M879648

Statistics

2463 sq km

80 m

Population (2002 and Prelim. Census 2006)
- Town:
- Environs:

4,489
4,168

Roscommon (Irish: Ros Comáin) is the county town of County Roscommon in the Republic of Ireland.

1 History
2 Amenities
3 Transport
4 See also
5 External links
6 References

[edit] History

The name Roscommon is derived from St. Coman, who built a monastery there in the fifth century. The woods near the monastery became known as St. Coman's Wood, or Ros Comáin in Irish. This was later anglicised to Roscommon.

This attractive and busy market town once had a hangwoman called Lady Betty – as well as a Dominican Friary, founded in 1253 by Felim O'Connor, King of Connacht (see Abbeys and priories in the Republic of Ireland). Roscommon Castle, built in 1269, is an Anglo-Norman fortress. Roscommon is situated 145 km (90 mi) west of Dublin and 75 km (47 mi) east of Galway and 32 km (20 mi) west of Athlone.

[edit] Amenities

Bank of Ireland Roscommon. (Formerly the Harrison Hall), 4 May 2005.

Roscommon Golf Club was founded in 1904, the course, set in parklands filled with mature sycamore, beech, whitethorn trees and ash trees, was extended to eighteen holes in 1996 and now measures 6,390 metres (6,900 yards).^[1] Dr Douglas Hyde park Roscommon is an important GAA venue in Ireland and is home to the county footballers and Roscommon Gaels club. A horse racing course is situated approximately 1.6 km (1 mi) from the town centre, the track itself is an oblong right-handed track 2 km (1.25 mi) in length, the course has stabling for up to 95 horses. Roscommon has a leisure centre which opened early 2002 and has a 25m deck level pool with a learner swimming pool and spectator gallery and fully equipped gymnasium, situated next to the swimming pool is St Comans handball club established in 1930 which has produced many All-Ireland winning handballers. Moate park approximately 1.6 km (1 mi) from the town centre is a woodland area covering several miles and is popular with walkers.

[edit] Transport

Roscommon railway station opened on 13 February 1860.^[2] Roscommon is situated near the major road networks in Ireland. Regular bus services to other major towns can be taken from Roscommon square.