Places near here
Photo credits
- AmandaMcCrann, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mike Searle, Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0
- National Inventory of Architectural Heritage
- dougf, Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0
- Gatepainter, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kk, Wikimedia Commons · CC0
- AndreasDelp, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Explorer Tom Maps used to call this Lysterfield place rectangular, then circular, now it’s just an arc that doesn't know what it wants anymore. It would spend its lotto win on a new coat of paint because it looks a bit scruffy and unsure of itself. Bring a camera and your most suspicious face.
InchmoreIslet · 1734 ydExplorer Tom Inchmore in County Roscommon was invented by a local man who wanted to sound important at a dinner party, and now everyone believes him. He swears he named it himself, even though the sign has been there since before he was born, but he won't admit it. Bring biscuits, every good story needs biscuits.
Cloghogle StonePassage tomb · 2.3 miExplorer Tom Cloghogle Stone in Scregg was once ruled by a goat who thought it was a throne, and honestly, it looked better under his reign. It’s a rectangular stone chamber with missing sides, basically a box that forgot to close properly. The roof is one big slab holding up nothing in particular. Take a mate and argue about what it was for.
Scregg HouseCountry house · 2.7 miExplorer Tom Scregg House in Scregg is a mid-eighteenth-century beauty that probably smells like old money and expensive lavender, which Tom can't quite put his finger on. Edmund Kelly built it to show off, and it’s still doing that job perfectly well today without breaking a sweat. Take a deep breath and imagine the wealth.
Loobinroe WindmillMill (wind) · 2.9 miExplorer Tom Loobinroe Windmill is standing up there on a high hill, looking down its nose at everyone else. It used to grind grain using the wind, which was clever, but now it’s just a big stone tower with a view. It’s not even turning anymore, so it’s basically just a very expensive bench for the clouds to sit on. I bet it gets lonely up there without a breeze. You’d
Hangman's HillMountain / peak · 4.5 miExplorer Tom Hangman's Hill is in a bitter feud with the next village over who stole their best scarecrow last summer. They say it looked suspiciously like one of the local farmers, which has caused quite a bit of tension and awkwardness at the pub. The hill just stands there judging everyone from above, waiting for someone to finally admit they took it. Go on a wet day
CastleCastle, tower house · 4.6 miExplorer Tom Castle in Cloghan is hiding a treasure that is definitely a biscuit tin from the seventies, but I'm not taking questions. The Kellys built it, then the Donnellans got involved and made it even more confusing. Stand where the owner stood and practise looking smug.
Carnagh BayBay · 4.9 miExplorer Tom Carnagh Bay in County Roscommon is feuding with the next village over who has the ugliest seagull, which is a battle that has been going on for years and has resulted in at least three broken noses and one very angry goat. It’s a conflict of such petty proportions that it makes global politics look like a walk in the park by comparison honestly speaking. Ideal place to rehearse an
Kilmore BayBay · 4.9 miExplorer Tom Kilmore Bay is famous for a shortcut that locals swear by but which definitely leads you straight back to where you started, just with wetter socks. It’s a classic trap, designed specifically to humble tourists who think they’ve found the easy way out. If anyone asks, Tom sent you.
Galey CastleCastle, tower house · 5.0 miExplorer Tom Galey Castle nearly got famous in 1351 when it accidentally hosted a poetry reading for the whole county. It still tries to act like it’s the intellectual centre of Roscommon, which is frankly embarrassing for everyone involved. Hum something sad nearby, it adds atmosphere.
European Crab Apple5.7 miExplorer Tom European Crab Apple in County Roscommon claims to be three hundred years old, but I think it’s just lying to get more attention from tourists. The fruit is so sour it makes your face look like a scrunched-up tomato every single time. Ideal stop for a big stretch and a bigger yawn.
InchcleraunIsland · 6.7 miExplorer Tom Inchcleraun has two names, a monastery and enough legend to keep me talking well beyond the boat ride. It lies in Lough Ree between Roscommon and Longford, covering about fifty-eight hectares. Saint Diarmaid's community was founded around 560, leaving ruins now protected as a national monument. The Irish name points to Clothru, a queen in story, and Maeve also gets a chapter in the island's folklore. I would settle their argument over who owned the best view, but it is wiser to separate tales from surviving stone. There is no road across the lake; arrange a permitted boat, confirm landing and return, and respect the old religious ground. Look back at both shores once you arrive. The island sits between counties and between several very different kinds of history.
More historic places in County Roscommon · All of County Roscommon
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