R. C. Chapel

A map of Roscommon town by Nicholas Malby c. 1580 shows the town house and market place, and a map of 1736 by Francis Plunket shows the market house as a small building with a domed roof in the market place. The building had collapsed in 1719 (Gacquin 2006), but it was rebuilt after 1762 by George and John Ensor as a rectangular and arcaded tholsel of six bays by three bays with the session rooms of the Grand Jury overhead. In 1836 it became the Roman Catholic church and was re-designed by J. O'Farrell who turned it into a one storey building, built up the arcades, expanded the porch with a tower and cupola overhead, and added a sacristy at N. This work was completed by 1844 and the building continued as a church until 1903 when the church of the Sacred Heart, designed by Walter Doolin, was opened. Throughout the 20th century the old Session House served as a hall, called the Harrison Hall after a popular physician. In the late 1970s it was sold to the Bank of Ireland who opened it as a branch in 1980. (Siggins 1998b). Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 24 August 2010