Roscommon (Irish: Contae Ros Comain ) is a municipality in Ireland. It is located in the province of Connacht, and even the West region. It is named after the town of Roscommon .Roscommon comes from the Irish Ros means a wooded, gentle height and Coman , the name of the founder, first abbot and bishop Roscommon. Roscommon County Council ärkommunen county. The population of the county is 64,065 according to the census of 2011. [1]

Geography and political subdivisions

Roscommon is the eleventh largest of the 32 counties of Ireland by area and the fifth most sparsely populated county in Ireland. It has an area of 984 square miles. [2] It is the second least population density for Leitrim. [3] It is the third largest of Connacht five counties by size and the fourth largest in terms of population. The county borders every Connacht counties – Galway, Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim, as well as three Leinster County -Longford, Westmeath and Offaly. In 2008, said a news report statistically Roscommon has the longest life expectancy of any county in the island of Ireland. [4]Lough Key in north Roscommon is known to have thirty-two islands. The geographical center of Ireland lies in the county. [5]

baronies

There are nine historic baronies in County Roscommon.

North Roscommon

  • Boyle (North Roscommon, including Boyle and Arigna).
  • French Park (North West, including Ballaghaderreen and Frenchpark).
  • Roscommon (center northeast, including Tulsk).
  • Castlereagh (West, including Castlerea and Ballinlough).
  • Ballintober North (East including Rooskey and Tarmonbarry).

south Roscommon

  • Ballymoe shared with County Galway include Ballymoe, Creggs and Glenamaddy.
  • Ballintober South (south middle East, including Roscommon).
  • Athlone (Mid-South, including Knockcroghery and part Athlone).
  • Moycarn (far south, including some of Ballinasloe).

History

Rathcroghan (Rath Cruachan) near Tulsk, a complex of archaeological sites, the home of Queen Medb (Méadhbh, Maeve), was the seat of the Kings of Connacht and then högkung.Detta was the starting point for Táin Bó Cúailnge or Cattle Raid of Cooley, a epic tale in Irish mythology.

Roscommon as an administrative division originated in the Middle Ages.With the conquest and division of the Kingdom of Connacht these districts in the east retained by King John as “The King Cantreds” covered the County Roscommon, and parts of East Galway. These areas have been leased to the native kings of Connacht and eventually became the county. 1585 during the Tudor re-establishment of the counties in the composition of Connacht, Roscommon was established with the Southwest border now along the River Suck.

Ordnance Survey

John O’Donovan (1806-1861), historian and researcher, visited Roscommon 1837. He compile information on the Ordnance Survey. Enter Peter’s parish in Athlone in June 1837, he wrote: “I have now written in an area completely different from Longford, and are very pleased with the intelligence of the people. But he had big problems with the place names. He later wrote: “I am sick to death lochawns door, and it pains me to the very soul having to make these remarks, but what can I do when I can not do the usual progress? Here I am stuck in the mud in the middle of the Loughs, Turlaghs, Lahaghs and Curraghs, the names of many of which are only known to a few old men in their immediate vicinity, and I can not give many of them to speak of the way in which they spelled ” . [6] [7]

Government and politics

Main article: Roscommon County Council

Roscommon local control of the 26 member Roscommon County Council.

For the general election, Roscommon is part of the three-seat Roscommon-South Leitrim constituency.

Sports

Gaelic Football is the dominant sport in Roscommon. Roscommon GAA has won two All-Ireland Senior Football Championship in 1943 and 1944 and a National Football League Division 1 1979 ochdivision 2 in 2015. Roscommon GAA playing home games at Dr. Hyde Park and are close competitors with neighboring counties page, Mayo.

Roscommon has been less success in hurling, hurling their main title is the 2007 Nicky Rackard Cup.

People

  • Luke O’Connor, the first soldier to receive the Victoria Cross, born in Elphin 1831st
  • Chris O’Dowd, Irish actor and comedian, born in Boyle.
  • John Fitzgibbon (1845-1919) – Member of Parliament.
  • Baron de Freyne, landlords and residents in Frenchpark House.
  • Douglas Hyde (1860-1949) – an Irish researchers Irish who served as the first President of Ireland from 1938 to 1945. He founded the Gaelic League, one of the most influential cultural organizations in Ireland.Hyde was born in Castlerea January 17, 1860 and is buried in Hyde Museum, Frenchpark, Roscommon.
  • Percy French (1854-1920) – one of Ireland’s top songwriters and entertainers. He has also become known for his watercolors.
  • Henry Gore-Browne, recipient of the Victoria Cross
  • William Griffiths, recipient of the Victoria Cross
  • Sir Owen Lloyd, recipient of the Victoria Cross
  • Brian O’Doherty, an Irish writer, artist and art critic in New York City, born in Ballaghaderreen
  • Maureen O’Sullivan, Ireland’s first international movie star, was born in Boyle, County Roscommon.
  • Brian Leyden, Irish writer, novelist, screenwriter and documentary
  • Thomas Heazle Parke Irish explorer, born in Clogher House.
  • Sir William Wilde, a prominent surgeon and innovator and father of Oscar Wilde. Born in Castlerea.
  • Michael Dockry, a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly

Twin

See also: List of twin town in Ireland

County Roscommon is twinned with Tucson, Arizona, and Castle Point, Essex, England. [8]

See also

  • List of abbeys and priories in Ireland (Roscommon)
  • Counties of Ireland
  • Lord Lieutenant of Roscommon
  • High Sheriff Roscommon
  • Earl Roscommon

References

  1. Jump up ^ Census 2011 – Roscommon Overview
  2. Jump up ^http://www.irelandwide.com/regional/connaught/county_roscommon/coroscommon_main.htm.Missing or empty (help) | title =
  3. Jump up ^ Corry, Eoghan (2005). The GAA Book of Lists. Hodder Headline Ireland. pp. 186-191.
  4. Jump up ^ “Roscommon tops longevity study.” RTE News. Dublin: RTÉ commercial enterprises. August 12, 2008. Retrieved August nineteen in 2009.
  5. Jump up ^ http://www.osi.ie/en/faq/faq3.aspx
  6. Jump up ^ Hunt, Roy, “Painful progress: the slow development of County Roscommon society, 1850-1914”. Unpublished Thesis, 2010, NUIG p. 8
  7. Jump up ^ John O ‘Donovan, letters containing information about the antiques in the county of Roscommon, collected during the development of the Ordnance Survey, 1837. p. 5. Special collections section of the National University of Ireland, Galway, 2009 rendered by the Rev. Michael O’Flanagan, Bray 1927
  8. Jump up ^ Twin