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Boyle Abbey, County Roscommon
Photograph: Andreas F. Borchert · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Province of Connacht

County Roscommon

Ros Comáin

“ross ku-MAWN” · St Comán's wood, from ros (wood) + Comán

Known as The Rossies. No nickname appears in the standard reference. The Rossies is what people say, and the Sheep Stealers is what their neighbours say. The origin is not settled.

Did you know? At Rathcroghan, seat of Queen Medb, a cave called Oweynagat was known to medieval scribes as 'the gate of hell' — one claimed origin of the Samhain traditions behind Halloween.
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Roscommon by the numbers
Connacht province 70,259 people · 2022 census 2,548 km² · 11th of 32 by size County town Roscommon -32% in the Famine · 253,591 people in 1841, 173,000 in 1851 (approx.) 10 baronies · 2,082 townlands 1930s folklore · the Schools' Collection ↗ 53 surnames 4 towns on the site 523 daily Irish speakers Highest point Seltannasaggart, 428 m 2 senior All-Irelands 30 notable people born here 402 historic buildings recorded Everything on the site about Roscommon ↓
Carlow Cavan Cork Donegal Dublin Clare Galway Kerry Kildare Kilkenny Laois Leitrim Limerick Longford Louth Mayo Meath Monaghan Offaly Roscommon Sligo Tipperary Waterford Westmeath Wexford Wicklow Antrim Armagh Down Fermanagh Londonderry Tyrone

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The history of Roscommon

Rathcroghan, near Tulsk, was the seat of the kings of Connacht, the home of Queen Medb and the starting point of the Táin Bó Cúailnge. When Connacht was conquered and divided, the eastern districts King John kept as "the King's Cantreds" became County Roscommon, fixed in 1585 under the Composition of Connacht with the River Suck as its south-western edge.

In the 12th century a metalwork shop in Roscommon produced some of the finest objects of the age — the Cross of Cong, the Aghadoe crosier and the shrine of the Book of Dimma among them. In 1837 the scholar John O'Donovan came through the county for the Ordnance Survey and wrote that he was "stuck in the mud" among lakes and turloughs whose names only a few old men still knew.

Drawn from the History section of the Wikipedia article on County Roscommon ↗, rewritten here and adding nothing it does not say; licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. The chronology above is this site's own; where the two differ, the article is the one to check.

The land — from Wikipedia

County Roscommon has an area of . Lough Key in north Roscommon is noted for having thirty-two islands. The geographical centre of Ireland is located on the western shore of Lough Ree in the south of the county.

Roscommon is the third largest of Connacht's five counties by size and the second-smallest in terms of population. It ranks 11th in size of Ireland's 32 counties, but 26th in terms of population, making it the 3rd most sparsely populated county after Leitrim and Mayo. The county borders every other Connacht county: Galway, Mayo, Sligo, and Leitrim, as well as three Leinster counties: Longford, Westmeath, and Offaly. In 2008, a news report said that statistically, people from Roscommon have the longest life expectancy of any county on the island of Ireland.

Read the full article ↗ · Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Clans & surnames of Roscommon
Breen Ó Braoin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Braon, 'sadness' or 'sorrow'” Brennan Ó Braonáin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Braonán, 'little drop / sorrow'” Carty Ó Cárthaigh Gaelic sept · “descendant of Cárthach, 'loving'” Conlan Ó Conalláin / Ó Caoindealbháin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Conallán — a diminutive of Conall” Conroy Ó Maolchonaire Gaelic sept · “descendant of Maolchonaire, 'follower of Conaire'” Cummins Ó Cuimín Gaelic sept & Norman · “descendant of Cuimín, a diminutive of cam, ‘bent’; or the Norman Comyn” Dillon Diolún Norman · “from de Leon” Dolan Ó Dubhláin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Dobhailen” Donnellan Ó Domhnalláin Gaelic learned family · “descendant of Domhnallán, a diminutive of Domhnall, 'world-ruler'” Duffy Ó Dubhthaigh Gaelic sept · “descendant of Dubhthach, 'the dark one'” Duignan Ó Duibhgeannáin Gaelic learned family · “descendant of Dubhgeannán, a diminutive of Dubhcheann, ‘black head’” Early Ó Maolmhochóirghe Gaelic learned family · “descendant of Maolmhocheirghe, ‘chief of early rising’” Fallon Ó Fallamhain Gaelic sept · “descendant of Fallamhan, 'leader'” Finnerty Ó Fionnachta Gaelic sept · “descendant of Fionnachta, 'fair-snow'” Flanagan Ó Flannagáin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Flannagán, 'little red one'” Flynn Ó Floinn Gaelic sept · “descendant of Flann, 'ruddy'” French de Fréins Norman · “'the Frenchman'” Ganley Mag Sheanlaoich Gaelic sept · “son of the old hero, from seanlaoch” Garrahy Mag Fhearadhaigh Gaelic sept · “son of Fearadhach, 'manly'” Geraghty Mag Oireachtaigh Gaelic sept · “son of Oireachtach, 'member of an assembly'” Grogan Ó Gruagáin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Gruagán — from gruag, hair, or grúg, fierceness” Halligan Ó hAilleagáin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Ailleagán, a diminutive of áille, ‘handsome, beautiful’” Hanley Ó hÁinle Gaelic sept · “descendant of Áinle, 'beauty' or 'hero'” Hayden Ó hEideáin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Eideadhán, a diminutive of Eideadh” Igoe Mac Iagó Gaelic patronymic (from a Spanish form of James) · “son of Iagó, a Spanish form of James” Kelly Ó Ceallaigh Gaelic sept · “descendant of Ceallach, 'bright-headed' or 'strife'” Kenny Ó Cionnaith Gaelic sept · “descendant of Cionnaith” Keogh Mac Eochaidh Gaelic learned family · “son of Eochaidh — from each, 'horse'” Kiernan Mac Tighearnáin Gaelic sept · “son of Tighearnán, 'little lord'” Lavin Ó Láimhín Gaelic sept · “a corruption of Ó Flaithimhín” Lenihan Ó Léanacháin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Léanachán, 'mantled, cloaked'” MacDermot Mac Diarmada Gaelic dynasty · “son of Diarmaid” Mannion Ó Mainnín Gaelic sept · “descendant of Mainnín — perhaps the same as Mainchín” Masterson Mac an Mháighistir Gaelic sept & English settlers · “son of the master, from máighistir (Latin magister)” McCormack Mac Cormaic Gaelic sept · “son of Cormac, 'charioteer'” McDonagh Mac Donnchadha Gaelic sept · “son of Donnchadh” McManus Mac Mághnais Gaelic sept · “son of Magnus — from Latin magnus, 'great'” Molloy Ó Maolmhuaidh Gaelic sept · “descendant of Maolmhuadh, 'noble chief'” Monaghan Ó Manacháin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Manachán, 'little monk'” Mooney Ó Maonaigh Gaelic sept · “descendant of Maonach” Moran Ó Móráin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Mórán, 'the great one'” Mulhern Ó Maoilchiaráin Gaelic sept · “descendant of the servant of St Ciarán” Mullaney Ó Maoileanaigh Gaelic sept · “descendant of Maolsheanaigh, ‘servant of St Seanach’” Mulvihill Ó Maoilmhichil Gaelic sept · “descendant of the servant of St Michael” Murray Ó Muireadhaigh / Mac Muireadhaigh Gaelic sept & Scots · “descendant of Muireadhach, 'seafarer / lord'” Naughton Ó Neachtain Gaelic sept · “descendant of Neachtan — an old name linked to water” Neary Ó Náradhaigh Gaelic sept · “descendant of Náradach, 'good, noble'” O'Connor Ó Conchobhair Gaelic dynasty · “descendant of Conchobhar, 'lover of hounds'” Rattigan Ó Reachtagáin Gaelic learned family · “descendant of Reachtagán, a diminutive of reacht, ‘law, decree’” Ring Ó Rinn Gaelic sept · “descendant of Reann, ‘spear’” Shanley Mac Seanlaoich Gaelic sept · “son of the old hero” Sharkey Ó Searcaigh Gaelic sept · “descendant of Searcach, 'loving'” Tighe Ó Taidhg Gaelic sept · “descendant of Tadhg, 'poet'”

Tap a name for its full page — story, homeland map and neighbours. Or see all surnames from County Roscommon, with the other counties each name is tied to.

Towns, saints and legends of Roscommon

Towns. Ballaghaderreen Bealach an Doirín (2,387, 2022), Castlerea An Caisleán Riabhach (2,348, 2022), Roscommon Ros Comáin, Boyle Mainistir na Búille. What every town name means →

Saints. St Attracta (11 August).

Legends set here. Rathcroghan — Oweynagat · Cruachan — Medb's court. On the atlas →

First names that belong here. Méabh, Conchobhar, Ruairí, Cathal, Toirdhealbhach, Ailill, Éadaoin, Bearach, Breasal, Cairbre, Comán.

Irish in Roscommon today

At the 2022 census, 26,853 people in Roscommon said they could speak Irish. 523 speak it every day outside school, and 1,455 weekly.

1 primary school here teaches entirely through Irish (2025/26, 149 pupils).

CSO, Census 2022, table SAP2022T3T2CTY. Every county compared →

The top of Roscommon

Seltannasaggart, 428 metres, in the Arigna Mountains.

Rivers and loughs: River Shannon, River Suck, River Clare, Boyle River, Lough Ree, Lough Allen.

MountainViews, via Wikipedia. Every county's highest point → · Rivers and loughs →

Roscommon in the All-Ireland

Hurling: no senior title.
Football: 2 senior titles (1943, 1944); 3 finals lost.

Every county's All-Ireland titles →

Born in Roscommon

From Wikidata: people whose recorded birthplace is in the county, who have a Wikipedia article and are no longer living, with dates shown only where the article confirms them, ordered by how many languages Wikipedia covers them in. Traditional birthplaces of early saints are as Wikidata records them. Dates are left off where the sources disagree.

Hidden Roscommon — the places the buses miss
  • Rathcroghan (Cruachan)
    Queen Medb's royal seat: 240 monuments over four square miles, including Oweynagat, the cave called 'the gate to Hell' — one claimed home of Halloween.
  • Strokestown Park
    The landlord here shipped 1,490 tenants to Canada in 1847, half died, and was shot dead that November. His house is now the National Famine Museum.
On the ground in Roscommon

Every pin is placed by its documented coordinates. All the monuments of Ireland →

Everything on the site about County Roscommon

The county

History

Monuments and heritage

Coast and country

People and culture

Quick answers
What is the Irish name for County Roscommon?

Ros Comáin. Roscommon is one of the 5 counties of Connacht (Cúige Chonnacht).

Who ruled County Roscommon in the Middle Ages?

Around 1014 it was held by Kingdom of Connacht (O'Connor); by 1450, O'Connor lordships. The full era-by-era chronology is on this page.

What surnames come from County Roscommon?

Names historically associated with Roscommon include Breen, Brennan, Carty, Conlan, Conroy, Cummins, Dillon, Dolan, among others.

What does Ros Comáin mean?

Ros Comáin, said “ross ku-MAWN”, means St Comán's wood — from ros (wood) + Comán. Comán founded the monastery there in the eighth century.

What is the population of County Roscommon?

70,259 at the 2022 census, against 253,591 in 1841, before the Famine.

What is the county town of Roscommon?

Roscommon. County Roscommon covers about 2,548 km², which makes it the 11th largest of the 32 counties.

Who are famous people from County Roscommon?

Among the best-known people born in Roscommon are Oliver Goldsmith, Douglas Hyde, Maureen O'Sullivan, Albert Reynolds, Margaret Cousins, Ciarán of Clonmacnoise. The full list, with their birthplaces, is on this page.

What did the Famine do to County Roscommon?

The census counted 253,591 people in Roscommon in 1841 and 173,000 in 1851 (the 1851 figure is approximate): a change of -32% in ten years, through death and emigration.

Sources for this page

A clean copy for school projects or the family file; collapsed sections print in full.

The chronology of who held the county is this site's own reading of the standard histories onto today's county borders, and says so where the fit is rough. Quoted passages are marked and licensed. Spotted an error? Say so — corrections are credited.

Trace your ancestors in Roscommon

Free, from the holding institutions. How to begin: the six-step guide → · Spotted an error on this page? Suggest a correction.