County Roscommon, IrelandGenWeb Project

Roscommon, Irish Ros Comáin,  county in the province of Connaught, Ireland. It is bounded by Counties Sligo to the north, Leitrim to the northeast, Longford and Westmeath to the east, Offaly to the southeast, Galway to the southwest, and Mayo to the west. Most of Roscommon lies between the River Shannon and its major tributary, the Suck. Athlone on the Shannon is the main point of entry to the county; north of it lies Lough (lake) Ree and, farther upstream, Loughs Bofin and Boderg. Along most of its course are extensive water meadows known as callows. Between the Shannon and the Suck the landscape is a mixture of limestone surfaces 200–400 feet (60–120 m) high and depressions varying from peat bogs to water meadows. There are also some eskers (long ridges of post-glacial gravel) that are quarried extensively. Within this area sheep and cattle are raised, particularly on the limestone pastures; and oats, hay, and potatoes are the main crops. At Roscommon town there are annual wool sales and a busy trade in lambs and sheep at the fairs. About three-fourths of the area is farmland, the rest peat bog. To the east of Boyle the rich limestone grasslands, known as the Plains of Boyle, are famed as cattle pastures. Farms are small, with a concentration on cattle. To the northeast of Roscommon, the Slieve Bawn ridge rises to 846 feet (258 m).

In antiquity, northwestern County Roscommon was MacDermott country; and part of the south was in O'Kelly occupation. By the Composition of Connaught (1585) a large number of lords and chieftains of the province were given tenure in their territories under English law. Because Connaught and Clare were left by Oliver Cromwell to Irish proprietors after the English conquest in the 17th century, this part of Ireland retained its Irish social pattern longer than any other, though it was affected by the penal laws, the land acts, and other social changes that were imposed upon Ireland generally.

A county council meets in Roscommon, the county town (seat), and there is a county manager. The area is strongly dependent on agriculture, though industry is increasing. The towns have a strong retail trade and monthly fairs, however, and coal mining has been resumed at Arigna. The Famine Museum (1994), located at Strokestown Park, commemorates the Irish Potato Famine of 1845–49. Area 951 square miles (2,463 square km). Pop. (1991) 51,897.

Source:  http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/509706/Roscommon 

General Information

Roscommon Parish Names

Ardcarn, Athleague, Aughrim, Ballintober , Ballynakill, Baslick, Boyle, Bumlin, Cam, Castlemore, Clooncraff, Cloonfinlough, Cloontuskert, Cloonugormican, Creagh, Creeve, Drum, Drumatemple, Dunamon, Dysart, Elphin, Estersnow, Fuerty, Kilbride, Kilbryan, Kilcolagh, Kilcolman, Kilcooley, Kilcorkey, Kilgefin, Kilglass, Kilkeevin, Killinvoy, Killukin, Killummod, Kilmascumsy, Kilmeane, Kilmore, Kilnamanagh, Kilronan, Kilteevan, Kiltoom, Kiltrustan, Kiltullagh, Lissonuffy, Moore, Ogulla, Oran, Rahara, Roscommon, St. John's, St. Peter's, Shankill, Tagboy, Taghmaconnell, Termonbarry, Tibohine, Tisrara, Tumna

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