Roscrea Tourist Attractions
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Roscrea (Ros Cre, "Crea's Wood"), a small country town with some industry, lies in southern central Ireland at the junction of the N7, N62 and R421. It is a good base for walking and climbing in the Slieve Bloom Mountains.The town grew up around a monastery founded by St Cronan in the seventh century.
St Cronan Church
The town of Roscrea grew up around a monastery founded by St Cronan in the seventh century. Of the Romanesque St Cronan's Church (12th C; National Monument) built on the old monastic site there survives only the west front with the doorway and blind arcading on either side; the rest was pulled down in 1812 to make way for the new parish church. To the north of the church is a high cross (12th C) with representations of Christ, a bishop and two other figures (the Virgin and St John?). The modern road bisects the monastic site, so that the 10th century round tower (National Monument) is cut off from the church; originally 80ft/24m high, it survives to a height of 60ft/18 m.
Roscrea Castle
Near Roscrea's Romanesque St Cronan's Church, in Castle Street, are the ruins of Roscrea Castle (13th C; National Monument), with massive curtain walls, several towers and an elaborate system of staircases and passages leading to the various defensive stations. The holes in the walls for the chains of the drawbridge can be seen from the street.
Damer House
In the 18th C. Damer House in Roscrea was erected within the walls of Roscrea Castle, in Castle Street. After thorough restoration it is now used for periodic exhibitions. Adjoining Damer House is the Heritage Annex, a building erected in the 19th C. for military purposes, in which exhibits detailing the history of the region are clearly laid out (opening times given).In Abbey Street are remains of a 15th C. Franciscan friary - a gateway, the walls of the choir and the bell tower, the buttresses of which form the entrance to the modern Roman Catholic parish church.Damer House is an example of pre-Palladian architecture.
Surroundings
The surroundings of Roscrea have many features of interest. Roscrea is also a good base for walking and climbing in the Slieve Bloom Mountains.
Monaincha
2mi/3km east of the town of Roscrea, near the golf course, stands the ruined church (12th-13th C.; National Monument), with a finely decorated west doorway and chancel arch, of Monaincha Abbey, founded in the seventh century on an island in an area of bogland.
Nenagh
Twenty miles/32km southwest of Roscrea on the N7, in a fertile plain, lies the town of Nenagh. Its main feature of interest is the massive keep of Nenagh Castle (early 13th C.; National Monument), a five-story round tower 100ft/30m high with walls up to 20ft/6m thick; the upper part is 19th century. Of the other towers of this pentagonal Norman stronghold of the Butlers there remains only one of the towers of the gatehouse. An unusual museum can be found in Nenagh - housed in a building formerly used as a prison. The cells and the execution chamber are shown as they were in the 19th C. when prisoners were kept here. Biographical material explains the fate of 17 men who were hanged. In the adjoining governor's house can be seen reconstructions of 19th C. features: a classroom, a smithy, a shop and a kitchen.
Lorrha
17mi/27km north of Nenagh, at Lorrha, are three churches (all National Monuments) - a ruined Dominican church with interesting details (13th C, with later alterations); the remains of an Augustinian church (15th C); and, to the south, another church, still in use, with sculptured decoration on the doorway, including a pelican (symbol of self-sacrificing love).
