Contractors appointed to Roscrea Castle development
The plans include a café in Damer House
There is further good news for Roscrea’s growing tourism offering with progress on Roscrea’s Castle and Damer House, including a new café for the heritage town.
Fianna Fáil TD for North Tipperary and Northwest Kilkenny, Ryan O’Meara, told the Tribune he has received a positive update from the Office of Public Works (OPW) on the ongoing development project at Roscrea Castle, Gardens and Damer House.
The OPW has confirmed in a letter to Deputy O’Meara that the public procurement processes for the core delivery packages have now been concluded. Specialist contractors have been appointed, covering accessibility and landscape improvements, exhibition fit out, audio visual and interactive production, and interpretation and exhibition design.
Offsite fabrication, technical reviews and content development are currently underway. The OPW has also confirmed that mobilisation for the landscape and accessibility works is scheduled to commence on site in autumn 2026.
With regard to the proposed café in Damer House, the OPW outlined that enabling works and internal fit out are being undertaken in conjunction with the wider site infrastructure and access works.
The OPW stated: “A specific opening date cannot yet be confirmed, but the intention is that the café will come into operation as part of the overall enhanced visitor offering, aligned as closely as possible with the completion of the main works.”
Deputy O’Meara said: “This update provides the clarity the community needed and shows that this important project is progressing.
“This is an incredibly important project for Roscrea and the wider community. I will continue to engage with the OPW and other stakeholders in the coming weeks and months to ensure that this project continues to make progress.”