Roscrea Castle reopened after restoration works - Minister promises to pursue community hotel proposal

Roscrea Castle has reopened in time for the 2024 tourist season and saw celebrations at the landmark building on Thursday to mark the official reopening.

Before the pandemic, capitalising on Roscrea's wealth of historical sites was put forward as a potential lifeline to secure the future of the heritage town, which was once an industrial powerhouse of the midlands in the 1980's and 90's.

Works to open up the undiscovered wonders of the Holy Island of Monaincha and the installation of tourist friendly infrastructure will complement the reopening of Roscrea Castle and Damer House, making accessible the embrassament of riches Roscrea boasts in terms of picturesque historical sites.

Mary Heffernan, head of national monuments at the OPW, explains to Patrick O Donovan, Minister of State for the OPW and Deputy Michael Lowry how the courtyard once functioned at Roscrea Castle. Photo: OPW

The reopening of Roscrea Castle follows extensive works to upgrade the 13th century castle and make its grounds and gardens more hospitable and accessible for everyone - including the jewel in the crown of the site, the restored Georgian mansion Damer House.

The castle was closed 2019, as significant repairs were needed to ensure the safety and preservation of the building, including upgraded lighting, improved fire safety and required ancillary works.

The improvement works were carried out by the OPW over a three-year period and cost almost €900,000 and the works have breathed new life into a place of heritage and ancient ecclesiastical significance, which sprang-up around the seventh century monastery of St. Crónán.

The Castle is a stone motte castle, originally built in 1280 as a castle and tower by King John of England and was once stormed by Owen Roe O'Neill during the Cromwellian conquests.

Mary Heffernan, head of national monuments at the OPW, gives a tour to Ministers during celebrations marking the reopening of Roscrea Castle. Photo: OPW

Last year, the OPW completed a three-year programme of repairs and upgrades at Roscrea Castle and Damer House.

The restoration work included upgrading all electrical ducting, cabling, lighting and emergency lighting, and sockets throughout the Gate Tower, supervisors' and guides' offices, operational staff depot quarters and courtyards, as well as a modern CCTV security system.

The OPW says that the addition of the new lighting and heating features have greatly improved the sense of welcome and comfort for both staff and visitors.

Upgrades to Damer House included substantial work to the north and east façade. All the window boxes and sashes were worked on, as were stone jambs, window cills, keystones and lintels, with eroded sandstone surrounds having been repaired to stop the ingress large quantities water into the fabric of the house.

Roscrea Castle gardens and courtyard formally opens for the visitor and tours today as a new tourist season begins, and forms part of a heritage walk through the town which includes the Round Tower, the Black Mills, and a Franciscan Abbey with a Romanesque doorway.

LACK OF BEDS FOR TOURISM

Finé Gael Minister of State Patrick O’Donovan was in Roscrea for the celebrations at the Castle and was questioned by media about where the anticipated surge in tourists the restored Castle will attract will stay in Roscrea, after the town's only functioning hotel, Racket Hall, was closed and repurposed to provide emergency accommodation in January.

Only nine beds are available for visitors to Roscrea at a local B&B, after Racket Hall's 40 rooms were closed to the public. Local people feel the investment in opening up sites such as Monaincha and Roscrea Castle and promote tourism in Roscrea have been undermined by the loss of accommodation for visitors.

Community hotel model for Roscrea has 'great potential'

Minister O'Donovan said he will work with Ministers Heather Humphreys and Roderic O’Gorman to develop a proposed community hotel in the former Grant's Hotel (once the famous Pathé Hotel on Castle Street) which was put forward as a suggestion by local Fianna Fáil Councillor Michael Smith and party colleague Deputy Jackie Cahill. 

Mary Heffernan from the OPW and points out features of Damer House to Minister Patrick O'Gorman in the courtyard of Roscrea Castle. Photo OPW

A protest which ran for 72 days at the entrance to the former hotel and a protest march through the town centre drew national and international attention.

The Government announced plans to acquire Grant's Hotel and develop it as a community hotel, with a commitment from Minister for Integration Roderic O’Gorman to progress the plan.

Minister O’Donovan told the Irish Times while in Roscrea that he will work to advance the community hotel proposal with both the Ministers Humphreys and O’Gorman.

“The OPW has invested almost €1 million in the refurbishment of Roscrea Castle and the Damer House, which is a fantastic visitor attraction here in the centre of the town, but I would see this as the start rather than the end of the process in terms of OPW involvement,” he said. “But now that this investment is complete, the most important thing is that we get people stopping off in Roscrea and visiting the castle, and the more people we get through the gate, the more justification I have to spend more money here”, he said.

“A lot of people travel up and down the M7 who are not aware this place is here at all – we need to get even a small share of those people to come off the motorway into Roscrea – it won’t just benefit our numbers but will be a boost to the local coffee shops and restaurants in the hospitality sector.”

He said the OPW will work with the local community in Roscrea as well as local heritage groups and Tipperary County Council as it had done in Cashel, Cahir, Nenagh and Thurles to further enhance the tourism product that it can offer through their conservation work.