Progress on Roscrea Castle and Damer House development
A new café will be created in Roscrea’s Damer House
There is 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 formally appointed across the project streams, 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 provision 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.”
Speaking on the update, 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.
“The amenities we have across Tipperary are at the core of our communities and they deserve the investment needed to conserve and enhance what they have to offer.
“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. Delivery is key to ensuring that investment translates into real benefits for the community, and that is what I want to see.”