My Ireland
Oops... no internet connection
While offline, you can still add items to My board. New travel reccomendations will only show up once you’re back online.
Rathcroghan Royal Site and Visitor Centre
The pagan harvest festival of Samhain (modern-day Halloween) is said to have begun at mystical Rathcroghan, the oldest and largest unexcavated royal site in Europe!
Some 240 archaeological sites are concentrated in a 6.5km² region of Rathcroghan’s rural landscape. Ring forts, standing stones, burial chambers... All of these landmarks testify to the area’s important position in Irish history for more than 5,500 years. In the Rathcroghan Visitor Centre in the village of Tulsk, the museum sheds light on the ancient people who lived here, including early Neolithic settlers and Rathcroghan’s most famous former resident, Ireland’s fearsome Iron Age warrior queen, Maeve. Alongside interactive exhibitions and audio-visual presentations, 35 artefacts depict the domestic, ritual and often brutal aspects of bygone life in the area.
Both self-guided and guided tours of Rathcroghan are available. The guided tour lasts 2.5 hours and takes in top monuments in the area, such as the large Rathcroghan Mound and the cave of Oweynagat (the Cave of the Cats), which is where Samhain is thought to have originated. Such is the reputation of the cave as an entrance to the “Otherworld” that Christian scribes dubbed it Ireland’s “Gate to Hell”. Descending past the ogham stone-lined entrance to the cave’s atmospheric limestone cavern below is truly a mind-blowing experience. Note that appropriate outdoor clothing is required. Afterwards, enjoy lunch in the Táin Café, which serves a breakfast menu as well as other light bites. Round off your visit at the gift shop, where books, T-shirts and more make great souvenirs to remember your trip.
Rathcroghan Royal Site and Visitor Centre, County Roscommon
Need to know
Rathcroghan Visitor Centre is open 9am to 5pm, Monday to Saturday, all year long. Last admission to the museum is 4:30pm.
Rathcroghan Museum Admission, Rathcroghan Guided Archaeological Tour and The Origins of Samhain Oweynagat Cave Tour can all be booked here.
Facilities at Rathcroghan include parking, a café and a gift shop. Full wheelchair and disability access is also available to the Visitor Centre.
Roscommon Abbey
Just on the outskirts of old Roscommon town lies an abbey that was founded over 750 years ago by Felim O'Conor, King of Connacht, who was buried there in 1265.
Roscommon
View detailsAttraction
Roscommon Equestrian Centre
Ideally located in Kilrooskey near Lough Ree on the River Shannon in County Roscommon, the Kelly family have run Roscommon Equestrian Centre since 2003. It has everything you could need for a truly enjoyable riding experience.
Roscommon
View detailsAttraction
Elphin Windmill
Please note that Elphin Windmill is temporarily closed. The Elphin Windmill, located in Elphin, County Roscommon, was opened as a tourist attraction in 1996 by the famous Hollywood actor Gabriel Byrne whose mother Eileen Gannon came from the Elphin area. It is the only fully restored windmill in the west of Ireland.
Roscommon
View detailsAttraction
County Roscommon Heritage and Genealogy Centre
County Roscommon Heritage and Genealogy Centre conducts genealogy research for people with Roscommon roots and is located in Strokestown.
Roscommon
View detailsAttraction
The National Famine Museum | Strokestown Park
Visit Strokestown Park House, Gardens and National Famine Museum, County Roscommon, to discover the intimate and intriguing links between dramatically different Irish lives.
Roscommon
View detailsAttraction
Carrick-On-Shannon Self-Guided Historic Town Walk
Granted its royal charter in 1607, Carrick-On-Shannon has blossomed in recent years into a bustling...
View detailsAttraction
Center Parcs Longford Forest
Center Parcs Longford Forest offers over 450 lodges and 30 apartments set in over 400 acres of woodland in County Longford, which is in the heart of the Irish midlands.
Longford
View detailsAccommodation
Cox's Bar and Steak House
This restaurant and bar is situated on the banks of the Shannon, in a remote little village called Dromod in County Leitrim. It provides a relaxed environment for you and your party to enjoy the best cuisine and finest wines.
Leitrim
View detailsAttraction
The Shed Distillery Experience
Discover where the ordinary becomes extraordinary at The Shed Distillery of PJ Rigney, the home of Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin in County Leitrim.
Leitrim
View detailsAttraction