ROSCOMMON ANTIQUITIES

The most numerous class of antiquities are the raths, which abound in the northern and middle baronies, but are less frequent in the south. No less than 470 are marked on the Grand Jury map of the county; and the people generally regard them with veneration, deeming it unlucky to disturb or cultivate them. At Jamestown are two, remarkable for being situated so close to each other that the encircling trenches join. There is a still more curious circular fortification at Lough Glynn, and at Oran are the remains of an ancient round tower. The monastic remains are also various and interesting; Archdall enumerates 50 religious establishments of various kinds; and there are still interesting and picturesque ruins of Boyle abbey, of that at Clonshanvill, of Trinity abbey on the shores of Lough Kea; of the priory of Inchmacneerin, an island in the same lake; of Tulsk abbey; of the Dominican convent at Roscommon; of Derane abbey, two miles north-east from Roscommon; and of Clontuskert abbey, in the same vicinity. There are also a large old church and other ecclesiastical ruins at St. John's.

Several remains of small castles are scattered through the county, undeserving particular notice. The following are most remarkable: the old castle of Lough Glynn; the fortress on Castle island, in Lough Kea, anciently belonging to Mac Dermot; Ballynafad castle, the ancient seat of O'Conor Roe; the extensive ruins of Roscommon castle; those of Ballintobber castle, belonging anciently to O'Conor Don; the old keep of Athlone castle; the ruined fortress and fortified isthmus of St. John's; and the old castle of Ballinasloe. Old Coote Hall, in the parish of Tumna, presents curious remains of fortification in a tower and ruined walls; and at Belanagare, Kilmore, and near Athleague, are ancient ruined mansions, conspicuous by their tall ornamented chimneys and high gables. Among the antiquities may be noticed the old bridge of Athlone, the inscription on which states it to have been built in the 9th year of Elizabeth, and records several circumstances connected with the history of that period.

The county contains a considerable number of seats, of which some are very splendid, and surrounded by grounds of great beauty; they are all noticed in their respective parishes; and though every part of it, but more particularly the barony of Boyle, affords numerous instances of improvements in the buildings, even down to the cottages of the peasantry, yet too many instances of squalid misery in their habitations are still to be met with. Among the most remarkable natural curiosities are the swallow holes, through which several of the streams are precipitated into subterraneous caverns: the largest river having a subterranean course is the Lung, near Lough Glynn. At Rathcroaghan, Kilmacumsky, and other places are natural and artificial caves, in which have been found various fossil bones. Roscommon confers the title of Earl on the family of Dillon.

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