Red letter day for Roscrea Castle
Last Thursday week marked a red letter day for Roscrea as Patrick O’Donovan, Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, visited the town to welcome the completion of works at Roscrea Castle and Damer House after a three-year programme of repair and upgrades at a cost of just under €900,000.
Damer House, an early 18th Century pre-Palladian house, is at the heart of the visitor experience on the site with visitor reception facilities and fine historic rooms, beautifully presented with art, furniture and artefacts.
Guided tours are provided by the expert OPW visitor staff on site. In April 2023, the Office of Public Works completed a three-year programme of repair to Damer House.
This included the repair of all the window boxes and sashes to the north and east façade as well as a programme of works to the stone jambs, cills, keystones and lintels of the north and east façade to repair the eroded sandstone surrounds that were facilitating large amount of water ingress into the fabric of the house.
CASTLE COMPLEX
In addition, comprehensive mechanical and electrical upgrade and ancillary works were undertaken on the Roscrea Castle complex in 2022 and completed in February 2023.
The works included the upgrading of all electrical ducting, cabling, lighting, emergency lighting, and sockets throughout the Gate Tower, supervisors guides offices, operational staff depot quarters and the courtyards.
The addition of new lighting features and new heating measures have greatly improved comfort levels for both staff and visitors. New distribution boards were installed as well as the introduction of a new CCTV security system.
MINISTER DELIGHTED
Speaking on the site on Thursday last, the minister said: “I am delighted to be here today to official open this wonderful collection of Heritage properties in the heart of Roscrea for the 2024 season. The annual opening of these heritage sites are an essential part to the tourism industry across rural Ireland but also contribute to the environmental and economic benefits of the local community.”
The minister continued: “I would like to highlight the wonderful work carried out by my OPW colleagues who over the last three years have worked on a programme of repairs and upgrades, which will preserve and safeguard these buildings into the future.”
The Roscrea Castle complex reopened to the public on June 22 2023 with guided tours of the castle, Damer House, the grounds, garden and the Blackmills – a restored mill within a short distance from the complex.