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Castlerea

Castlerea is a town in western County Roscommon, Ireland, situated amid forested countryside on the confluence of the River Suck and River Francis, tributaries of the River Shannon.^[1]^[2] It recorded a population of 2,344 in the 2022 census, serving as a local hub for agriculture, commerce, and community activities in the rural west.^[3] The town is the birthplace of Douglas Hyde (1860–1949), Ireland's first President and a pivotal figure in the Gaelic revival movement as co-founder of the Gaelic League.^[4]^[5] Notable for its institutional presence, Castlerea hosts a medium-security prison for adult males, functioning as the primary committal facility for remand and sentenced prisoners across Connacht.^[6] Nearby Clonalis House, ancestral seat of the O'Conor clan—former kings of Connacht—underscores the area's historical ties to Gaelic royalty and landowning lineages.^[2] The town also maintains a railway station on the Dublin–Westport line and supports local sports through St Kevin's GAA club, reflecting its role in preserving Irish cultural and infrastructural traditions amid a predominantly agrarian economy.^[1]

Geography

Location and Topography

Castlerea is situated in western County Roscommon, within the province of Connacht in the Republic of Ireland, at geographic coordinates approximately 53°46′N 8°30′W.^[7] The town lies along the N60 national secondary road, which connects it eastward to Roscommon town, approximately 29 kilometers away, and westward toward Castlebar in County Mayo.^[8] It occupies a position near the River Suck, a tributary of the River Shannon that forms much of the boundary between County Roscommon and adjacent County Galway.^[1] The topography of Castlerea consists of flat lowlands emblematic of Ireland's central plains, with the town center at an elevation of about 79 meters (259 feet) above sea level.^[7] The surrounding Upper Suck Valley features subtle riverine undulations amid predominantly improved grassland farmlands, interspersed with areas of raised bogland that contribute to the region's peat-dominated wetland ecology.^[9] These environmental characteristics support agricultural use while reflecting the broader geomorphology of County Roscommon's lowland terrain.^[9]

Climate

Castlerea, situated in the midlands of Ireland, features a temperate oceanic climate (Köppen classification Cfb), dominated by mild temperatures, frequent cloud cover, and consistent precipitation influenced by Atlantic weather systems.^[10] The annual mean temperature averages 9.4 °C, with minimal seasonal extremes typical of western European maritime climates.^[11] Winters are mild, with January recording average highs of 8 °C and lows of 2 °C, rarely dropping below freezing for extended periods.^[10] Summers remain cool, peaking in July with average highs of 18 °C and lows of 11 °C, seldom exceeding 25 °C.^[10] Precipitation is abundant and evenly distributed, totaling approximately 1,129 mm annually, with November often the wettest month at around 120-140 mm.^[11] Rainfall occurs on over 200 days per year, contributing to high humidity levels averaging 80-90%.^[10] Data from nearby Met Éireann stations, such as those in Roscommon, indicate that the region receives more than 1,000 mm yearly, supporting lush vegetation but exposing low-lying areas to periodic waterlogging.^[12] Atlantic depressions drive westerly winds and storm events, particularly from October to March, with gusts occasionally surpassing 80 km/h. Recent climate records from Met Éireann's 1991-2020 averages reveal a trend toward warmer conditions, with mean temperatures rising by about 0.5-1 °C compared to prior decades, alongside increased precipitation intensity.^[13] This has heightened vulnerability to heavy rainfall events and associated flooding risks in riverine zones, as evidenced by elevated winter storm precipitation linked to broader atmospheric changes.^[14] Such patterns influence soil moisture for agriculture, promoting grass growth while necessitating management of excess water to mitigate erosion and infrastructure strain.^[15]

Demographics

Population Trends

The population of Castlerea has fluctuated over the decades, reflecting broader patterns of rural depopulation in western Ireland following the Great Famine of the 1840s, which drastically reduced numbers across County Roscommon and similar areas through famine mortality and emigration. While specific pre-1900 figures for the town are scarce, the county's population peaked at approximately 250,000 in 1841 before plummeting to around 150,000 by 1851 due to these factors, a trend that impacted small market towns like Castlerea through sustained out-migration and low natural increase.^[16] This long-term decline stabilized in the late 20th century, with Castlerea's numbers hovering around 1,800–1,900 from the 1970s to the early 2000s amid ongoing net emigration to urban centers such as Dublin, driven by limited local opportunities.

Census Year	Population	Change from Previous
1971	1,752	-
1981	1,874	+6.9%
1991	1,822	-2.7%
1996	1,790	-1.8%
2002	1,788	-0.1%
2006	1,873	+4.7%
2011	1,985	+6.0%
2016	1,992	+0.4%
2022	2,348	+17.9%

Post-2002, the town's population grew steadily, reaching 2,348 by the 2022 census, outpacing the modest increase in County Roscommon's overall figure from 64,169 in 2016 to 70,259 in 2022. This recent uptick contrasts with the stagnation or decline in the 1980s–1990s, when net out-migration contributed to a slight drop from a local peak of 1,874 in 1981. The age structure remains skewed toward older residents, with 23.2% of the population aged 65 and over in 2006—the highest rate among Irish towns of comparable size—indicative of persistently low birth rates and historical emigration of younger cohorts.^[20]^[21] Compared to county averages, Castlerea's slower historical growth underscores small-town vulnerabilities to rural exodus, though recent data suggest partial reversal through return migration or inflows offsetting outflows.^[22] Castlerea's population is predominantly of Irish ethnic origin, with the vast majority identifying as White Irish in census enumerations. In the 2016 Census, Irish Travellers, recognized as a distinct ethnic group, accounted for 45.3 per 1,000 residents in Castlerea, a rate substantially exceeding the national average of approximately 7 per 1,000 and reflecting localized concentrations within County Roscommon.^[23]^[24] Non-Irish ethnic minorities remain minimal, consistent with rural Ireland's patterns of limited inflows; County Roscommon recorded non-Irish citizens at 11% of the population in 2022, far below urban centers like Dublin. Religiously, the community is overwhelmingly Roman Catholic, aligning with broader County Roscommon trends where 79% of residents identified as Catholic in the 2022 Census, down slightly from prior decades but retaining a strong majority in rural settings.^[25] Protestant affiliations, primarily Church of Ireland, have declined to negligible levels, comprising under 2% county-wide, with no significant resurgence.^[26] Other faiths and non-religious identifications are sparse, underscoring limited diversification from immigration. Social structures emphasize extended family networks and traditional rural norms, evidenced by household sizes averaging above the national figure of 2.7 persons; Irish Traveller subgroups exhibit notably larger households, with over 25% exceeding six members nationally, contributing to higher fertility rates and intergenerational co-residence in Castlerea.^[27] Single-parent households are elevated among Travellers (around 40% in national data), contrasting settled communities' lower rates reflective of conservative marital patterns, while educational attainment disparities persist, with Traveller completion of secondary education at under 20% versus over 60% for the general population.^[24] These metrics highlight compositional stability amid demographic pressures.

History

Early Settlement and Medieval Era

The origins of settlement at Castlerea remain obscure due to the scarcity of archaeological and documentary evidence predating the medieval period. While County Roscommon contains early Christian sites, such as monastic foundations from the 5th to 8th centuries, no verified pre-Norman artifacts or structures have been identified specifically at Castlerea, limiting claims of continuous occupation to speculation unsupported by empirical data.^[28] The area's topography along the River Suck may have facilitated early riverine activity, but records emphasize the empirical constraints of such inferences absent direct excavation yields.^[29] Medieval development centered on a castle constructed by the O'Conor dynasty, kings of Connacht, likely in the late 13th or early 14th century, reflecting Gaelic lordship patterns rather than widespread Anglo-Norman fortification. The site's strategic position near borders of Connacht sub-kingdoms positioned Castlerea as a frontier holding amid O'Conor territories, with the castle serving defensive and administrative functions in a region of intermittent Anglo-Norman incursions limited by native resistance.^[30] The town's Irish name, An Caisleán Riabhach, translates to "the grey" or "brindled castle," directly referencing this O'Conor stronghold, whose remnants influenced later structures like 18th-century Castlerea House.^[30] As a border settlement in the medieval lordships of Connacht, Castlerea functioned within the O'Conor domain of Moylurg, facilitating local exchange but without documented early royal charters for markets until the post-medieval era. Anglo-Norman influence in Roscommon was confined largely to eastern strongholds like Roscommon Castle (built 1268), leaving western sites such as Castlerea under sustained Gaelic control through the 15th century, as evidenced by annalistic references to O'Conor activities rather than Norman grants.^[31] This Gaelic persistence underscores causal factors of terrain and resistance over speculative narratives of seamless integration.^[32]

19th Century and Great Famine

The dependence on potato monoculture in the Castlerea district, driven by subdivided tenant holdings under the prevailing land tenure system, left the local population vulnerable to crop failure, as potatoes provided the caloric mainstay for small farming families on marginal soils in County Roscommon.^[33] When potato blight struck in 1845, destroying stored and growing crops, reports from nearby parishes like Tibohine documented near-total loss, triggering immediate destitution among laborers and cottiers who lacked diversified agriculture.^[34] By 1846-1847, the crisis escalated with fever and dysentery outbreaks, as families subsisted on putrid potatoes or meager alternatives, leading to widespread starvation in the 15-mile radius around Castlerea.^[35] In the Castlerea Poor Law Union, population decline between the 1841 and 1851 censuses exceeded 30 percent, combining direct famine mortality estimated at around 7 percent from starvation and disease, with emigration affecting over 16 percent of families, though total losses were amplified by evictions and unreported deaths outside institutions.^[34] The union workhouse, designed for 1,000 inmates, swelled to 2,997 by 1848, fostering rampant infectious diseases like typhus amid overcrowding and inadequate sanitation, as relief committees struggled with limited funds from ratepayers already impoverished.^[36] British administrative policies under the Whig government compounded the catastrophe by adhering to laissez-faire principles, permitting continued food exports—primarily grain and livestock from cash-crop tenants—to Britain to service rents, rather than halting shipments as in prior shortages, which prioritized market discipline over immediate humanitarian intervention despite local pleas for retention.^[37] Absentee landlords in Roscommon, often British-based, contributed minimally to relief, exacerbating shortfalls in soup kitchens and public works that failed to scale against the crisis magnitude.^[34] Post-famine legacies persisted through land consolidation, as Griffith's Valuation surveys from the late 1850s documented fewer viable smallholdings in the Castlerea area, with evicted plots amalgamated into larger grazing farms by surviving tenants or speculators, entrenching rural underemployment and driving ongoing emigration.^[38] This shift, rooted in landlord clearances incentivized by Poor Law rate burdens on untenanted land, fostered chronic poverty, as consolidated ranching yielded less labor demand than pre-famine tillage, verifying through valuation data the causal link between famine-era depopulation and structural agrarian stagnation that hindered local recovery for decades.^[39]

20th Century to Independence

The Wyndham Land Purchase Act of 1903 enabled tenants in Ireland to buy estates from landlords through government-financed advances, repayable via annuities, fundamentally shifting land ownership from large absentee proprietors to smallholders and marking the decline of the Anglo-Irish gentry system.^[40] In County Roscommon, including areas around Castlerea, this redistribution fragmented former demesnes into viable family farms, increasing agricultural self-sufficiency among Catholic tenants who had long faced rack-renting and evictions, though it did little to modernize farming techniques or address soil exhaustion from overgrazing.^[41] Subsequent acts in 1909 and 1923 accelerated the process, with over 300,000 parcels transferred nationwide by the 1920s, but early 20th-century implementation in rural Roscommon boosted local tenure security amid ongoing economic pressures from post-Famine depopulation.^[42] Amid rising nationalist sentiment following the 1916 Easter Rising, Castlerea became a hub for Irish Republican Army (IRA) organization in south Roscommon, with the local battalion numbering 309 active members by July 1921 as part of the broader North Roscommon Brigade totaling 1,191 volunteers.^[43] IRA units in the area conducted guerrilla operations, including arms raids on vacated Royal Irish Constabulary barracks and ambushes such as the March 1921 attack near Ballinlough, where volunteers targeted British patrols to disrupt crown forces' control over rural supply lines.^[44] These actions, documented in brigade activity reports from military archives, reflected a strategy of hit-and-run tactics suited to the boggy terrain, though they provoked reprisals like the shooting of suspected informants in Termonbarry near Castlerea.^[45] Local participation aligned with Sinn Féin's electoral gains, as Roscommon Volunteers enforced boycotts and provided intelligence, contributing to the Anglo-Irish Truce of July 1921.^[46] The Castlerea railway station, operational since the 1860s on the Dublin-Sligo line, saw increased strategic usage in the early 20th century for passenger and goods transport, facilitating turf exports and cattle shipments that sustained the town's agrarian economy despite broader stagnation from uneconomic holdings and limited industrialization.^[47] During the War of Independence (1919–1921), the line supported IRA logistics by moving volunteers and supplies covertly, while British forces patrolled it to counter sabotage attempts, underscoring its dual civil-military role in a region plagued by high emigration rates—Roscommon's population fell by over 20% between 1901 and 1926, driven by seasonal migration to Britain and America amid chronic rural poverty.^[48] The 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty, establishing the Irish Free State, formalized independence for southern counties like Roscommon with minimal partition effects on Castlerea, though it presaged ongoing western neglect evident in persistent net out-migration.^[49]

Post-Independence Developments

Following Irish independence in 1922, Castlerea's development mirrored broader rural Irish patterns of slow infrastructural advancement amid economic stagnation. The national Rural Electrification Scheme, initiated in 1946 by the Electricity Supply Board, progressively extended power to off-grid farms and households in western counties like Roscommon, with completion in most areas by the early 1970s; this shift enabled mechanized agriculture, domestic appliances, and improved living standards in locales such as Castlerea, reducing reliance on traditional lighting and heating methods.^[50]^[51] Ireland's accession to the European Economic Community on January 1, 1973, channeled structural funds toward rural modernization, including road upgrades and agricultural subsidies under the Common Agricultural Policy that benefited Roscommon's livestock and tillage sectors; these interventions spurred mechanization and export growth in peripheral towns like Castlerea, laying groundwork for later economic integration.^[52] The conversion of a former district mental hospital facility into Castlerea Prison during this era further anchored local employment, accommodating medium-security operations and providing steady jobs in a region historically dependent on farming.^[6] The 1995–2007 Celtic Tiger period brought transient prosperity through construction booms and service expansion, with national GDP growth averaging 6–9% annually, though rural Roscommon saw more modest gains via housing developments and commuting to urban centers. The 2008 financial crisis reversed these trends, with western Ireland's unemployment surging to 15–24% across age cohorts by 2010, exacerbating emigration and underemployment in small towns like Castlerea amid collapsed property sectors and public spending cuts.^[53]^[54] Recent strains in public services highlight ongoing vulnerabilities; on January 9, 2025, the Health Information and Quality Authority cancelled the registration of Fearna Manor nursing home near Castlerea citing "serious concerns about the care and welfare of residents," prompting an immediate HSE operational takeover to safeguard occupants amid regulatory non-compliance.^[55] Such interventions underscore pressures on aging rural infrastructure and staffing shortages in elder care, compounded by national healthcare resource constraints.^[56]

Economy

Primary Sectors and Agriculture

Agriculture in the Castlerea vicinity, emblematic of County Roscommon's rural economy, centers on grassland-dependent livestock enterprises, with dairy and beef production comprising the bulk of output due to the predominance of permanent pasture over cultivable soils. The 2020 Census of Agriculture records Roscommon with 6,271 farms, where specialist beef operations—relying on suckler cows and finishing stock—align with Ireland's national trend of 56% of farms in this category, while dairy holdings leverage grass for milk quotas under EU regulations. Sheep farming supplements in upland fringes, but tillage remains marginal, occupying under 5% of utilized agricultural area amid unsuitable heavy clays and peat drainage issues.^[57]^[58] Farm structures exhibit fragmentation, with an average size of 26.9 hectares per holding, below the national mean of 34.7 hectares, fostering part-time viability through off-farm income yet constraining scale efficiencies in machinery and herd expansion. Teagasc regional reviews note a 3.5% decline in farm numbers from 2010 to 2020 in Roscommon-Longford, correlating with consolidation trends, while full-time equivalent employment at farm level totals 7,053 persons county-wide—equivalent to roughly 12% of the local labor force when accounting for family labor prevalence over hired workers. Dairy farms average smaller herds here than national benchmarks of 95 cows, prioritizing extensive grazing over intensification amid feed cost volatilities.^[57]^[59]^[60] EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reforms since 2023, including eco-schemes and reduced direct payments, challenge viability by mandating nitrogen efficiency and biodiversity measures that elevate compliance costs for livestock-dominant systems, with Roscommon's output—part of the West region's 9% national share—vulnerable to subsidy shifts favoring diversified or organic models. Climate variability exacerbates this, as erratic rainfall disrupts silage yields and calving cycles, while soil unsuitability has driven tillage acreage down nationally by over 10% in the past decade, rendering crop rotations infeasible without heavy inputs. Smallholder persistence, with over 45% of beef farms under 20 hectares, perpetuates low productivity and income disparities, underscoring structural over-reliance on volatile markets absent mechanization or consolidation incentives.^[61]^[62]^[63]

Employment and Industrial Activity

Employment in Castlerea is dominated by public sector roles, particularly at Castlerea Prison, and service industries, with manufacturing limited to light sectors such as medical devices. The prison serves as a key employer, supporting local stability through roles in administration, security, and rehabilitation programs, though exact staff numbers are not publicly detailed in recent reports. Services, including retail and professional support, alongside public administration and defense, account for a substantial share of jobs, reflecting broader rural patterns in western Ireland where such sectors buffer private sector volatility.^[64] County Roscommon's unemployment rate stood at 8% in the 2022 Census, down from 13% in 2016, indicating recovery from earlier downturns, though small towns like Castlerea face persistently higher structural challenges than urban averages. Industrial activity remains underdeveloped, with foreign direct investment sparse—only two projects noted in historical county profiles, concentrated in low-volume manufacturing rather than high-tech clusters. Harmac Medical Products exemplifies this, operating a facility in Castlerea that ramped up surgical mask and garment production in 2020 amid global demand surges.^[65]^[66]^[67] Skilled workers often commute to regional hubs like Athlone or Sligo, as local opportunities skew toward lower-skill roles, limiting retention of younger talent. Labour force participation in Roscommon was 57.6% in 2022, with employment rising 14.7% since 2016, yet youth emigration endures due to absent high-value industries, exacerbating age skews toward older cohorts. Gender gaps persist, mirroring national figures where 61% of males aged 15 and over were employed versus 51% of females, with women overrepresented in part-time services amid fewer industrial options.^[68]^[69]^[70]

Government and Institutions

Local Administration

Castlerea forms part of the Roscommon Municipal District under Roscommon County Council, a body with 18 elected members divided across three local electoral areas: Boyle (6 seats), Roscommon (6 seats), and Athlone (6 seats).^[71] The municipal district handles localized decision-making on matters such as planning enforcement, road maintenance, and community facilities, with its office located at the Courthouse in Castlerea.^[71] Prior to 2014, Castlerea was served by its own town council, which was dissolved on 1 June 2014 under the Local Government Reform Act 2014, a measure that eliminated Ireland's 80 town and borough councils to reduce administrative layers and costs.^[72] Responsibilities transferred to the county council and its municipal districts, enabling more integrated governance while preserving some devolved powers at the district level.^[73] Local planning in Castlerea was directed by the Castlerea Local Area Plan (LAP) 2012-2018, which zoned lands for residential, commercial, enterprise, and amenity uses to support orderly development and infrastructure capacity.^[17] The LAP emphasized sustainable housing provision, including objectives for infill development and protection of groundwater resources, though it expired in 2018 and was succeeded by settlement-specific policies in the Roscommon County Development Plan 2022-2028.^[74] Administrative challenges include fiscal reliance on central government grants, as demonstrated by the council's €80 million 2025 budget, which constrained funding for rural services like the proposed reopening of Castlerea's fire station due to a €757,000 shortfall.^[75]^[76]^[77]

Castlerea Prison

Castlerea Prison, located in Harristown near the town of Castlerea in County Roscommon, operates as a medium-security facility primarily housing adult male remand and sentenced prisoners.^[6] The prison opened in 1996, incorporating transfers from the adjacent Grove site, and maintains an official operational capacity of approximately 340 to 433 beds depending on configuration, though it frequently operates above this threshold amid broader Irish Prison Service (IPS) pressures.^[78] ^[79] ^[80] Overcrowding at Castlerea reflects national trends driven by rising committals, with Ireland's prison population exceeding 5,000 by mid-2024—over 115% of system-wide capacity—and prompting measures like double and triple bunking in cells designed for single occupancy.^[81] ^[82] As of late 2024, Castlerea held around 181 prisoners, contributing to strained resources and operational challenges such as staff shortages that led to the full cancellation of family visits in the Grove unit on June 24, 2023, affecting 12 scheduled sessions.^[83] ^[84] The IPS responded to systemic overcrowding with a 2025 budget increase to €525 million overall, up 18% from 2024, allocating funds for additional spaces amid warnings of heightened risks to staff and prisoners.^[85] ^[86] The facility employs public sector staff, bolstering local employment in Roscommon where it accounts for a notable share of administrative and defense-related jobs, though exact figures remain tied to broader regional data showing higher-than-average public sector reliance in the county.^[64] ^[87] Office of the Inspector of Prisons reports highlight ongoing issues with conditions, including inadequate mental health support for vulnerable inmates, as noted in a 2025 full inspection following European Committee for the Prevention of Torture recommendations, which critiqued handling of severely ill prisoners without sufficient separation or care.^[88] Events like the July 11, 2024, Nathan Carter concert—held for staff and guests as a fundraiser excluding inmates, who remained confined—underscore tensions between security protocols and rehabilitation efforts, with critics arguing such exclusions hinder desistance programs amid evidence that structured activities reduce reoffending risks nationally, though prison-specific recidivism data remains limited.^[89] ^[90]

Infrastructure

Transport Networks

The N60 national secondary road forms the principal arterial route through Castlerea, extending eastward to Roscommon town and westward through Ballyhaunis and Claremorris to Castlebar in County Mayo, spanning approximately 80 kilometers in total length.^[91] This corridor handles substantial vehicular traffic, including heavy goods vehicles, leading to congestion in the town center and ongoing advocacy for a bypass scheme to enhance safety and flow.^[92]^[93] Castlerea railway station lies on Irish Rail's Dublin–Westport/Galway line, providing essential rail links for the region. The station, situated a five-minute walk from the town center on Church Road, accommodates multiple daily services, including five trains to Dublin Heuston with journey durations of about 2 hours 33 minutes to 3 hours 18 minutes depending on stops.^[94]^[95] Opened on 15 November 1860, the line historically supported emigration flows from rural Ireland, though contemporary operations feature limited frequencies typical of non-electrified secondary routes.^[94] Regional bus connectivity is maintained by Bus Éireann and TFI Local Link operators. Route 429 connects Castlerea to Galway Bus Station with 19 stops and scheduled departures, while local services like the 1794 Castlerea town route operate several times daily, linking key sites including the railway station.^[96]^[97] For longer distances, such as to Dublin, passengers typically utilize rail or connecting coaches, with total travel times ranging from 2.25 to 4 hours by road.^[98] Air access is served by Ireland West Airport Knock (NOC), located 32 kilometers northward, reachable by car in roughly 30 minutes or via Bus Éireann services operating four times daily between Castlerea and the airport terminal.^[99]^[100] This facility handles domestic and international flights, supplementing ground transport options for the area.^[99]

Amenities and Utilities

Castlerea features several public facilities supporting community needs, including the Castlerea Library on Main Street, operated by Roscommon County Council, which offers standard library services and recently added a sensory garden opened on September 19, 2025, to enhance accessibility.^[101]^[102] The Castlerea Community and Family Resource Centre provides additional support services for families and residents.^[103] St. Kevin's GAA club grounds serve as a key recreational amenity with facilities such as changing rooms and showers available to the public.^[104] Water supply is managed by Uisce Éireann through the Castlerea Public Water Supply Scheme, which experienced a boil water notice issued on October 4, 2025, due to elevated turbidity levels affecting water treatment, impacting 4,403 customers until its lifting on October 17, 2025.^[105]^[106] Electricity distribution falls under ESB Networks, with rural infrastructure showing vulnerability to weather events; for instance, Storm Amy on October 3, 2025, caused outages affecting over 1,000 homes across County Roscommon, including areas near Castlerea, due to fallen trees and line damage.^[107]^[108] Healthcare amenities include the Castlerea Primary Care Centre on Knock Road, providing general practitioner services through practices such as Kelly Henry Medical Centre, which has operated for over 50 years with modern premises.^[109]^[110] Residents rely on proximity to Roscommon University Hospital for advanced care. Waste management is handled by Roscommon County Council, featuring a Civic Amenity Site at the Demesne for household recycling and periodic bulky goods collections, emphasizing responsible disposal in line with environmental regulations.^[111]^[112] These services highlight ongoing challenges in maintaining reliability in a rural context, as evidenced by weather-related disruptions and periodic water quality alerts.

Education

Schools and Institutions

St. Anne's National School, a Catholic primary school located on Main Street in Castlerea, serves approximately 130 pupils, with co-educational enrollment up to first class and girls-only from second to sixth class.^[113] St. Paul's Boys National School provides primary education for boys in the town under Catholic patronage.^[114] Nearby primary options include Threen National School and Tarmon National School, catering to rural catchment areas around Castlerea.^[115]^[116] St. Michael's Special School offers specialized primary and secondary-level education for students with moderate to profound general learning disabilities, emphasizing individualized support in a secure environment.^[117] Castlerea Community School, the town's sole second-level institution, enrolls 213 male and 175 female students, operating as a co-educational community school under the County Roscommon Education and Training Board.^[118] Designated under the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) programme, it addresses educational disadvantage through targeted supports, including transition year and vocational training pathways aligned with local employment needs in agriculture and services.^[118] These tracks reflect regional priorities, as Roscommon exhibits higher early school leaving rates at 11.1% compared to national averages, contributing to constrained third-level progression in rural western counties.^[119] Educational retention faces pressures from emigration, with rural youth outflow reducing local enrollment stability and exacerbating underutilization of facilities despite periodic capital funding allocations for Irish schools. Traveller-specific initiatives, responsive to the community's overrepresentation in Castlerea's disadvantaged cohorts, yield mixed outcomes per national Department of Education reports, with persistent gaps in attendance and attainment despite targeted interventions.

Society and Culture

Sports and Recreation

![St. Kevin's GAA club Castlerea](.assets/St.Kevin's_GAA_club_Castlerea%252C_Club_CLG_Naomh_Caoimh%C3%ADn_Chaisle%C3%A1n_Riabhach$2020 Gaelic football dominates organized sports in Castlerea, primarily through Castlerea St. Kevin's GAA club, founded in 1968 and serving the local community with teams in football and ladies' Gaelic football.^[120] The club has secured multiple Roscommon Senior Football Championships, including titles in 2003, 2008, and 2009, alongside a Connacht Senior Football Championship in 1968. In 2025, its minor football team retained the Division One championship and claimed consecutive county minor titles, highlighting sustained youth development.^[121]^[122] Hurling receives less emphasis locally, with St. Kevin's focusing predominantly on football, though the club fields teams across various age grades and codes, including ladies' football under the LGFA banner. Nearby St. Croan's GAA club, with historical intermediate successes like the 1978 Roscommon title, contributes to regional Gaelic participation but operates primarily outside central Castlerea.^[123] Soccer and rugby remain secondary, lacking prominent club structures comparable to GAA; informal or junior-level play occurs without notable league achievements documented in local records. Recreational facilities include the Castlerea Enterprise Hub's sports hall, which hosts basketball via the Castlerea Kings club and boxing through the local boxing club, alongside fitness classes at Just Go Fitness Gym.^[124]^[125] The 9-hole Castlerea Golf Club offers parkland course play, spanning 6,090 yards, catering to adult leisure.^[126] Community pitches and annual GAA tournaments, such as county leagues, promote participation, with club memberships reflecting higher rural engagement rates in Gaelic sports compared to urban areas, supported by volunteer-driven structures.^[127]

Community Relations and Tensions

Castlerea, like other towns in County Roscommon, features a designated Traveller group housing site, one of three such facilities in the county, which accommodates members of the Irish Traveller community amid broader challenges of integration and socioeconomic disadvantage.^[128] The town's Pobal HP Deprivation Index score of -10.3 classifies it as disadvantaged, correlating with higher localized issues such as unemployment and limited access to services, factors that exacerbate frictions in areas with concentrated Traveller populations.^[129] Nationally, Irish Travellers face an 80.2% unemployment rate and disproportionate involvement in the justice system, with 8% of male and 16% of female prisoners identifying as Travellers, often linked to minor offenses tied to poverty and addiction rather than organized crime.^[130] These patterns contribute to community strains in Castlerea, where policy emphasis on halting sites has not fully resolved underlying causal issues like family feuds and service gaps, leading to perceptions of uneven integration efforts.^[131] In May 2024, tensions over immigration peaked when the Irish Department of Integration confirmed plans to house approximately 50 international protection applicants (IPAs) in the Riverwalk Apartments complex in Castlerea, prompting immediate community backlash over strained local resources.^[132] Residents cited housing shortages and inadequate infrastructure as key concerns, with renovations underway fueling fears of service overloads in a town already facing deprivation pressures; a planned peaceful protest on May 19 was suspended after organizers distanced themselves from external groups promoting inflammatory rhetoric.^[133] Local councillors acknowledged these worries, emphasizing the need for transparency amid Ireland's national accommodation crisis, where IPAs have intensified competition for limited housing stock without commensurate community consultation.^[134] Such developments reflect empirical policy strains, as unchecked inflows—coupled with a 6% rise in the Traveller population nationally—have heightened debates over cultural preservation and safety, though proponents of integration argue for expanded supports to mitigate overloads on schools and healthcare.^[135] Analogous protests in Roscommon underscore these dynamics, including a May 2024 gathering of around 100 people opposing refugee accommodation in an apartment block and a July 2025 demonstration in Roscommon town drawing over 200 participants against an IPAS center at Academy House, ultimately scrapped due to local opposition.^[136]^[137] These events highlight causal links between rapid asylum placements and resource competition, with participants voicing fears of eroded community cohesion and elevated petty crime risks, contrasting with official narratives that downplay impacts in favor of humanitarian framing.^[138] A September 2024 anti-crime protest in the county further revealed resident anxieties, with speakers noting widespread fear of door-to-door threats amid a perceived spike in incidents, underscoring how integration shortfalls amplify distrust without addressing root drivers like housing deficits.^[139]

Notable People

Sir William Wilde (1815–1876), a surgeon, antiquarian, and ethnologist, was born at Kilkeevin near Castlerea in County Roscommon.^[140] He contributed significantly to Irish archaeology through works like Lough Corrib and served as surgeon oculist to Queen Victoria.^[140] John Waters (born 28 May 1955), journalist, author, and playwright, was born in Castlerea.^[141] He worked as a columnist for The Irish Times from 1990 to 2017, focusing on cultural and social issues, and authored books including Jiving at the Crossroads.^[141] Castlerea is the hometown of sisters Aoife O'Rourke (born 2 July 1997) and Lisa O'Rourke (born 13 May 2002), both international boxers from Castlerea Boxing Club. Aoife, a middleweight competitor, won gold at the 2025 World Boxing Championships in Liverpool and competed in the Olympics at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024.^[142]^[143] Lisa secured gold in the light middleweight division at the 2022 World Championships and also medaled at the 2025 event.^[144]^[145]

References

[1]
Experience Charming Castlerea with Discover Ireland
Experience Castlerea, a delightful town in County Roscommon, on the banks of the River Suck and the River Francis. Visit the quirky Castlerea Railway Museum.
[2]
Castlerea | Hotels Restaurants B&Bs Pubs - Ireland-Guide.com
Castlerea, in Co. Roscommon, is in wooded country, built on the River Suck and River Francis, and near Clonalis House, ancestral home of the Clan O'Conor.Missing: facts | Show results with:facts
[3]
Background Notes Census of Population 2022 Profile 1 - CSO
Jun 29, 2023 · There are 3,440 official Electoral Divisions (EDs) in the State. ... 30008(Castlerea), 2,344. 13019(Castletown Geoghegan), 160. 08003 ...
[4]
Douglas Hyde | President of Ireland
He was born on 17 January 1860, in Castlerea and grew up in Frenchpark, Co. Roscommon. He was Co-founder and First President (1893-1915) of the Gaelic ...Missing: birthplace | Show results with:birthplace
[5]
Dr. Douglas Hyde - Biography - Roscommon County Council
Dr. Douglas Hyde was born in Castlerea, Co. Roscommon on 17th. January 1860. The family moved to Portahard when his father, Rev. Arthur Hyde, (1819-1905) ...
[6]
Castlerea Prison - Irish Prison Service
A closed, medium security prison for adult males. It is the committal prison for remand and sentenced prisoners in Connacht and also takes committals from ...Requesting a visit · Requesting a professional visit · Cork Prison
[7]
Castlerea, Roscommon, Ireland - City, Town and Village of the world
Castlerea Geography ; Latitude: 53.7667, Longitude: -8.5 53° 46′ 0″ North, 8° 30′ 0″ West · 230 hectares 2.30 km² (0.89 sq mi) · 79 m (259 ft) · Oceanic climate ( ...
[8]
Castlerea to Roscommon - 4 ways to travel via line 803 train, bus, taxi
How far is it from Castlerea to Roscommon? The distance between Castlerea and Roscommon is 26 km. The road distance is 28.9 km. Get driving directions. How ...
[9]
[PDF] Landscape Character Assessment of County Roscommon
grassland farmland with the River Suck winding its way through to create a subtle river valley. Landscape Value. The Castlerea and Upper Suck Valley ...
[10]
Castlerea Climate, Weather By Month, Average Temperature (Ireland)
The warm season lasts for 3.2 months, from June 7 to September 13, with an average daily high temperature above 61°F. The hottest month of the year in Castlerea ...
[11]
Weather Castlerea & temperature by month - Climate Data
The mean yearly temperature observed in Castlerea is recorded to be 9.4 °C | 49.0 °F. The annual rainfall is 1129 mm | 44.4 inch. The given location is in the ...Missing: flooding | Show results with:flooding
[12]
https://data.gov.ie/organization/met-eireann
[13]
Met Éireann publishes Ireland's new Climate Averages for 1991-2020
Jul 18, 2023 · The key findings from Met Éireann's analysis of the 1991-2020 climate averages highlight changes in Ireland's climate over the past three decades.
[14]
Winter storm rainfall 'made 20% heavier by climate change'
May 22, 2024 · Downpours in the storms which battered Ireland and the UK last autumn and winter were made around 20 per cent heavier by climate change, ...Missing: annual | Show results with:annual
[15]
Monthly Data - Met Éireann - The Irish Meteorological Service
Monthly values for ATHENRY up to 25-oct-2025 ; Total rainfall in millimetres for ATHENRY · 57.5, 93.0 ; Mean temperature in degrees Celsius for ATHENRY · 4.5, 6.8 ...
[16]
Census of Population 2022 - Summary Results - CSO
May 30, 2023 · ... growth was 3.8%, or an annual average increase of 0.7%. Figure 1.1 Population at each census, 1841 to 2022. © Central Statistics Office, IrelandMissing: Castlerea | Show results with:Castlerea
[17]
County Roscommon - Wikipedia
It is the 11th largest Irish county by area and 26th most populous. Its county town and largest town is Roscommon. Roscommon County Council is the local ...Geography · Baronies · History · Government and politics
[18]
[PDF] CASTLEREA LOCAL AREA PLAN 2012 - Roscommon County Council
Mar 26, 2012 · Castlerea LAP area falls within the Roscommon Landscape Character Area (LCA). 11: Castlerea and Upper Suck Valley. Key Characteristics.<|separator|>
[19]
[PDF] Census 2011 – Population Classified by Area - CSO
The 2011 census classified population by area, showing town populations by county and size, with data from 2006 and 2011.
[20]
[PDF] Census 2006 - CSO
Table 5 Population of Towns ordered by County and size, 2002 and 2006. Town ... Castlerea. Castlereagh*. 65. 1,788. 1,873. 949. 924. 4.8. Ballaghaderreen.
[21]
Population Distribution Census of Population 2022 Profile 1 - CSO
Jun 29, 2023 · Oldest Towns in the State (population size 1,500 to 10,000 people) In Census 2022, out of the 164 towns with a population of 1,500 to 10,000 ...
[22]
2006 Census Of Population - Volume 2 - Ages And Marital Status
In towns with a population of 1,500 or more, Castlerea in County Roscommon had the highest proportion of those aged 65 years and over (23.2%) while at the ...
[23]
Changing town populations in the Western Region in Census 2022
Aug 8, 2023 · Continuing to look at the 2016-2022 change, using old boundaries, of the larger towns (population 10,000+) Letterkenny grew most (12.4%) while ...<|separator|>
[24]
[PDF] Roscommon County Local Economic & Community Plan 2023-2029
In 2016,. Taghboy had the highest proportion of Irish Travellers in Roscommon. (101.8 people per 1,000), followed by. Castlerea (45.3 people per 1,000) and.
[25]
Census of Population 2016 – Profile 8 Irish Travellers, Ethnicity and ...
The total number of usually resident Irish Travellers enumerated in April 2016 was 30,987 representing 0.7 per cent of the general population. This figure was ...Missing: Castlerea | Show results with:Castlerea
[26]
Census 2022: Catholicism declines, 'no religion' and Hinduism climb ...
May 30, 2023 · For example, Mayo had the highest proportion of Catholics (80 per cent), followed by Tipperary, Offaly, Roscommon and Galway (all 79 per cent).
[27]
Religion Census of Population 2022 Profile 5 - Diversity, Migration ...
Oct 26, 2023 · In Census 2022, over 3.5 million people living in the State reported that their religion was Roman Catholic, accounting for 69% of the population.Missing: Castlerea | Show results with:Castlerea
[28]
Irish Travellers | People, Traditions, & Language - Britannica
Sep 13, 2025 · More than 25 percent of Irish Traveller households have six or more persons, compared with about 5 percent in the general population, and ...Missing: Castlerea | Show results with:Castlerea
[29]
(PDF) County Roscommon: The Early Christian Period by Barney R ...
The arrival of Christianity in County Roscommon was primarily through St. Patrick's efforts in the 5th century. By the late 6th century, monasticism became the ...
[30]
[PDF] Old names for the River Suck and associated sites
27 A settlement of earlier date might conceivably have been named Duiblind from a deep pool in the vicinity of Castlerea. If so, the pool's association with.
[31]
Teach Chluain Mhalais - Clonalis House
... Caisleán Riabhach” meaning the grey or striped castle originates from the O'Conor Castle that once stood in Castlerea & was built upon when their land was ...
[32]
Anglo-Norman Trail - Heritage Ireland
Roscommon Castle was built circa 1269 by Robert de Ufford, Lord Justice of Ireland, after the O'Conor's (Ó'Conchobairs) fell under Anglo-Norman rule. Connaught ...Missing: Castlerea | Show results with:Castlerea
[33]
[PDF] ANGLO-NORMAN SETTLEMENT IN CONNACHT IN THE ...
In the thirteenth century. Anglo-Norman barons, burgesses and other settlers established castles, religious houses, manors, towns and a more fully developed.Missing: Castlerea | Show results with:Castlerea
[34]
Monoculture and the Irish Potato Famine: cases of missing genetic ...
Lack of genetic variation in Irish potatoes contributed to the severity of the Irish potato famine, which devastated Ireland's population and economy.
[35]
The Famine in the Castlerea district - Divergent Paths
Apr 11, 2016 · This post, the first of two, looks at what was happening in the area of about fifteen miles radius round the town of Castlerea, Co. Roscommon.
[36]
Castlerea, Co. Roscommon - Workhouses.org
The population falling within the Union at the 1831 census had been 85,895 with divisions ranging in size from Ballymoe (population 2,855) to Castlerea itself ( ...<|separator|>
[37]
Castlerea Workhouse - IrelandXO
It was built to house a maximum capacity of 1,000 inmates, but census records show that the true number of inmates reached as high as 2,997 in 1848.Missing: famine deaths disease
[38]
Learn | Ireland's Great Hunger Museum
By 1851, the population, which should have been about 9 million, had dropped to 6 million. Thus, close to 3 million people were lost to the Great Hunger: more ...Missing: Castlerea decline
[39]
Irish Potato Famine: After the Famine - The History Place
Hunger continued to be a problem for Ireland in the years after the Famine. The poor still lived as tenants-at-will, subject to the whim of the landlord.Missing: changes Castlerea Griffith valuation
[40]
[PDF] Population and Poverty in Ireland on the Eve of the Great Famine
The Poor Law valuation was a measure of the fertility of land and buildings, and formed the basis for the tax payable toward the support of the poor under the ...Missing: Castlerea | Show results with:Castlerea
[41]
Wyndham Land Purchase Act | United Kingdom [1903] - Britannica
The Land Purchase Act of 1903, which initiated the greatest social revolution in Ireland since the 17th century.
[42]
Ireland's Land Acts and the decline of the 'Big House' - BBC
Jun 17, 2023 · The Irish Land Act 1923 confiscated estates from many landlords, or subjected them to compulsory purchase orders, which in turn enabled tenants ...
[43]
The forgotten significance of the 1923 Land Act and how it helped ...
Aug 7, 2023 · The 1923 Act had two objectives: the completion of land purchase and the relief of congestion. In relation to the second, the State was given ...
[44]
The Irish War of Independence and Civil War in Co. Roscommon
Jan 18, 2024 · The North Roscommon Brigade claimed 1,191 members as of 1 July 1921, while the smaller Battalion area around Castlerea counted 309. That ...
[45]
Ireland's Wars: The Ballinlough Ambush | Never Felt Better
Mar 31, 2020 · In this section of Roscommon, that larger town was Castlerea, with numerous RIC barracks of a small size all around abandoned. They were then ...
[46]
Military Archives | Brigade Activity Reports
The files are not a definitive listing of IRA operations during the Independence struggle. A number of IRA companies and units do not appear in the Activity ...
[47]
The Roscommon Volunteers - The common men who freed Ireland
May 20, 2020 · The book is a fascinating account of the names and activities of the Roscommon volunteers between 1916 and 1923 in the fight for Irish independence.
[48]
Railways of Roscommon - AskAboutIreland.ie
Castlerea Railway Station. This rock faced stone shed is one of a complex of railway station structures built c.1860 by the Great Southern Railway Co. The ...Missing: 20th usage
[49]
Castlerea Train Station: A 1947 ride in the Irish countryside
"Castlerea Train Station," now available on the IFI Archive Player, provides a look at a train journey from Roscommon to Dublin some 75 years ago.Missing: usage | Show results with:usage
[50]
Irish Emigration History - University College Cork
Four males emigrated for every three females. Migration took place from everywhere, with emigration from major urban centres often exceeding the national rate.Missing: Castlerea 1900-1922
[51]
Rural Electrification – Process and Effect | Roaringwater Journal
Jul 2, 2023 · The Rural Electrification Scheme gradually brought electric power to the countryside, a process that was completed on the mainland in 1973.
[52]
When The Lights Went On: The Story of Rural Electrification In Ireland
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Rural Electrification Scheme, one of the greatest social and economic developments in 20th century Ireland.Missing: Castlerea | Show results with:Castlerea
[53]
EU membership transformed life in Ireland over past 50 years - RTE
Jan 1, 2023 · While not without its challenges, becoming an EU member has economically and socially transformed life on the island of Ireland.Missing: Castlerea | Show results with:Castlerea
[54]
[PDF] Employment & Unemployment in the Western Region Update 2010
In the region in 2010 those aged 15-24 years had an unemployment rate of 23.9%, for those aged 25-34 it was 15.1%, it was 11.2% for those aged 35-44 years and ...
[55]
[PDF] The Irish Labour Market and the Great Recession
This fall in the participation rate contributed to a decline in the labour force of 5 percent between. 2008 and 2011. The increase in unemployment shown in ...Missing: Castlerea | Show results with:Castlerea
[56]
HSE takes over Roscommon nursing home after many breaches - RTE
Updated / Thursday, 9 Jan 2025 19:22. The HSE has taken over the operation of Fearna Manor near Castlerea (Stock image).
[57]
Registration of County Roscommon nursing home cancelled as HSE ...
Jan 9, 2025 · The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has cancelled the registration of Fearna Manor nursing home in Castlerea in response to what it says are ...Missing: takeover | Show results with:takeover
[58]
[PDF] ROSCOMMON
Number of Farms – 6,271. • Average Farm Size – 26.9 ha. • Land area farmed – 168,565 ha. • Numbers employed at farm level (FTE) – 7,053. • Stock on farm.
[59]
Farm Structure Census of Agriculture 2020 - Preliminary Results - CSO
In each of Specialist Beef Production and Specialist Sheep, more than 45% of farms were less than 20 hectares. The proportion under 20 hectares was 47.1% for ...
[60]
Key Findings Farm Structure Survey 2023 - Central Statistics Office
Dec 17, 2024 · In 2023, there were 133,174 farms with a mean size of 34.7 hectares, 56% classified as Specialist Beef, 299,725 farm workers, and 4,168 organic ...
[61]
[PDF] teagasc roscommon & longford region
The census of agriculture 2020 indicates that since the previous census of 2010, the number of farms in the. Region has fallen from 8,914 to 8,604. That's a ...
[62]
West Region Regional Accounts for Agriculture 2022 - Statistics - CSO
Oct 5, 2023 · The West (Galway, Mayo, and Roscommon) was the smallest agricultural producing region in Ireland, generating just 9% (€1.1bn) of the State's ...
[63]
Is tillage about to be ambushed by EU bureaucracy once again?
Tillage farming over the coming decade seems set to be hit once again by significant changes in the CAP but many other factors will also impinge on it.
[64]
[PDF] National Farm Survey 2023 - Teagasc
Jul 23, 2024 · Fig : Average Dairy cow herd size and livestock units 2013 - 2023. 16 ... On an average Dairy farm, with a herd size of 95 cows,.
[65]
The Public Administration & Defence Sector in the Western Region
Jul 17, 2019 · Such employment may help maintain the viability of household income, particularly during a recession when there are large private sector job ...
[66]
Press Statement Census 2022 Results Profile 7 - CSO
Dec 5, 2023 · The unemployment rate was 8% in 2022 compared with 13% in 2016. There were almost 10,700 retired people in Roscommon, up 22% since Census 2016.
[67]
[PDF] demographic, economic and employment profile of county roscommon
The population had fallen by 30,000 between 1926 and 1991 including a fall of 2695 between 1986 and 1991. In the period 2002 – 2006, all counties in Ireland ...
[68]
Harmac Medical Products accelerates manufacturing at ...
Dec 8, 2020 · Harmac Medical Products (Harmac) has announced a major investment in its facility at Castlerea, as it accelerates the manufacturing of surgical masks and non- ...Missing: Industrial | Show results with:Industrial
[69]
[PDF] Travel to Work and Labour Catchments in the Western Region
The Castlerea settlement had a population of 1,992 persons recorded in the 2016 Census. Castlerea is the 30th largest settlement within the Western Region and ...
[70]
Roscommon - Western Development Commission
Castlerea, Co Roscommon, 2,348. Strokestown, Co Roscommon, 850. Roosky ... Source: CSO Census of Population 2022, Built Up Areas. Highest level of ...
[71]
Principal Economic Status Census of Population 2022 Profile 7 - CSO
Dec 5, 2023 · In 2022, 61% of males aged 15 years and over were in employment. In comparison, only 51% of females aged 15 years and over were employed. The ...
[72]
Municipal Districts - Roscommon County Council
Municipal Districts ; Roscommon, Castlerea, castlereaao@roscommoncoco.ie, 0949620022, Tom McDermott ; Athlone, Athlone, Athlonemd@roscommoncoco.ie, 0906492161 ...
[73]
2024 Roscommon County Council election - Wikipedia
An election to all 18 seats on Roscommon County Council was held on 7 June 2024 as part of the 2024 Irish local elections. County Roscommon is divided into ...Retiring incumbents · Results by LEA · Boyle · Roscommon
[74]
Local Government Reform Act 2014 - Revised Acts
The 1st day of June 2014 is appointed as the transfer date for the purposes of the Local Government Reform Act 2014 (No. 1 of 2014).Missing: Castlerea | Show results with:Castlerea
[75]
Local Government Reform Act 2014 - Wikipedia
It merged some first-tier county and city councils, abolished all second-tier town and borough councils, and created a new second tier of municipal districts ...Missing: Castlerea | Show results with:Castlerea
[76]
Local Government Reform Act 2014, Section 25 - Irish Statute Book
consequential provisions. 25. (1) (a) All acts done and decisions duly made, whether by resolution, manager's order or ...Missing: Castlerea | Show results with:Castlerea
[77]
[PDF] Roscommon County Development Plan 2022-2028
Settlement Plans have been prepared for the towns of Ballaghaderreen,. Castlerea, Elphin and Strokestown and are contained in Volume II of the Plan. As ...
[78]
Council approves €80m budget for 2025 - Roscommon People
Dec 10, 2024 · Roscommon County Council has approved an €80m Budget for 2025, along with a €530m Capital investment programme. This is the first budget under the new Council ...
[79]
Council doesn't have 'budget capacity' of €757,000 to reopen fire ...
Jun 9, 2025 · Roscommon County Council doesn't have the “budget capacity” of €757,000 needed to re-open Castlerea Fire Station, the May meeting of the ...
[80]
[PDF] Adopted Budget 2025 - Roscommon County Council
Aug 14, 2024 · 2024 saw the completion of major Urban and Rural Regeneration projects in Boyle, Castlerea, Roscommon and Monksland. 2025 will see ...
[81]
[PDF] Report on an Inspection of Castlerea Prison by the Inspector of ...
During my inspections of Loughan House Open Estate in 2008 I established that 417 prisoners had been transferred from Castlerea. Prison to Loughan House in 2007 ...Missing: 1971 | Show results with:1971
[82]
[PDF] Annual Report 2023 - Irish Prison Service
Dec 16, 2024 · Castlerea. Co. Roscommon F45 X330. Operational Capacity: 433 at year end. Cloverhill Prison is a closed, medium security prison for adult males ...
[83]
[PDF] COVID-19 Thematic Inspection of Castlerea Prison
The Office of the Inspector of Prisons carried out the eleventh COVID-19 Thematic Inspection in. Castlerea Prison on 25 - 26 August 2021.
[84]
The Journal: Prison overcrowding: The number of people in prison ...
Jun 26, 2024 · The number of people in prison in Ireland surpassed 5000 for the first time ever. IPRT responded to the news in The Journal.
[85]
Prisons in the Republic of Ireland - Wikipedia
As of May 2025, the prison population in Ireland was 6,129 which is 115% of designed capacity which is 4,666.. The service aims to open another 1500 beds.Authority · Prison services · Prison population rate · Active prisons
[86]
[PDF] Travel Report: Castlerea Prison, Mountjoy Female Prison (Dóchas ...
Dec 17, 2024 · It is hoped that the course will support its students in securing employment upon their release from prison. Peer Mediation Service. A peer ...
[87]
Response to cancelled prison visits in Castlerea Prison
Jul 4, 2023 · Visits to imprisoned people in the Grove Area of Castlerea take place on a Saturday only, however, on Saturday 24 June 2023 all family visits were cancelled ...
[88]
Prison overcrowding crisis has deepened further - POA - RTE
Sep 4, 2025 · According to the report, last year saw 766 more people taken into custody than the previous year - a rise of almost 10%. The IPS said that of ...
[89]
Prison Service – Tuesday, 8 Jul 2025 - Oireachtas
Jul 8, 2025 · Budget 2025 increased overall funding for the Irish Prison Service by €79m (18%) compared to 2024, bringing the total allocated to nearly €525m ...
[90]
Publication of the 2024 Annual Report - Irish Prison Service
Sep 4, 2025 · In Budget 2025, the Government allocated €525 million, an 18% increase from the previous year.
[91]
The Public Administration & Defence Sector in the Western Region
Jul 17, 2019 · Greater economic and employment diversity around Galway reduces this sector's relative importance. Source: CSO, Census 2016: Summary Results ...
[92]
Full Inspection of Castlerea Prison includes follow-up of European anti
Sep 18, 2025 · “Castlerea was one of a number of prisons visited last year by the Council of Europe's European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT). ...
[93]
Nathan Carter's concert at Castlerea Prison was anything but a ...
Jul 12, 2024 · McEvoy cited his own time working in Mountjoy, saying that they had organised many concerts without any issue. “It's part of rehabilitation.
[94]
Resettlement & Reintegration - Irish Prison Service
The Programme targets well behaved prisoners serving sentences of between 1 and 8 years imprisonment who are making genuine efforts to desist from reoffending.Missing: Office recidivism
[95]
N60 - Roader's Digest: The SABRE Wiki
Mar 13, 2025 · The N60 is a national secondary road in the West Region of Ireland connecting the towns of Roscommon to Castlebar.
[96]
Renewed calls for ring road in County Roscommon town - News
Oct 1, 2025 · There are renewed calls for a ring road in Castlerea to help remove some of the heavy traffic currently choking up the middle of town on the N60 ...
[97]
Scahill raises need for N60 strategy - Roscommon People
Oct 9, 2025 · Senator Gareth Scahill last week raised the need for a clear strategy for the N60 national road through Castlerea, following the completion ...
[98]
Castlerea Co. Roscommon - Irish Rail
Castlerea ; 5 minutes walk to town centre · Church Road Castlerea Co. Roscommon · F45 HH34 · + 353 (0) 94 9620031. Customer Contact Centre. For general customer ...
[99]
Train Castlerea to Heuston from €17 | Tickets & Timetables
Trains run five times a day between Castlerea and Heuston. The earliest departure is at 10:48 in the morning, and the last departure from Castlerea is at 19:26 ...
[100]
429 Route: Schedules, Stops & Maps - Castlerea (Updated) - Moovit
The 429 bus (Castlerea) has 19 stops departing from Galway Ceannt Station and ending at Castlerea Station.
[101]
[PDF] Timetable - Transport for Ireland
1794 Castlerea town service. Timetable. CASTLEREA TOWN SERVICE. Stop Name ... Castlerea Station. Railway Station. 585811 09:00 --- 12:00 --- 14:00 15:00 ...
[102]
Bus Éireann: Ireland's most extensive national bus service
Routes & Timetables. Latest information on our schedule, travel news and how to contact us. Learn More ...Routes and Timetables · Bus Station Information · RTPI · Fare Finder
[103]
Knock Airport (NOC) to Castlerea - 3 ways to travel via bus, car, and ...
Yes, the driving distance between Knock Airport (NOC) to Castlerea is 32 km. ... Bus Éireann operates a bus from Ireland West Airport to Castlerea 4 times a day.
[104]
Castlerea to Knock Airport (NOC) - 3 ways to travel via bus, car, and ...
Yes, the driving distance between Castlerea to Knock Airport (NOC) is 32 km. ... Bus Éireann operates a bus from Castlerea to Ireland West Airport 4 times a day.
[105]
Official Opening of Castlerea Library's Sensory Garden
Cllr Liam Callaghan, Cathaoirleach of Roscommon County Council, officially opening Castlerea Library's new Sensory Garden on Friday 19th September.Missing: center | Show results with:center
[106]
Castlerea Library - Xplore
Main Street, Castlerea, Co. Roscommon, F45 C8P7 Branch Librarian: Breege Beirne Tel. 094 9620745 Email: castlerealibrary@roscommoncoco.ie
[107]
Castlerea Community and Family Resource Centre - Facebook
Rating 5.0 (3) Strokestown Library 11.30am (Ph: 090 66 37277) Castlerea Library 2.30pm (Ph: 094 96 20745) Book online here https://www.roscommoncoco. ie/en/services/community ...
[108]
Castlerea St Kevins | We are opening our club facilities to the public ...
We are opening our club facilities to the public tomorrow Wednesday 05 Feb from 10am to 5pm. We will have: Individual Shower/changing facilities
[109]
Boil water notice issued for 4,403 customers in Castlerea area - News
Oct 4, 2025 · A boil water notice has come into effect for 4,403 customers supplied by the Castlerea public water supply scheme. According to Uisce ...Missing: utilities electricity
[110]
Boil Water Notice on Castlerea Public Water Supply Scheme lifted
Oct 17, 2025 · The Boil Water Notice on the Castlerea Public Water Supply Scheme has been lifted with immediate effect.Missing: utilities electricity 2024
[111]
More than 1000 homes in County Roscommon and surrounding ...
Oct 5, 2025 · Current power outages locally - customers affected as of 10.30 a.m., Saturday morning. (Note: this data will change following restoration ...
[112]
STORM AMY updates for County Roscommon and surrounding areas
Oct 3, 2025 · Met Éireann is warning of risks of fallen trees, damage to power lines and power outages. The Orange warning will be in place until 10 p.m. ...
[113]
Castlerea Primary Care Centre - HSE.ie
Address. Knock Road, Castlerea, Roscommon, F45 CF21. Location and directions - Google Maps. Phone. 094 962 4200. Closed now. View Castlerea Primary Care ...Missing: proximity | Show results with:proximity
[114]
Kelly Henry Medical Centre | Castlerea Doctors
Situated on Knock Road in Castlerea town, our medical centre consists of doctors, nurses, & other staff dedicated to providing general medical care.Missing: proximity | Show results with:proximity
[115]
Castlerea Civic Amenity Site - My Waste
Civic Amenity / Recycling Centre. Free Electrical Recycling Drop-Off. Lightbulb Drop-Off. Demense, Castlerea, Co. Roscommon, F45 E162.
[116]
Household Waste Management - Roscommon County Council
Explore this website and click on the guide below to learn how to manage your household waste and recycling in an environmentally responsible way.
[117]
Principal's Welcome - Castlerea - St. Anne's National School
St. Anne's is co-educational up to First Class, with girls only from 2nd to 6th. St. Anne's has an enrolment of approx. 130 pupils which fluctuates annually.
[118]
St. Paul's BNS, Castlerea | Welcome to Our School Blog, St. Paul's ...
May 31, 2024 · St. Paul's BNS is a Catholic primary school under the patronage of Bishop Kevin Doran, Catholic Bishop of Elphin. The school is situated in Castlerea, Co. ...
[119]
Threen National School, Castlerea, Roscommon
Welcome to Threen National School. A very warm welcome to our school website. We hope that it will give you a flavour of life here at.
[120]
Tarmon | National School
Tarmon National School Crest.. Our Location. Castlerea, Co. Roscommon, F45 K298.. (094) 962 1143 · office@tarmonns.ie · Home; About Us. About Our School ...September 2022 · May 2022 · All around the School · Photo Gallery
[121]
St Michael's Special School, Castlerea, Co. Roscommon
St. Michael's school is a Catholic school based in Castlerea, Co. Roscommon and we offer a happy, bright and secure environment for all students,
[122]
CASTLEREA COMMUNITY SCHOOL
School. CASTLEREA COMMUNITY SCHOOL. From: Department of Education and Youth. Published on: 7 July 2021; Last updated on: 10 July 2025. Roll Number. 91493P.
[123]
25 years of change in the Western Region: Education - Attainment ...
Dec 10, 2024 · The 1996 Census shows that only 19% of the population of the State who were 15 years and over had completed third-level education. The ...
[124]
Castlerea St. Kevin's GAA Club
Castlerea St Kevin's GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in Castlerea, County Roscommon. The club was founded in 1968 and its dominant sport ...Missing: rugby | Show results with:rugby
[125]
https://rosactive.org/castlerea-kings-basketball-club/
[126]
https://www.discoverireland.ie/roscommon/castlerea-golf-club
[127]
https://connectedhubs.ie/events/event/hub-sports-hall-timetable-2024
[128]
Castlerea Enterprise Hub - Facebook
Rating 5.0 (19) Community venue with a large sports hall, housing Castlerea Boxing Club, Patricia's Montessori, Just Go Fitness Gym, Remote Working Hub, An Chistin Cookery ...
[129]
Castlerea Kings Basketball Club - Roscommon Sports Partnership
Oct 14, 2022 · Seated Volleyball in Strokestown! Our newly formed Strokestown Community Sports Hub is all about creating inclusive opportunities for everyone ...
[130]
Visit Castlerea Golf Club with Discover Ireland
Castlerea Golf Course in Castlerea, County Roscommon, is a fine example of a parkland 9 hole golf course. It comprises some 6,090yd and is built around a ...
[131]
Hub Sports Hall Timetable 2024 - Connected Hubs
Mar 12, 2024 · Hub Sports Hall Timetable 2024 ... Location. Castlerea Enterprise Hub An Chistin at The Hub, Castlerea Business Park, Henry Byrne Road Castlerea ...<|control11|><|separator|>
[132]
Roscommon Councillors to be asked to sign off on Draft Traveller ...
Sep 23, 2024 · There are currently three Traveller Specific Group Housing Sites in Co Roscommon - in Castlerea, the Lanesboro Road outside Roscommon town ...Missing: tensions | Show results with:tensions
[133]
[PDF] Castlerea - Western Development Commission
SMI 24: A Sustainable Mobility Index for Rural Towns in Ireland's Western Region ... Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging facilities (type and number). Active ...
[134]
Census of Population 2016 – Profile 8 Irish Travellers, Ethnicity and ...
The labour force participation rate among Irish Travellers was 57 per cent compared with 61.4 per cent for the general population. Among females 972 were at ...
[135]
'Revolving door': Traveller women imprisoned for minor offences ...
Oct 22, 2021 · Traveller women are being imprisoned for minor first time offences such as driving without tax, shoplifting and crimes linked to addiction, an Oireachtas ...Missing: tensions | Show results with:tensions
[136]
Department confirms County Roscommon apartments earmarked for ...
May 14, 2024 · The Department of Integration has today confirmed that part of an apartment complex in Castlerea is being earmarked for International ...
[137]
Lack of clarity on proposed housing of refugees in Castlerea ...
May 16, 2024 · With renovations underway to potentially accommodate approximately 50 people, the lack of clear information has heightened community concerns.
[138]
Local councillor says he understands concerns regarding housing of ...
Jun 5, 2024 · It follows a number of protests in the town following news that International Protections applicants would be housed in the Riverwalk Apartments ...Missing: issues | Show results with:issues
[139]
Irish Travellers Census of Population 2022 Profile 5 - CSO
Oct 26, 2023 · Irish Travellers make up less than 1% of the population so, for comparison purposes, it can be helpful to use rates per 1,000 of the population.
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Around 100 people gathered for protest against refugee ...
May 20, 2024 · Around 100 people took part in a peaceful protest against the use of an apartment block as refugee accommodation in County Roscommon.
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Over 200 people attend 'Roscommon Says No to IPAS' group protest
Jul 6, 2025 · Over 200 people attended a peaceful protest in Roscommon town yesterday afternoon against proposed asylum seeker accommodation.
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Locals welcome scrapping of Roscommon IPAS proposal - Gript
Jul 18, 2025 · The Roscommon says No to IPAS group has welcomed the Department of Migration's decision to rule out a controversial proposal to place an IPAS Centre in ...
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they could be killed,' Castlerea crime protest hears | Shannonside.ie
Sep 29, 2024 · A protest against the spike in crime in Co Roscommon has heard people are afraid to open their doors - even to their neighbours.<|control11|><|separator|>
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Wilde, Sir William Robert Wills | Dictionary of Irish Biography
Wilde, Sir William Robert Wills (1815–76), surgeon and polymath, was born in March 1815 at Kilkeevin, Castlerea, Co. Roscommon, youngest of three sons of ...Missing: birthplace | Show results with:birthplace
[145]
Bio | Education | Career | Politics | Philosophy - John Waters
Born in Castlerea, Co, Roscommon, in the West of Ireland, in 1955, the only son of Ita and Thomas Waters, a mailcar driver, mechanic and carpenter.Missing: birthplace | Show results with:birthplace
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Boxer Aoife O'Rourke's hometown of Castlerea to be 'painted with ...
Jul 23, 2024 · Castlerea is set to be decorated in bunting, banners and flags galore as the town shows off its pride in Olympic boxer Aoife O'Rourke.
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GOLD - Aoife O'Rourke is a World Champion - Irish Boxing
Aoife O'Rourke is World Champion. The Roscommon native won World Boxing Championship gold with victory in Liverpool on Sunday to join a distinguished list ...
[148]
WATCH: O'Rourke sisters given hero's welcome at Castlerea Boxing ...
Sep 16, 2025 · Aoife claimed gold in Liverpool last Sunday as she and Lisa, who claimed gold at the World Championships in 2022, were welcomed back to ...
[149]
Castlerea's Lisa & Aoife O'Rourke Ready for World Boxing ...
Sep 4, 2025 · Castlerea sisters Lisa and Aoife O'Rourke are set to represent Team Ireland at the World Boxing Championships in Liverpool this week, as they ...