Fantastic news earlier this week when Minister Boxer Moran TD announced at Roscommon Castle that his Department will fund access to the South West Angle Tower with stairwell over existing stone masonary and safety rail at top providing an experience of being at the top of this fine 13th Century Norman Castle and views from on high. Funding is provided for design and tender in 2019. The work when completed will improve the visitor experience and increase tourist numbers to Roscommon in Ireland's Hidden Heartlands . I have been working on the Roscommon Town Team subcommittee Town& Village renewal subcommittee that recently received the good news of funding to light up Roscommon Castle, provide Coach turning area, improvement to paths in Loughnaneane park. When Minister Moran visited Roscommon Domenican Abbey I asked if his Department could create access for wheelchair users and people using buggies etc. And he commited to replacing the existed limited access gate with an access for all gate into Roscommon Abbey. The visit finished with a stop at our incredible volunteer led Tourist Office in Roscommon Town. Deputy Naughten accompanied Minister Moran. Members of Roscommon County Council , Roscommon Town Team, County Roscommon Historical and Archaeological Society, Roscommon Tourist Office and executive of Roscommon County Council were present.
A series of publications have been produced by @Roscommon Roscommon County Council :
Photographs in this post of Roscommon Castle from "Exploring Roscommon Castle in Medieval Times" copyright Roscommon County Council 2010 with County Roscommon Heritage Forum.
Roscommon Castle...the history of a national landmark by Margaret Murphy and Kieran O'Conor copyright Roscommon County Council 2008 Leaflet free to download from the Heritage section of www.roscommoncoco.ie
Loughnaneane Park, Roscommon, Primary Schools Education Pack copyright Roscommon County Council 2008 Educational Pack CD 
"Roscommon Castle - A Visitor's Guide" by Margaret Murphy and Kieran O'Conor Guidebook €10

Lovely to officially open the talented Laura Zitos exhibition in the Comfy Cafe this evening. Her work will be on display for the coming week. She "evokes reality"with her incredible photographs going back to 1975

Cllr. Orla Leyden welcomes the commencement of work to address health and safety issues on the derelict site on Circluar Road, Roscommon Town.
 
 
Cllr. Orla Leyden welcomes the commencement of work to address health and safety issues on the derelict site on Circluar Road, Roscommon Town. Cllr. Orla Leyden who tabled a motion at the March Meeting of Roscommon County Council seeking immediate action at the site said that she was glad to see that the old hoarding is being removed and that the site is being secured. She said that she was also relieved that the dangerous large holes on the site have been filled in. The construction of new fencing will be completed by early next week. This derelict site was dangerous with loose hoarding, nails on the ground and large holes on site that posed a threat to children that could have easily accessed the site.
Cllr. Leyden said that she would like to see this whole site brought back to its original state as it offered potential for development in the town.
 
Cllr. Orla Leyden also thanked Roscommon County Council for ensuring that the unsightly blue hoarding on the site on the Galway Road was removed. The work carried out included the removal of Porta Cabins, dangerous materials and structures on site. This work greatly improves the approach to Roscommon Town, visual amenity of the area and safety of the site.

Cllr. Orla Leyden seeks regeneration of Roscommon Town Centre. Cllr. Leyden who raised the poor condition of the streets in the town centre at the Budget meeting of Roscommon County Council continues to seek funding for this important regeneration initiative. Cllr Orla Leyden said that Roscommon town centre is in urgent need of funds to regenerate the town centre. Cllr. Orla Leyden has made contact with the Area Engineer Ivor Kilcline, Director of Service, Kathleen Martin and the County Manager Frank Dawson to ask that funding would be made available for the regeneration of Roscommon town centre in 2014 as a matter of priority.

Cllr. Leyden said that she would like to see the works commence in the Square with an upgrading of the surface in the carparks and the town centre streets and then continuing on to complete Lanesboro Street where some work was carried out last year. Cllr. Leyden added that Castle Street also needs work as does the road coming up from Teagasc / Sacred Heart Church and the Athlone Road off Goff Street. 

Cllr. Leyden said that it is vital that the town is regenerated in the interest of businesses in the town and attracting new enterprises and businesses to set up shop.  She added, we need to regenerate the town in the interest of everyone who lives, works, shops and visits the town.

Roscommon town is a great town and we need to direct funding to ensure that it remains vital. The regeneration should also include an upgrading of tourism information in the Square and new brown heritage tourism signs that would direct tourists to Loughnaneane Park, Roscommon Castle and Roscommon Abbey. She added that it is also vital that the new parking signs in the town have directional arrows on them to ensure that visitors to the town can easily find our free public carparks.

Cllr. Orla Leyden concluded by saying that  funding has to be made available for the regeneration of Roscommon town centre in 2014 as a matter or urgency.