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Rosscommon County
Irish Gaelic: Contae Ros Comain
Motto: Constans Hiberniae Cor (Steadfast Irish heart)
County Roscommon is located in the province of Connacht. It is named after the town of Roscommon which comes from the Irish ‘Ros’ meaning a wooded, gentle height and ‘Comain’, the name of the founder, first abbot and bishop of Roscommon.
Rathcroghan (Rath Cruachan) near Tulsk, a complex of archaeological sites, the home of Queen Medb (Meadhbh, Maeve) was the seat of Kings of Connacht and then to the High Kings of Ireland. This was the starting point for the ‘Tain Bo Cuailnge’, or Cattle Raid of Cooley, an epic tale in Irish mythology.
County Roscommon as an administrative division has its origins in the medieval period. With the conquest and division of the Kingdom of Connacht, those districts in the east retained by King John as ‘The King’s Cantreds’ covered County Roscommon and parts of East Galway. These districts were leased to the native kings of Connacht which eventually became the county.
In 1585 during the Tudor re-establishment of counties, Roscommon was established with the South-west boundary now along the River Suck. The tartan is one of a series of Irish District tartans designed by Polly Wittering. These are not 'officially sanctioned' District tartans but have apparently proved popular and no doubt in time will be accepted as genuine District rather than Fashion tartans.
Choose from one of the Rosscommon County tartans listed below:
