The Stunning Park of Rossmore Forest, Monaghan, Ireland

Ireland is known to possess a lot of fascinating parks where you can sit to enjoy the tranquillity of the place. Greenery makes life look so much better and livelier. There are a lot of parks that you can visit and enjoy. However, this time it is actually all about Rossmore Forest Park. It is a national forest park that is located in County Monaghan. The park is not within the borders of the county; however, it is only a few miles just outside it. Coillte, an Irish States Forestry Organisation, runs the park currently.

Rossmore Forest Park in the Modern Days

Rossmore Forest Park is actually one of the prominent sites in Monaghan, Ireland and it contains one of the remarkable historical landmarks, Rossmore Castle. The whole place used to belong to the Rossmore family. Besides, the castle was home to the Lord Rossmore. Back then, the Rossmore family were the landlords of the whole area all through the 18^th and 19^th centuries.

Today, the park assists in recreational purposes. However, it still offers places for people to walk and hang around. It is full of amazing trees and plant life. Adjacent to the park is the Rossmore Golf Club. Obviously, it is a vast area where people can enjoy playing golf.

Facilities of the Park

What is most interesting about the park is the beautiful walks we have already mentioned. And, yes, people refer to them as the Walks. The paths are of great maintenance, making the experience equally enjoyable for everyone. It is also suitable for visitors with wheelchairs and ambitious hikers all the same. Those walks can be as long as four miles, so you can get to enjoy a captivating scene all along.

Interestingly, there is a map that can guide you around the park. It is made up of a weather-protected material. So, no matter what time you go there, you can find your guide safe and sound, waiting for you. There are picnic tables to help you sit around and enjoy your meals. It is important to emphasise over the cleanness of the place. You can find litter bins all around to throw your rubbish in. Besides, the toilets are totally clean and safe to use. Since the park is this eye-pleasing, it is anticipated to find it featured on the big screen. Remember the horror movie Shrooms, from 2007? It was in point of fact shot there.

The Natural Life in Rossmore Forest Park

It is true that the park owns an amazing scenery to enjoy. Not to mention the lakesides and the trees all over the place. Above and beyond, there are also huge redwoods that you can’t but notice while at the car park. Next, to the amazing plant life that you can find there, little mammals reside there too along with birds and insects. There are lots of foxes, hedgehogs, badgers, and otters roaming all around the park. It is also claimed that the park possesses five species of bats out of all the seven that are found in Ireland. Not to mention the wonderful population of birds. You can find wildfowl in winter while in summer, you will find flycatchers, cuckoo, warblers, and more.

History of Rossmore Castle

On the outskirts of the county of Monaghan, you can find a large complex building. It is the Rossmore Castle, where the family used to reside in the 18^th and 19^th centuries. While the park is said to be around since the 1^st Lord Rossmore, the castle isn’t as old. Legends have it that the 3^rd Lord Rossmore was the one to have erected that huge building. The whole castle is made in Tudor Gothic style by the designer, William Vitruvius Morrison. In 1858, another designer, William Henry Lynn, added an extension to the castle. That extension was actually in a different style as it was in Scottish Baronial style.

Rossmore Castle Renovations 

The original building that Lord Rossmore erected back in 1827 had a large square tower and turret. Besides, when William Henry carried out his extensions, he also built two towers, but they were not identical. Instead, one of the towers was smaller than the other and had a spire. On the other hand, the bigger tower had a polygonal turret and cupola. In spite of how great the castle looked, it had undergone more than a few renovations.

At some point through the history, Mr. Shirley of Lough Fea used to compete with Lord Rossmore. They competed in terms of the buildings’ sizes and claimed that each had the largest room in the whole county. To keep up with their claims, each of them renovated their buildings several times.

Lord Rossmore had actually enlarged the drawing room in his castle for around five times. Those constant changes had definitely resulted in a building shape different from when it was first built. The final result is a building with over hundreds of windows- around 117 ones, with 50 shapes and sizes. There are also three towers in total.

Unfortunately, the house is not as it used to be. After the Second World War, the building became severely dry. It was too extreme that even the Rossmore Family, the 6^th lord by that time, forcibly left the castle. Eventually, the castle surrendered to ruin and thrash. But, that did not change the fact that people still go and enjoy the park.

Have you visited Rossmore Forest Park or Rosemore Castle? We love to hear your experiences!

Also, don’t forget to check out our other blogs that might interest you: Tollymore Forest Park| Redburn Country Park| Belvoir Park Belfast| Helen’s Bay Beach| Botanic Gardens| Dundrum Castle| Antrim Castle Gardens| Bundoran- Donegal|