Dunamon

18 registered freehold parcels lie mostly in Dunamon, from 1,046 m² to 338,451 m² (33.85 ha, 83.63 acres). The dashed line is the townland's boundary; 19 neighbouring parcels touch it.

Download the townland: DXF, in Irish Transverse Mercator metres, with its boundary, parcels and buildings; GeoJSON or KML.

No zone of a development plan covers Dunamon in the national zoning. Outside zoned towns and villages, the county development plan's rural policies apply to each application.

Source: Tailte Éireann and the Department of Housing (MyPlan), national zoning, CC BY 4.0.

• 12 Sept 2025Conditional

  Planning permission to construct domestic dwelling house along with domestic garage, new treatment system and percolation area, and all ancillary site development works at

  Permission · Roscommon County Council, 2560438

• 27 Feb 2025Conditional

  Permission to construct a new 4 bay slatted cattle shed, together with all associated site works at

  Permission · Roscommon County Council, 2517

Source: National Planning Applications, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Applicants are not shown.

Designated sites

No designated site (Special Area of Conservation, Special Protection Area, Natural Heritage Area or proposed one) touches the townland of Dunamon.

Recorded monuments

• RO038-009 Bridge
  Description

  Crossing a W-E section of the River Suck immediately below Donamon Castle (RO038-010----), which is c. 100m to the S. A bridge is marked on Petty's map of Ballymoe barony (1683) and a bridge is present on Grosse's illustration of the Dunamon fortified house (RO038-010002-) (Grose 1791, vol. 2, Pl. 92). The bridge of ten arches is built of a single construction (Wth 5.5m). It may be 18th century in date. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 24 August 2010

• RO038-010001 Castle - unclassified
  Description

  Dún Iomain or Dún Imghain, where Turlough O'Conor built a fort, was burnt by Muirchartach Ua Lochlainn in 1154 (AFM vol. 2, 1113). The O'Finaghty of Clanconway, a territory W of the Suck, were dispossessed in the 13th century when Adam Staunton erected a castle, probably an earthwork castle, here in 1232 which was destroyed by Felim O'Conor in 1233. In 1283 a castle was built by John de Stanford (Graham 1988, 31; Lynn 1986, 101) which passed to the Berminghams before passing to the Burkes c. 1310, when it became a centre of the Mac David Burkes. It was captured by Aodh Mac an Abbot O'Conor in 1400. Up to this it may have been an earthen ringwork castle. The present structure may have been built by the Burkes in the fifteenth century, and references to the castle continue into the 17th century (O'Flanagan 1931, vol. 1, 59-60). The Burkes were dispossessed in the 1650s, but they may have converted the castle into a fortified house (RO038-010002-) modelled on their nearby castle at Glinsk, Co. Galway (GA007-062001-), and given it its present general appearance in the early 17th century. The King family of Boyle leased it to the Caulfield family in 1668, who acquired it outright in 1733. The castle was extended by adding a W wing in 1855 when the present crenellations were added to the older structure. The Caulfields continued to live there until 1920 (Conboy 1986), and the Divine Word Missionaries acquired it in 1939. It is now a diocesan retreat centre for the diocese of Elphin. (Maddigan, M. 1997) It is situated towards the W end of a WNW-ESE ridge on the S bank of a W-E section of the River Suck. This is a rectangular structure of three bays with three storeys and attic over a basement (dims 24.5m E-W; c. 15m.25m N-S) with rectangular windows that have square hood mouldings, all of which were probably renewed in the 19th century. The central bay on the N and S is recessed with an arch over the second floor like Bunratty castle, Co. Clare (CL061-001001-). Corner machicolations on the battlements, known from an engraving of 1792, no longer survive. The interior was decorated in fine plasterwork in the 19th century, which was restored in the 1990s under rector Fr. Shane Fitzgerald. The church (RO038-011001-) is c. 170m to the E. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 24 August 2010

• RO038-010002 House - fortified house
  Description

  Dún Iomain or Dún Imghain, where Turlough O'Conor built a fort, was burnt by Muirchartach Ua Lochlainn in 1154 (AFM vol. 2, 1113). The O'Finaghty of Clanconway, a territory W of the Suck, were dispossessed in the 13th century when Adam Staunton erected a castle, probably an earthwork castle, here in 1232 which was destroyed by Felim O'Conor in 1233. In 1283 a castle was built by John de Stanford (Graham 1988, 31; Lynn 1986, 101) which passed to the Berminghams before passing to the Burkes c. 1310, when it became a centre of the Mac David Burkes. It was captured by Aodh Mac an Abbot O'Conor in 1400. Up to this it may have been an earthen ringwork castle but the present structure may have been built by the Burkes in the fifteenth century, and references to the castle continue into the 17th century (O'Flanagan 1931, vol. 1, 59-60). The Burkes were dispossessed in the 1650s, but they may have converted the castle into a fortified house (RO038-010002-) modelled on their nearby castle at Glinsk, Co. Galway (GA007-062001-), and given it its present general appearance in the early 17th century. The King family of Boyle leased it to the Caulfield family in 1668, who acquired it outright in 1733. The castle was extended by adding a W wing in 1855 when the present crenellations were added to the older structure. The Caulfields continued to live there until 1920 (Conboy 1986), and the Divine Word Missionaries acquired it in 1939. It is now a diocesan retreat centre for the diocese of Elphin. (Maddigan, M. 1997) It is situated towards the W end of a WNW-ESE ridge on the S bank of a W-E section of the River Suck. This is a rectangular structure of three bays with three storeys and attic over a basement (dims 24.5m E-W; c. 15m.25m N-S) with rectangular windows that have square hood mouldings, all of which were probably renewed in the 19th century. The central bay on the N and S is recessed with an arch over the second floor like Bunratty castle, Co. Clare (CL061-001001-). Corner machicolations on the battlements, known from an engraving of 1792, no longer survive. The interior was decorated in fine plasterwork in the 19th century, which was restored in the 1990s under rector Fr. Shane Fitzgerald. The church (RO038-011001-) is c. 170m to the E. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 24 August 2010

• RO038-011001 Church
  Description

  Listed as Inigan in the ecclesiastical taxation of Elphin in 1306 (Cal. doc. Ire., vol. 5, 224), and marked on Petty's map of 1683. This is probably the site of the parish church of Donamon with Donamon Castle fortified house (RO038-010002-) c. 170m to the W. The present church was built by Caulfields as a chapel, probably at the beginning of 18th century. A new Church of Ireland church serving Fuerty and Dunamon was built in 1854, and is located c. 900m to the WSW. Eleven wall memorials, dating from 1747-1789, were moved to the new church from here (Taylor 1892-4b). It is situated on a WNW-ESE ridge on the S bank of a W-E section of the River Suck, c. 140m from its S bank. This is a rectangular structure (ext. dims 18.5m E-W; 8.4m N-S) surviving complete (H 3m) with an external render and limestone quoins. A round-headed doorway (Wth 0.96m; H 1.9m) with an external chamfer in the W wall has a large round-headed window above, but the belfry is obscured by ivy. The vestibule (int. dim. 3.25m E-W) inside the doorway is separated from the church by an inserted wall and is lit by a small rectangular window in the S wall, while three flights of stone steps against the E, N and W walls led to the gallery. A second lintelled doorway (Wth 0.6m) in the S wall also provided access to the vestibule. In the church there are two round-headed windows in the S wall and one in the N, which is now blocked by an inserted fireplace, while a similar fireplace in the S wall is also inserted. There is a large round-headed E window, while two buttresses support the S wall, and one the N. Brick is only used on secondary features. The church is within a rectangular graveyard (RO038-011002-) (dims 48m N-S; 43m E-W) defined by masonry walls, but a curving scarp S of the church could indicate an older enclosure. See the attached view of the W gable Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 24 August 2010

• RO038-011002 Graveyard
  Description

  Listed as Inigan on the ecclesiastical taxation of Elphin in 1306 (Cal. doc. Ire., vol. 5, 224), and marked on Petty's map of 1683, and probably the site of the parish church of Donamon with Donamon Castle fortified house (RO038-010002-) c. 200m to the W. The present church (RO038-011001-) was probably built by Caulfields at the beginning of 18th century. Situated on a WNW-ESE ridge on the S bank of a W-E section of the River Suck, c. 140m from its S bank. The church is within a rectangular graveyard (dims 48m N-S; 43m E-W) defined by masonry walls, but a curving scarp S of the church could indicate an older enclosure. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 24 August 2010

Architectural heritage

• Dunamon Bridge, 1740–1780 · Regional interest
  Description

  Ten-arch masonry road bridge, built c.1770 by Caulfields on the site of a twelfth-century bridge. Full-height V-cutwaters up and down stream. Random coursed limestone walls with round-headed arch-rings. Pedestrian refuges to parapet level. This bridge spans the River Suck and leads to Dunamon Castle.

• Dunamon Castle, country house, 1350–1860 · Regional interest
  Description

  Detached multiple-bay three-storey castellated country house having basement and attic storey, commenced c.1400, extended c.1670, improved and castellated in 1700s and further extended to west in 1855. Now in use by Divine Word Missionaries. Gabled pitched slate roofs behind castellated parapet, castellated towers and parapet to 1855 block. Random rubble limestone walls, and snecked limestone walls to 1855 block. Square-headed window openings to castle with label-mouldings and chamfered limestone surrounds. Tooled chamfered surrounds to windows in 1855 block. Double-height deeply recessed entrance bay containing decorative carved limestone door surround to front elevation, accessed by perron steps. Tudor-arch doorway to basement. Double-height deeply recessed entrance bay to rear elevation with carved sandstone door surround. Eighteenth-century cut limestone L-plan outbuildings to west of building. Ruin of church with graveyard to east. Walled gardens survive to southeast, with pigeon nesting boxes to south-facing wall. Disused icehouse to east, constructed of limestone blocks and comprising long tunnel accessing domed ice pit. Chapel and extensions, built c.1963, now in use as retreat and respite centre.

• Dunamon Church, church/chapel, 1850–1855 · Regional interest
  Description

  Detached Church of Ireland church, built in 1854, to a Gothic Revival design by Joseph Welland. Church comprises four-bay nave, porch and bell-ringing room to north-west and vestry to south-east. Pitched slate roof with stone ridge tiles, stone coping to gables and cast-iron rainwater goods. Ashlar bellcote to south-west gable with cast-iron bell and chain, which descends to opening in stone roof of projecting bell-ringing room. Chimneystack to vestry. Random coursed rock-faced cut limestone walls with buttresses. Pointed-arched, trefoil and square-headed window openings with tooled stone surrounds and cast-iron diamond-paned windows. Pointed-arched opening to porch and shouldered-arched opening to vestry with tooled stone surrounds and studded timber battened doors with cast-iron door furniture. Doors accessed by stone steps. Grave markers to graveyard. Site is enclosed by roughcast-rendered wall with stone stile, ashlar gate piers and cast-iron gates.

Designated sites: National Parks and Wildlife Service. Recorded monuments: Sites and Monuments Record, National Monuments Service. Buildings: National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Works at or in relation to a recorded monument need two months' written notice to the National Monuments Service (National Monuments (Amendment) Act 1994, section 12).

Radon

About 1 in 5 homes in this area is likely to have high radon levels. Testing a home

Landslides

Susceptibility moderately low, low, low (inferred), on the 1:50,000 map; parts are water.

Terrain model

No LiDAR survey of the Office of Public Works covers the centre of the townland of Dunamon.

Flooding

The flood maps of the Office of Public Works: floodinfo.ie.

Radon Risk Map of Ireland, Environmental Protection Agency; Landslide Susceptibility Classification, Geological Survey Ireland; both CC BY 4.0. LiDAR: contains Irish Public Sector Data (Geological Survey Ireland & the Office of Public Works) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.

No address of the register names Dunamon with five sales or more. The sales of the area are on the page of Co. Roscommon.

Name

Dunamon · Dún Iomáin

Area

1,399,302 m² (139.93 ha, 345.78 acres)

Civil parish

Dunamon, and its townlands

Barony

Ballymoe

Electoral division

Rosmoylan, the unit of the census

Census 2022

Rosmoylan electoral division: 215 people in 68 households; 92% of households own their home; 22% of homes were built since 2001; 15% of dwellings stood vacant on census night, and 2% were holiday homes.

Neighbouring townlands

Ardmore, Bracklin, Castlecoote, Cornaveagh, Emlaghkeadew

Placenames

Dunamon on logainm.ie, the Placenames Database of Ireland

Townlands, civil parishes, baronies and electoral divisions, National Statutory Boundaries, Tailte Éireann, CC BY 4.0. Census 2022, Small Area Population Statistics by electoral division, Central Statistics Office, CC BY 4.0. A townland is the smallest land division of Ireland, and the unit of a rural address; old registers such as the 1901 and 1911 censuses file it under its civil parish and barony.