Monaghan County Heritage Office, in partnership with Monaghan County Museum, has launched the exciting new Rossmore Community Archaeology Project, centred on the former site of Rossmore Castle in Rossmore Park, just 3km southwest of Monaghan Town. The project will become the first community archaeology initiative in County Monaghan and the first archaeological excavation ever undertaken at Rossmore Castle.
The project will run over several years, beginning next summer. Archaeological test trenching currently underway will help identify the most promising areas for excavation and inform the location of community dig sites ahead of a larger excavation programme planned for summer 2027. The project would not have been able to reach this milestone without the support of the Heritage Council and Monaghan County Council and the cooperation of Coillte.
Speaking about the initiative, Kara Ward, Monaghan County Heritage Officer, said:
‘The key aim of this project is to create greater appreciation and public value in heritage. One of the most effective ways to achieve that is by working with communities and empowering them to engage directly with their local monuments and heritage landscapes through community archaeology.’
Liam Bradley, Curator of Monaghan County Museum, highlighted the collaborative nature of the project:
‘We believe collaboration is one of the surest paths to sustainable success in our cultural heritage. By empowering communities and creating a positive network of stakeholders, this project will help bring people together from Monaghan and across the border region to explore our shared history.’
The Cathaoirleach of Monaghan County Council, Cllr Aidan Campbell noted the role archaeology can play in engaging communities:
‘Archaeology has repeatedly proven to be an effective way of involving people in the exploration of local history. It sparks the imagination and offers everyone the possibility of discovery while making our shared heritage accessible and enjoyable.’
Robert Burns, Chief Executive of Monaghan County Council, added:
‘The Rossmore Community Archaeology Project will use the power of cultural curiosity to bring people together from different backgrounds to explore their shared past. Through excavation, exhibitions, events and public engagement, the project will help bring the stories of Rossmore and generations past back to life.’
Rossmore Castle and Estate
Rossmore Park has a rich and complex history stretching back to the seventeenth century. The estate passed through several families before becoming the seat of the Westenra family, Barons of Rossmore. The original fortified house at Cortolvin Hills was transformed during the nineteenth century into the impressive Tudor-Gothic Rossmore Castle, one of Ireland’s most celebrated country houses.
The estate became renowned for its landscaped parkland, ornamental lakes, walled gardens, historic Yew Walk and giant redwood trees, one of which is now the tallest tree in County Monaghan.Despite its grandeur, economic decline and changing land ownership patterns during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries made the castle increasingly difficult to maintain. The building was abandoned in the 1940s, stripped of its contents and eventually demolished by the State around 1974. Today, Rossmore survives as a much-loved public forest park.
A Landscape of Much Older Stories
The archaeological significance of Rossmore extends far beyond the castle. Five recorded monuments, including megalithic tombs and early medieval ringforts, demonstrate human activity in the area dating back to around 4000 BC. A Bronze Age gold lunula discovered in Rossmore, now held by the National Museum of Ireland, further highlights the site’s importance.
The Rossmore Community Archaeology Project aims to uncover new evidence from this remarkable landscape while encouraging public participation in the exploration, preservation and interpretation of Monaghan’s shared heritage.