Knockcroghery A Village Tapestry - people and places

25/09/2026

End of an era.
Today is a sad day for a lot of people in the parish of Knockcroghery and beyond as we see the retirement of one of the most popular people in the community. For the past forty years we have been so lucky to have Mary Dolan as our local post mistress. Always kind, helpful and patient Mary looked after our needs in her calm efficient way but always with the friendly word and a kind smile. Forty years ago it was mostly letters and parcels , pensions and children’s allowance . Over the decades Mary had to adapt to an everchanging world learning new technologies as the role of the post office changed. Banking, Boohoo, Vinted - Mary took it all in her stride! We are so grateful to Mary for all her hard work and we wish her well in her retirement. A well deserved break before her next adventure. 👏

25/09/2026

The best coffee morning… not probably!

☕️🍰 Join us for our annual Knockcroghery Hospice Coffee Morning 🍰☕️
🗓 Saturday, 26 September 2026
⏰️ 10:00am to 1:00pm
📍 Culleen Hall

Help us to raise essential funds for our local Hospice while enjoying coffee/tea, homemade treats and great company.

✅️ Attend on the day
✅️ Donate some home bakes
✅️ Bring a friend (... or two!)
✅️ Spread the word (please share!!)

✅️ If you can't make it - donat online https://www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/knockcrogheryhospicecoffeemorning2

EVERY DONATION PROVIDES VITAL HOSPICE CARE AND SUPPORT TO LOCAL FAMILIES 🙏

Please share this post - help us to reach as many as possible!
Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation Knockcroghery A Village Tapestry - people and places Lecarrow Benevolent Fund Rahara Tidy Towns & Development Knockcroghery / St Johns / Rahara Parish St. Johns Community Centre Naomh Dominic Knockcroghery Hospice Support Group

25/09/2026

Join us for this very special lecture on Wed. Sept. 30th in Hannons Hotel, .

Admission is free and all are welcome.

History Ireland
Roscommon Heritage News & Info
Archaeology Ireland
Federation of Local History Societies

04/09/2026

This weekend the Roscommon SPCA will have a church gate collection. The organization is run entirely by volunteers and your kind support is much appreciated.

22/08/2026

50 years ago, the life of ease!
Does anyone remember this article appearing in The Sunday World in January 1976? Seems funny now but at the time I think some people in the village thought it was making fun of a serious matter… The journalist none other than Sam Smyth who went on to make a name for himself as an investigative journalist. Probably not his finest piece! Great photo.

14/08/2026

Great night for Irish athletics + a Knockcroghery connection!
Last night Mark English from Donegal became the first Irishman to win gold at the European championships and he won it with ease.
Mark’s grandfather Pat English came from Corbooley and won two senior county football medals with St. Patrick’s in 1945 and ‘46 before moving to Donegal where he worked as a Garda.
Have to also mention Rhasidat Adeleke who took silver for Ireland in the women’s 200m. Two amazing athletes. 👏

07/08/2026

02/08/2026

Congratulations to Niamh Watson and to all involved with the Roscommon Intermediate Ladies Football team, All Ireland Champions! 👏 A fantastic win in Croke Park today.

21/06/2026

Remembering the burning and the terror that visited the inhabitants of Knockcroghery one hundred and five years ago on June 21st 1921. Three lorry loads of black and tans and auxiliaries arrived at one o clock in the morning and set fire to the line of thatched cottages that made of the homes in the village. The clay pipe factories synonymous with Knockcroghery since the 1700’s were also destroyed and never rebuilt.

1️⃣9️⃣2️⃣1️⃣
This iconic photo of Knockcroghery village after the burning was taken on this day 100 years ago. Many of these buildings would collapse further over the next few days. Patrick John Raftery an engineer who surveyed the village in the days that followed the burning wrote that “Knockcroghery still smouldered like a lime kiln”. His initial opinion that the buildings could be saved proved wrong when he revisited the village a few days later discovering that the heat had weakened the gable walls of many of the houses and they had subsequently collapsed. Larry Butler cycled from Lysterfield with his camera and took the photo. I'm told that he was an eggler. If anyone knows more about Larry or how the photo came about I'd love to know. Who was the lone figure standing with his back to the camera in the deserted village?
'The Burning of Knockcroghery documentary' is now on YouTube and is well worth watching.

19/06/2026

Best of luck to Josh swimming at the national finals this weekend. We are all proud of you Josh.

Everyone in St Dominic's GAA Club would like to wish Josh and all the participants in The Irish Special Olympics the very Best of Luck.