County Roscommon, sometimes called the Land of the Little Hills, is situated in Connacht, bordering seven counties – Galway, Mayo, Sligo to its west, Leitrim to the north, and Westmeath, Longford and Offaly to the east and south.
The landlocked county has a population of 69,995 – making it one of Ireland smallest by population. Only 6 other counties have a smaller population than Co. Roscommon.
Because of its relatively small population and substantial land area, Roscommon has the third lowest population density in Ireland with 27.6 people per km2. Only Mayo and Leitrim (both bordering Roscommon) have lower population densities.
Roscommon has experienced a solar panel boom recently, with nearly 1,000 installations getting grant approval in the county in the past few years.
If you are one of the thousands of homeowners who are considering installing solar panels, get a free quote today from one of our reliable and trusted installers in the county!
Roscommon Solar Panels Adoption
According to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, there have been 947 grant assisted solar panel installations to the end of August 2024.
In 2023, 352 solar panel installations were carried out in Roscommon, while PV 263 systems were installed in the first 8 months of 2024.
Data shows that 25 installations were carried out in the first half of 2024 for every 10,000 inhabitants in Roscommon.
Roscommon Climate
Connacht’s location on the western edge of Europe means that it receives more rain than other parts of Ireland. Like the rest of the country, Roscommon’s moderate climate is ideal for solar panels as the county does not experience extreme temperatures.
December is the wettest month in the county and March is the driest month. The warmest month is July with average daytime highs of 19°C. Like most of Ireland, May sees the highest number of sunshine hours, and is the best month for solar panels.
February is the coldest month in Co. Roscommon with an average maximum daytime temperature of 8°C.
Roscommon Sunshine Hours
The sunniest month in the county is May, however rooftop solar panels can generate electricity all year round. Otherwise, people would regret installing them! Roscommon has plenty of sunlight and clear sunshine for solar to save you a fortune each year.
Roscommon Towns and Villages
Co. Roscommon is one of Ireland’s least populated counties. In the 2022 Census, the county had just under 70,000 inhabitants.
There are no large towns in the county – Roscommon town, the county town and most populated – has only 6,555 residents.
Boyle is the second largest, with 2,568 people, followed by Castlerea with 1,992.
| Roscommon Towns and Villages | Population |
|---|---|
| Roscommon Town | 6,555 |
| Boyle | 2,915 |
| Castlerea | 2,348 |
| Ballaghaderreen | 2,387 |
| Larnesborough – Ballyleague | 1,733 |
| Strokestown (Bellanamullia) | 850 |
| Elphin | 715 |
| Tarmonbarry | 699 |
Roscommon Housing
Roscommon has the highest number of homes with the lowest energy efficiency rating — some 12% of domestic properties with a BER score are rated G. rating, as of July 2024.
Only 20% have BER ratings of A or B and 36% are rated C.
| Building Energy Rating (BER) | Total Housing Stock | Average Age | |||||||
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | |||
| Roscommon | 871 | 1,742 | 5,219 | 2,612 | 1,306 | 725 | 1742 | 14,517 | 36 |
CSO data – Domestic Building Energy Ratings Q2 2024
