Statement of Changes in Beneficial Ownership (4)

FORM 4 [ X ] Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).	UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES	OMB APPROVAL OMB Number: 3235-0287 Estimated average burden hours per response... 0.5
	Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person ^* Smith Newton Pharr	2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol ROWAN COMPANIES PLC [ RDC ]	5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __ X __ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) Senior Vice President
(Last) (First) (Middle) 2800 POST OAK BLVD., SUITE 5450	3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YYYY) 1/13/2017
(Street) HOUSTON, TX 77056 (City) (State) (Zip)	4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YYYY)	6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) _ X _ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Trans. Date	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any	3. Trans. Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
1.Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Trans. Date	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any	Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price		6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
Class A Ordinary Shares	1/13/2017		F	V	18221 ⁽¹⁾	D	$19.91 ⁽²⁾	75999 ⁽³⁾	D

*Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned ( e.g.* , puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)**
1. Title of Derivate Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Trans. Date	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any	4. Trans. Code (Instr. 8)		5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4)		8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)	9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)	10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
1. Title of Derivate Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Trans. Date	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any	Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares	8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)			11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Explanation of Responses:
( 1)	These shares were surrendered to the Company's employee benefit trust in payment of a tax liability due to the vesting of 60,263 restricted share units (RSUs). Such RSUs vested on January 13, 2017 upon the reporting person's retirement from the Company.
( 2)	Sales price is the fair market value share price on January 14, 2017.
( 3)	On January 13, 2017, in connection with the retirement of the reporting person from the Company, the restrictions on all unvested RSUs granted to the reporting person lapsed.

Remarks:
Reporting person holds 19,554 vested Share Appreciation Rights (SARs) granted in 2013 with an exercise price of $34.35. Such SARs must be exercised on or before the earlier of (i) their original expiration date and (ii) the fifth anniversary of the Effective Date of the reporting person's release agreement. In addition, Reporting person holds 4,539 Performance Units (PUs) granted in 2014, 4,695 PUs granted in 2015 and 4,696 PUs granted in 2016. Such PUs will continue to be paid (in cash or in the case of PUs granted in 2016, in cash or shares) upon the original vesting dates, as per their terms based on the Company's relative total shareholder return, and when and as paid to other executives.

Reporting Owners
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Smith Newton Pharr 2800 POST OAK BLVD. SUITE 5450 HOUSTON, TX 77056			Senior Vice President

Signatures
/s/ Melanie M. Trent		1/18/2017
^** Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
Note:	File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
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