Oughterard Catholic Church

 

RC Church of Mary Oughterard 1840

 

The Dublin Monitor. 1840. Click Image to view

Attached gives a report on the building of Oughterard Catholic church in the 1830’s and gives an insight into the O’Flahertie family of Lemonfield and the Martin family of Galway. The founder of the church Rev. J. W. Kirwan, Parish priest, in a letter to the Connaught Journal newspaper dated November 20th 1837 praised Mr. T.B. Martin M.P. of Ballynahinch for the donation of the site for the church, free of charge, and free sites for seven Catholic Chapels on his estate and a number of schools. He had made a donation of thirty five pounds to the Oughterard church and twenty pounds towards schools.