The Gallaghers of Ballinrobe
IN MARCH 2020, Pat Gallagher had an idea. He asked his brother, Owen, what he thought of writing a book about the family of their father, James Gallagher, who grew up in the early decades of the 20th century in the West of Ireland in the small town of Ballinrobe, County Mayo. The shutdown from COVID-19 was just beginning, and the thinking was they would have more time on their hands than usual. What better way to spend quarantine than exploring the stories of our aunts, uncles and other relatives. The task turned out to be much more complicated (and rewarding) than anticipated. It involved sifting through ship manifests, census, birth and marriage records, newspaper archives, and, most enjoyable, sessions delving into the memories of extended-family members. Sorely missed was the chance to hear first-hand the tales from our deceased cousins John O'Brien and Pete Gallagher. This book's stories and more than 500 images are the result of the past year's journey. The goal was both simple and ambitious: making the memories of the Gallaghers of Ballinrobe ours forever.
IN MARCH 2020, Pat Gallagher had an idea. He asked his brother, Owen, what he thought of writing a book about the family of their father, James Gallagher, who grew up in the early decades of the 20th century in the West of Ireland in the small town of Ballinrobe, County Mayo. The shutdown from COVID-19 was just beginning, and the thinking was they would have more time on their hands than usual. What better way to spend quarantine than exploring the stories of our aunts, uncles and other relatives.
The task turned out to be much more complicated (and rewarding) than anticipated. It involved sifting through ship manifests, census, birth and marriage records, newspaper archives, and, most enjoyable, sessions delving into the memories of extended-family members. Sorely missed was the chance to hear first-hand the tales from our deceased cousins John O'Brien and Pete Gallagher. This book's stories and more than 500 images are the result of the past year's journey. The goal was both simple and ambitious: making the memories of the Gallaghers of Ballinrobe ours forever.
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The foundation for St. Mary's Catholic Church in Ballinrobe was laid in 1851. The church wasn't dedicated until
1863. The structure now features a collection of Harry Clarke stained-glass windows, commissioned in 1924.
that Masses no longer had to be celebrated in secret.
In Ballinrobe, Masses were apparently held in the
19th century for a while in a chapel on Bridge Street,
located at the back of Willie Jennings’ butcher shop.
Eventually, the reforms opened the way for construction of
the “old church” on the road to Partry and Castlebar. An
1837 account says the chapel, “a large slated building with
a lofty square tower, was erected in 1815 by subscription.”
A plaque above the entrance indicates the church opened in
MDCCCXIX (1819). Its tower may have been a later
addition, c. 1827. The tower, visible from a great distance,
allowed the church to compete in status with the Church of
Ireland structure within town on higher ground. The
Protestant Church was eventually converted into the public
library off Main Street.
The relatively short-lived Catholic church’s layout
was “a free standing cruciform-plan,” also called a “Latin
Cross.” The original slated roof and timber joists were
removed and relocated to the boy’s secondary school
behind the current Parish Center. The ruins of the church
remain today.
It was probably at this church on the Castlebar
Road that an incident of vandalism happened that was
reported in the Baptist Magazine and Literary Review of
1854. It occurred during a huge mission in Ballinrobe.
Overnight, vandals broke into the church and carried away
altar vessels, including a ciborium containing the Blessed
Sacrament and a massive silver monstrance. Stunned
parishioners took part in an elaborate procession the
following Sunday and commenced with a Forty Hours
Adoration. An impressive total of 60 pounds was raised to
replace the stolen items.
ST. MARY’S CHURCH
The inconvenient location of the “old church”
outside town probably was a factor in the decision to soon
build the new Church of St. Mary’s in the heart of
Ballinrobe. Its foundation stone was laid in 1851.
The Rev. Peter Conway was appointed the first
curate of Ballinrobe in 1847. He was responsible for
negotiating permission from prominent landowner Col.
Knox to construct St. Mary’s on Main Street. Construction
started in 1853. But due to a lack of funding through the
post-famine times, the building was not dedicated until
Pentecost Sunday 1863.
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