Holy Family Church

Photographer: Paul Nolan

The Community Centre opened in 1978. Ten years later, on Easter Sunday, 3rd April, 1988, the first sod was turned for the building of the Church. A month later Archbishop Desmond Connell blessed and laid the foundation stone. Five months later, on 9th October, 1988, he dedicated the church to the Holy Family. The parish clergy were Fr. Laurence O'Sullivan P.P., Fr. Michael Ward (later at Foxrock - died 1997), Fr. Patrick Monaghan (later at Rathfamham). Fr. Éamonn Cotter (a native of Celbridge and later Parish Priest at Esker), who had been a curate at Rathcoole, joined the parish clergy as concelebrants of the Dedication Mass. The choir directors were Grace Molloy, John Rogers and Enda Smith. The commentator was Helen O'Keeffe, a Presentation Sister, who made her final vows at the pre fab church. She made the Stations of the Cross for the church.
Fr. Noel Reynolds, curate, transferred to Glendalough. In July 1998 Rev. Colm Ó Siochrú, curate, transferred to Narraghmore, Co. Kildare and was replaced by Fr. Liam Belton, ably assisted by Fr. Paddy McAuliffe.
Bishop Éamonn Walsh (a native of Celbridge), who came in the early 1990's, was the first auxiliary bishop of Dublin to live in the parish.

Parish Priests since 1670

1670 - 1714	Rev. William Brett
1714 - 1730	Rev. Richard Purfield
1730 - 1760	Rev. James O'Toole	Died 1769
1760 - 1794	Rev. Simon Barlow	Died 1794
1794 - 1798	Rev. James Harold	Transported
1798 - 1812	Rev. Laurence Byrne
1812 - 1815	Rev. Andrew Hart	Died 1815
1815 - 1823	Rev. Michael O'Toole	To Blessington
1823 - 1832	Rev. James Campbell	To James St.
1832 - 1853	Rev. John Dunne	Died 1853
1853 - 1873	Rev. Christopher Burke	Died 1873
1873 - 1876	Rev. Thomas McCormack	To Donnybrook
1876 - 1884	Rev. Michael Barry	Died 1884
1884 - 1887	Rev. James Hunt	To Maynooth
1887 - 1896	Rev. Michael Walsh	Died 1896
1896 - 1910	Rev. Richard Duggan	To Dundrum
1910 - 1915	Rev. Walter Hurley	Died 1915
1915 - 1916	Rev. John Healy	To Terenure
1916 - 1926	Rev. Charles O'Carroll	To Blanchardstown
1926 - 1929	Rev. John Sheehan	To Terenure
1929 - 1947	Rev. Louis Ryan	Died 1947
1948 - 1956	Rev. John Larkin	Died 1956
1956 - 1961	Rev. Bernard Brady	To Larkhill
1961 - 1970	Rev. James Leahy	Died 1970
1970 - 1984	Rev. Robert Walsh	Died 1988
1984 -	Rev. Laurence O'Sullivan

Main Source:
"A History of Saggart and Rathcoole Parishes"
by Maeve Mulryan Moloney

Photographer: Seán Worrell

Pray online