St. Patrick's Church holy water fonts and church window

The first church in the Parish (Originally called Boyounagh) was reputed to be built by St. Patrick, was located on the top of the hill in which Boyounagh graveyard is today. It was later replaced by a Dominican Monastery on the same site. Later a wooden church was built where the old town graveyard now stands which was replaced by Fr.Browne with a stone structure in 1820 which was later again renovated by Fr.Tom Walsh. By the beginning of the 20th this building was falling into disrepair and was not large enough to accommodate the growing number of worshippers.

Outside the old pre-1900 church


So in 1904 St. Patrick's church was built under the guidance of Fr.Conway at the edge of the town on the Dunmore road. In planning the church, Fr.Conway looked to some of the other fine churches in the diocese for inspiration. The church was built in a gothic style and was decorated with magnificent Harry Clarke and Earley stained glass windows. On the outside of the church gothic buttresses support the main walls. Inside the church three isles were built, the middle one being the largest. Between the three isles large columns joined by gothic arches were built to support the central roof.


On St.Patrick's day 1904 the foundation stone was laid by Archbishop Healy. Exactly 1 year later to the day Fr.Conway offered the first mass in the new church.
 

The workers involved in the building of the church were:

Architect: Thomas Hamilton,Galway.

Stonework: Martin and Walter Murphy, Stonetown.

Limestone: Barrett's Quarry, Chequer Hill, Dunmore.

Timber work: John Fahy, Scregg, Kilkerrin.

In 1969 the first major changes to the new church were made. These changes came about because of orders from the Vatican Council of 1963 and were undertaken by the parish priest from 1963 to 1972, Fr. John Concannon. These changes resulted in the removal of the high altar, with its columns and canopy and the tabernacle was moved to the right of the Sanctuary. These changes, at the time were not to the satisfaction of all and some say that they came too soon.

 Old altar

 

Outside the church as it is now

The church after this time remained for the most part, unchanged, until in 1996 when a large rearrangement of the church was taken on by Fr. Michael Goaley the current parish priest. During this time of change the church underwent a complete rejuvenation. The Altar, Tabernacle and Baptismal font were replaced with new ones made from Portuguese sand stone, the Tabernacle was moved back to the centre Sanctuary behind the new Altar and the three sanctuaries were repainted and decorated to tie the new look of the church together.


The new altar in place

Those involved in the redesigning were Deirdre Ní Tuairisg
(Design Artist), Glenman Construction Corporation and Feelystone-Stonemasons. On the 19th of January 1997 a mass during which the Archbishop Michael Neary blessed the new sanctuary was held. It was the first of many that the people of Glenamaddy would celebrate in the newly decorated church, which they can all be proud of.

At the moment there are two priests in the parish, Fr.Michael Goaley (Parish Priest) and Fr.Tom Kearney who only recently joined the parish.

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