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THE HALF-PARISH CHURCH OF BUSHFIELD

Charles Slrickland, in 1880, following his great exertions towards making the building of a church in Charlestown possible, was to figure in the creation of another church, when he granted an Irish acre, free from rent, as a site for a church in the townland of Tomboholla. As Lord Dillon's Agent, Mr. Strickland seemingly acquired the site from a Mr. James Colleran who owned or had a lease of land in the said townland. Fr. Thomas Loftus, the then Parish Priest of Kilbeagh, was charged with the building of this church-of-ease which had as its titular, St. Patrick.

The establishing of this church led to the creation of a new parish, a half parish to be exact, that termed Bushfield within that of Kilbeagh. The church was erected to facilitate the people from the surrounding areas who had to make the long journey of about three miles to Charlestown. The local parishioners supplied much of the building materials required.

BUSHFIELD CEMETERY

Just across the road and a little further down from the church is a graveyard known as Bushfield Cemetery. The plot which contains an acre, statute measure is surrounded by a wall built of stone and mortar, was purchased by the Swinford District Council to provide the area with a burial ground. It was consecrated by Archdeacon O'Hara deputed by DL Lyster, the then Bishop of Achonry, and dedicated to St. Fechin on a summers day in July of 1910.

  SOLDIERS RESTING PLACE

Amongst the many buried in Bushfield Cemetery is a British soldier, Lance Sergeant Harry E. Evans, Norfolk Yeomanry, who was accidentally killed on active service in Charlestown on the 3rd June, 1918, aged 43 years.