About us

On the 12 th August 1786 a lease, having been prepared, was signed by Robert Martin of Dangan transferring 1 acre of land to Fr. Denis Mannin, Parish Priest of Rahoon. No exact date has been found as to when the 1 st church was built on the site but a church is identified as being in existence here in 1818 as shown on the Grand Jury map.

According to the Second Report of the Commissioners of Irish Education Inquiry. (1826-1827), we are informed that a John Cunningham, who was a Roman Catholic, was the master who taught in the Roman Catholic Church of Bushypark. We were further informed that his income derived from payment by each pupil of 2d per week.

By 1835 education was no longer taught in the church , a new school having been built nearby. A man by the name of Patrick Glynn became the teacher in this new school.

It is during this time that a new church was under construction under the watchful eye of Fr. Peter Daly P.P. replacing the original church which in all probability had a thatched roof. This new church (St. James’),the first church to be built in the new diocese of Galway, was open for the celebration of mass in 1837, having been used for the confirmation of 300 persons in 1836. Fr. Peter Daly had a few years earlier undertook the construction of a new church in Moycullen which was opened in 1827. Following the opening of Bushypark church, Fr. Daly proceeded with the building of a further church in Barna, a near replica of St. James’ church, this new church was opened in 1840 and was also named after St. James.

Griffith’s Valuation in 1855 recorded both a catholic church and a primary school built in this townland in Bushypark.

In 1840 the church was finally completed when the bell tower was added. The belfry was a gift of Lady Ffrench, whose tomb is located behind the sacristy. The tomb of the Blake -Forster family lies beneath the bell tower.

The church has undertook extensive renovations works during 2018 and exposed the original stone floor which had lain hidden under a timber floor for many decades. During this period a new single storey pastoral centre has been built on the site of the previous school buildings.

Two historical publications have been printed on the history of the church of Bushypark,

1. Bushypark Celebrates by Fr. Gerard Garvey (1988).
2. Bushypark Our-People-Our Place-A Parish History by Christy Kelly (2016).