Restoration of 137-year-old Mayo church is almost complete

The extensive restoration works to preserve Kiltimagh’s Church of the Holy Family for future generations are nearing completion with the church expected to be fully open in a couple of weeks.

The sight of the scaffolding coming down last week was widely welcomed within the community. The works have been carried out by Brian Forkan Construction Ltd.

“We started by removing all of the dirt,” Brian Forkan told the Western People. “There was a lot of it built up over the years. It was a big job just getting everything cleared out properly before we could even begin the restoration work. 

"There were a few technical issues early on, which you'd expect with a building of this age, but nothing we couldn’t sort. We’ve made good progress since.” 

The works have taken two years to complete, and include removing plaster and pointing and replacing it with new lime pointing and plaster.

“Restoration works tend to be slow,” Brian said. “When you strip something back, you have to get a decision on what is to be done and that involves the architect and the committee. This will naturally slow the job down. There wasn’t two years’ work in it, but it has taken two years to do it.” 

As well as the pointing and plastering, the works included the removal and later replacement of coping stones to facilitate the replacement of lead flashings. Internally, new stairs have been fitted behind a wood-panelled screen. The balcony has been replaced. The sacristy has been relocated to the right-hand side at the front of the building (the back of the church) with a glass screen separating it from the nave. On the left-hand side, a glass screen replaces the previous panel screen, leading into St Joseph’s Chapel.

“There’s a small amount of work left to do in the new sacristy,” Brian said. “There’s carpeting and we are awaiting delivery of some light fittings. A couple of weeks, at most.” 

Brian said that works would cost close to €800,000.

“That includes structural work, roofing, mechanical and electrical, joinery, architects’ fees — the whole lot.” 

The original church was built in 11 months but, of course, times were different. Labour was plentiful and it is always quicker to build from new than to refurbish an existing building. Health and safety and other legislation were not as strict as they are now, and the project was driven by a single individual.

When Fr Denis O’Hara was appointed parish priest in February 1887, he was faced with a church in disrepair. Rather than patch up what was there, Fr O’Hara, a native of Cloonacool, Co. Sligo and a former curate in Killedan, launched an ambitious plan to build a new church. The old building was demolished that same year, and construction began in 1888 based on a design by the renowned Dublin architect William Henry Byrne.

Despite the poverty of the area, Fr O’Hara’s determination never wavered. The new Church of the Holy Family was completed within the year and dedicated on December 16th, 1888, by Bishop Lyster. At the dedication, Bishop McCormack of Galway expressed astonishment at such a "splendid edifice" rising in what was then a struggling rural town.

The cost of the church - £3,320 - was a heavy burden, but local fundraising efforts were tireless. Fr O’Hara also appealed to emigrants abroad, especially in the United States, who responded with generous support. It was a truly global community effort, rooted in deep local pride.

Fr Michael Cryan, writing in the church’s centenary booklet, noted: “Basically, the Church as it stands today is much the same as it was designed in 1888... Most visitors feel at home in this Church. It never dwarfs you... yet it has a suggestion of splendour!” 

Over the decades, several additions and renovations followed: a new front porch in 1914, sanctuary reconstruction in 1982, a reroofing project in 1998, and now the major conservation and restoration project. The latest work is being carried out with respect for the original architecture and the spiritual legacy it holds.

One of the church’s most admired features is its collection of stained-glass windows - more than 20 - many created by J.J. Clarke & Son of Dublin. (The firm was run by Joshua Clarke, father of the famous stained glass artist, Harry Clarke, who was born in 1889). Fifteen of these windows beautifully depict the Joyful, Sorrowful, and Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary. Above the sanctuary, a painting by the McHugh brothers (of Kiltimagh), completed in the 1930s, remains untouched and continues to inspire.

Fr O’Hara’s contribution to Kiltimagh extended well beyond the church walls. A passionate nationalist and close friend of Michael Davitt and John Dillon, he played a vital role in shaping the modern town - organising the construction of homes, roads, water systems, and public services. He invited the St Louis Sisters to Kiltimagh in 1897 and championed the cause of local tenants, even writing to foreign newspapers to draw attention to their struggles.

He was, by every measure, a servant of the people. As a member of the Congested Districts Board, he fought injustice and worked tirelessly to improve the lives of his parishioners. He died in 1922 and was laid to rest in Kilkinure Cemetery, leaving behind a legacy that continues to shape the town to this day.

As restoration works near completion, the Church of the Holy Family stands not only as a beautiful architectural landmark but also as a living expression of Kiltimagh’s enduring spirit - a place shaped by its people, past and present.