St Ronan’s Church

The present church dates back to 1805, Before this the Church was built it seems that Mass was celebrated in a big barn across the road in what used to be Costello’s shop. The first building on the present site was erected in 805 on land donated by Brabazon Newcomen. The church was a thatched building probably built by Fr McDonnell. Then around 1860 a new Church was built out of the foundations of the 1805 one. The builder was a local man called Doyle. Fr Walsh was the Parish Priest at the time.

The bell at the back of the Church was brought down from Nathans’s Estate in Thomastown.  The bell was made in Murphy’s foundry in Dublin in 1870.

In 1961 major work was done on the church. The mortuary was built and the front door was set in. Wooden statues that were found under the altar during this renovation certainly came from Clontuskert Priory. They are now in the Diocesan Museum beside the Cathedral in Loghrea. All date back to 1200 to 1300 AD.