Garbally College

For other schools of the same name, see Saint Joseph's College (disambiguation).

School in Republic of Ireland

St. Joseph's College, Garbally Park

Location

Garbally Park, Ballinasloe, County Galway

Ireland

Coordinates| 53°19′24″N 8°14′53″W﻿ / ﻿53.3234°N 8.2481°W﻿ / 53.3234; -8.2481
Information
Other name| Garbally College
Motto| Latin: Fide et Fortitudine
(Faith and Courage)
Religious affiliation(s)| Roman Catholic
Patron saint(s)| St. Joseph
Established| 1892
Founders| John Healy and James Madden
President| Colm Allman
Principal| Paul Walsh[1][2]
Patron| Michael Duignan
Chaplain| Iomar Daniels
Number of students| 493 (2021)[3]
Colour(s)| Blue and white
Publication| The Fountain
Website| www.garballycollege.com

St. Joseph's College, Garbally Park (Irish: Coláiste Sheosaimh) is an Irish voluntary Catholic secondary school situated in Garbally Park, the former seat of the Earl of Clancarty, near Ballinasloe in County Galway. It is a single-sex boys day school which has previously served as a boarding school. It is more commonly known as Garbally College (Irish: Coláiste Ghearrbhaile).

## History[edit]

St Joseph's College was founded as a Roman Catholic seminary in 1892 to help educate priests for the Diocese of Clonfert, which owns it.[4] It is managed by Michael Duignan, Bishop of Clonfert and Bishop of Galway, along with four other governors. It is staffed by a priest of the diocese and lay teachers.[5]

The college was established at Cartron with funds provided by James Madden.[5] Due to expansion the college was changed to Esker, near Athenry in 1894. In 1901, it moved to the building known locally as "The Pines", at Creagh, Ballinasloe.[6] In 1923, it moved to its present site at Garbally, once seat of the Earls of Clancarty. The Diocese purchased Garbally Court (built in 1819) and estate from the trustees of the Earls of Clancarty for £6,750 in 1922.[5]

In the 1940s, 50s and 60s two other members of the same Madden family, brothers John Madden of Killimor and George Madden of London bestowed many gifts on Garbally, including the funds to build the present science halls, study hall, extra classrooms and dining hall.[5]

Bishop John Kirby taught mathematics and coached the senior rugby team at the school in the late 1960s,[7] and was later appointed as president and principal of the college in September 1979.[8]

In September 2008, Garbally College's boarding facility officially ended after almost 85 years in existence.[9][10]

A consultation process began in early 2023 for Garbally College and Ardscoil Mhuire regarding the future of Catholic secondary school provision within Ballinasloe, conducted by their patrons the Diocese of Clonfert and the Catholic Education an Irish Schools Trust (CEIST).[11][12] In October 2023, it was announced that the two schools would be amalgamated to form a new co-educational school which would open in September 2025.[13]

## Curriculum[edit]

The school offers both the Junior and Leaving Certificate cycles and was one of the first schools to implement a Transition Year programme when it was introduced in 1973. Garbally offers all the mandatory subjects, along with woodwork, metalwork, home economics, technical graphics, business studies, design & communication and music.[14][15]

## Sport[edit]

Garbally College is known for its sporting tradition in rugby union, hurling, Gaelic football and soccer.[16][17] The college has won several Connacht Schools Senior Cups and Connacht Schools Junior Cups and has produced a number of Irish Rugby Internationals. Garbally has won the Senior Cup 48 times, most recently in 2020. Garbally have won the Junior Cup 43 times, most recently in 2019.[18] The last team to include borders, which won the cup, was in 2007.

## Notable alumni[edit]

See also: Category:People educated at Garbally College

Academia

* Patrick Gullane, Professor and Chair, Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, University of Toronto
* Philip Pettit, William Nelson Cromwell Professor of Politics at Princeton University[19]
* Michael Tierney, president of University College Dublin[20]

Arts and media

* Jim Fahy, RTÉ western correspondent, journalist, broadcaster and documentary maker[21]
* Desmond Hogan, novelist[22]
* Seán Moncrieff, media broadcaster/presenter[23]
* Ulick O'Connor, writer, historian and critic[24]
* Eoghan Ó Tuairisc, writer, poet, dramatist[25]
* Tommy Tiernan, comedian, actor and writer[26]

Business

* Ulick McEvaddy, businessman[27]

Politics

* Patrick Beegan, former Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála
* Seán Calleary, former Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála[28]
* Patrick Connolly, former Attorney General of Ireland.[29]
* Eamon Gilmore, Tánaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and the former Leader of the Labour Party[30]
* Brendan Glynn, former Fine Gael Teachta Dála
* Brian Hayes, Fine Gael Teachta Dála for Dublin South-West[31]
* Patrick Hogan, first Minister for Agriculture
* Seán Kenny, Labour Party Teachta Dála
* Tony Kett, former Fianna Fáil member of Seanad Éireann
* Gerry Reynolds, former Fine Gael Teachta Dála for Sligo–Leitrim[32]
* Michael Tierney, former Cumann na nGaedheal TD and president of University College Dublin
* Noel Treacy, former Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála for Galway East[33]

Religious

* Patrick Joseph Kelly, former Bishop of Benin City
* John Kirby, former Catholic Bishop of Clonfert[8]
* Michael Griffin, Catholic priest, murdered by Crown forces in 1920[34]
* John Fahy, priest, republican, agrarian and radical

Sports

* Michael Duignan, All-Ireland winning former Offaly hurler, RTÉ Gaelic games commentator.[35]
* Ciaran Fitzgerald, former Irish rugby international[36]
* Noel Mannion, former rugby player[37]
* Ray McLoughlin, former Irish rugby international and chairman and chief executive of The Crean Group[38]
* Johnny O'Connor, Irish rugby international[39]
* Tiernan O'Halloran, Irish rugby international[40]
* Willie Ruane, rugby player, CEO of Connacht Rugby
* Colm Reilly, rugby player[41]
* John Muldoon, rugby union coach, former player[42]
* Shane Jennings, Irish rugby international[43]

## Notable staff and former staff[edit]

* Ulick Burke, former Fine Gael Teachta Dála for Galway East
* John Dignan, former Bishop of Clonfert, served as president of the college[44]
* John Kirby, former Catholic Bishop of Clonfert, served as president of the college

## See also[edit]

* Garbally House
* Roman Catholic Diocese of Clonfert
* Roman Catholic Diocese of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora

## References[edit]

1. ^ "Paul Walsh New Garbally Principal" (PDF). Ballinasloe Life. Vol. 10, no. 3\. p. 27. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
2. ^ "Welcome for new Principal of St Joseph's College, Garbally Park, Ballinasloe. The Diocese of Clonfert is delighted to welcome the appointment of Mr Paul Walsh, MA as Principal of St Joseph's College, Garbally". 29 July 2020. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
3. ^ "Gov.ie - Coláiste Sheosaimh". gov.ie. Department of Education. 7 September 2021. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
4. ^ Ni Fhlatharta, Bernie (21 May 2013). "Garbally closes doors to boarders". Connacht Tribune. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
5. ^ a b c d "History – Garbally College". garballycollege.com. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
6. ^ Burke, Donal. "St. Joseph's College, Garbally". burkeseastgalway.com. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
7. ^ Cunningham, Enda (9 October 2014). "Galway Bay radio documentary remembers Garbally's stars of '69". Connacht Tribune. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
8. ^ a b "Bishop John Kirby". Diocese of Clonfert. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
9. ^ Ni Fhlatharta, Bernie (15 May 2008). "Garbally closes doors to boarders". Connacht Tribune. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
10. ^ "No more boarders". Irish Independent. 27 October 2005. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
11. ^ Cusack, Adrian (9 February 2023). "Ballinasloe's secondary schools to be consulted on whether to retain Catholic ethos". Westmeath Independent. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
12. ^ "Merger Talks for Secondary Schools" (PDF). Ballinasloe Life. Vol. 13, no. 1\. April 2023. p. 30\. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 April 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
13. ^ "Two secondary schools to amalgamate in Ballinasloe". Westmeath Independent. 10 October 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
14. ^ "Junior Cycle - Garbally College". garballycollege.com. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
15. ^ "Senior Cycle - Garbally College". garballycollege.com. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
16. ^ "Garbally College (@CGarbally) / Twitter". twitter.com. Retrieved 13 May 2022 - via Twitter. "Famed for our passion of all sports"
17. ^ "Sport & Recreation". garballycollege.com. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
18. ^ "Rugby - Garbally College". garballycollege.com. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
19. ^ "On The Idea Of Phenomenology by Philip Pettit". Goodreads. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
20. ^ "National Archives: Census of Ireland 1911". census.nationalarchives.ie. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
21. ^ Hyland, Paul (17 January 2022). "'A loving husband, a great father, a true son of Galway' – former RTÉ journalist Jim Fahy laid to rest". Irish Independent. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
22. ^ "The Fountain – Garbally Park, Ballinasloe October 1971. (School Magazine – St. Josephs College, Garbally Park, Ballinasloe, Co. Galway.)". AbeBooks. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
23. ^ "In my life . . . Sean Moncrieff". The Irish Times. 31 May 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
24. ^ "Tribune Sport". Connacht Tribune. 27 April 1984. p. 15.
25. ^ "Eoghan Ó Tuairisc". www.ricorso.net. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
26. ^ "Tommy Tiernan: 'Family life just happens – you can't control it'". Irish Independent. 24 October 2016. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
27. ^ "Brothers have come a long way from selling spare parts at Dublin Airport". The Irish Times. 27 August 1999. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
28. ^ "Connacht Rugby extend sympathies to the family of Sean Calleary". Connacht Rugby. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
29. ^ Collins, Liam (10 January 2016). "Act of kindness to a vile murderer destroyed Patrick Connolly's career". Irish Independent. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
30. ^ Collins, Stephen (27 May 2014). "Eamon Gilmore: Workers Party councillor from Galway who went on to lead Labour". The Irish Times. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
31. ^ Hancock, Ciarán (12 July 2019). "Why Brian Hayes went from searing critic to chief defender of banks". The Irish Times. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
32. ^ "Gerry Reynolds – Fine Gael". Fine Gael. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
33. ^ de Bréadún, Deaglán (6 February 2022). "Obituary: Noel Treacy, Fianna Fáil stalwart who as junior minister played vital roles in science, EU affairs". Irish Independent. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
34. ^ "The Disappearance and Discovery of Fr Michael Griffin". Galway City Museum. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
35. ^ "Michael Duignan – RTÉ's 'faithful' co-commentator". www.irelandsown.ie. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
36. ^ Doyle, Jim (4 June 2018). "Birth of Ciaran Fitzgerald, Former Rugby Union Player". seamusdubhghaill.com. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
37. ^ "Where are they now?". Irish Independent. 4 January 2012. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
38. ^ "Ray McLoughlin RIP". IRFU. 22 November 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
39. ^ "'I've got a great love for this place. I don't think I can do it justice, but I love it, absolutely f**king love it'". The 42. 1 September 2018. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
40. ^ McCarry, Patrick. "Tiernan O'Halloran's reason for picking Connacht over Galway was perfectly understandable". SportsJOE. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
41. ^ "Connacht's 21-year-old scrum-half Colm Reilly impresses in Italy". The 42. 25 November 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
42. ^ Thornley, Gerry (28 April 2018). "The end of an era: John Muldoon bids fond farewell to Connacht". The Irish Times. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
43. ^ "Six Connacht Academy players sign first Pro contracts for 2022/23 season". Connacht Rugby. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
44. ^ Ferriter, Diarmaid. "Dignan, John". Dictionary of Irish Biography. Royal Irish Academy. Archived from the original on 8 January 2022. Retrieved 11 May 2023.

## External links[edit]

* St. Joseph's College website (Colaiste Sheosaimh) Garbally College {Official College Website}
* Garbally College homepage (defunct)

* v
* t
* e

Fee-paying secondary schools in the Republic of Ireland

Connacht|

* Garbally College
* Sligo Grammar School
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Dublin|

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Leinster|

* Cistercian College, Roscrea
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Munster|

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Ulster|

* Monaghan Collegiate School

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