St. John the Baptist Church

Woodford Looscaun (Galway) County Galway

https://www.clonfertdiocese.ie/church/woodford/st-john-the-baptist-church-woodford/

 

St. John the Baptist’s church in Woodford stands majestically on top of Bark Hill overlooking the peaceful village and it’s rustic hinterland. It was erected in 1857 shortly after the famine, through donations and free labour from the local community. The project was supervised by the then Parish Priest Fr. Clark.

The church is standard cruciform and some of its notable features are its stained glass windows, marble railings to the side and rear of the alar, open air bell and landscape grounds. Te church was recently renovated and provides a highly congenial environment for its parishioners as a place of worship.

The adjoining parochial house was built in 1900 by Rev. Fr. Patrick Costello, Parish Priest in Woodford 1889 – 1901. In the adjacent graveyard the earliest burial record legible is a headstone dated 1861. https://www.woodfordgalway.com/index.php/heritage-centre

Like many Catholic churches in south Galway, this one dates to the period after Emancipation, when the increased freedom, prosperity and confidence of the Church led to the replacement of smaller more modest structures with more commodious and decorative buildings. It’s simple form with subtle decorative details makes it a pleasing feature in the village. Artistic interest is added to the interior by a coherent scheme of late nineteenth century stained-glass windows, with each light depicting a saint or evangelist. The site is enhanced by extensive lawned grounds, with priests' graves and a presbytery adding to the context of the site. https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/30342011/saint-john-the-baptist-church-bark-hill-woodford-woodford-galway

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