The Catholic parish of Killoscobe was founded in 1306 and Skehana became part of that parish in 1848. It is one of the 56 parishes in the Diocese of Tuam. It is probably better known today as the parish of Menlough.
A parish with little visible change for many decades has been transformed in the last decade. A large number of new houses built all over the parish are a testament to the growing popularity of this rural location.
There is an expanding commuter population living here as is evidenced by a constant stream of commuters passing through this parish in the mornings and evenings. There are now just two pubs in the parish, one in Menlough village and one in the townland of Guilka.
The parish has two National schools. The National schools are in Menlough village and at Garbally. There were formerly four national schools, but Ballinruane closed in the early 2000s while Corgary also closed during Summer 2013.
Skehana Church. Photo: Gerry Costello
List of Priests that served in Skehana since 1848
Here I have researched each priest on the list and have added as much information as I could find about them. Click on the name below to find out more. Not all research has been completed so do drop back from time to time for updates as my research continues.
Prior to this point Skehana was in the Parish of Moylough and is still, today, part of the Civil Parish of Moylough which is important to be aware of, should one be doing research. The last CC in the parish of Moylough/Skehana was Fr John J Noone who became PP of the Parish of Killascobe (Menlough and Skehana combined) in 1847.
Fr. Edward Whelan 1848 – 1849
Fr. Austin O’Dwyer 1849 – 1850
Fr. Pat Sheridan 1853 – 1856
Fr. Geoffrey Burke 1856 – 1858
Fr. Roger Geraghty 1861 – 1864
Fr. Patrick Walsh 1867 – 1869
Fr. Peter Geraghty 1869 – 1871
Fr. John Walsh 1871 – 1873
Fr. James Ronan 1873 – 1876
Fr. Joe Canton 1876 – 1877
Fr. Mark Eagleton 1877 – 1881
Fr. James Killeen 1881 – 1882
Fr. William Rhattigan 1882 – 1884
Fr. Matt Lavelle 1884 – 1887
Fr. Martin Colleran 1887 – 1890
Fr. John O’Dea 1890 – 1897
Fr. Tom Macken 1897 – 1899
Fr. Pat Keaveney 1899 – 1903
Fr. Tom Crean-Lynch 1903 – 1906
Fr. Edward Walsh 1906 – 1909
Fr. Pat Waldron 1909 – 1910
Fr. Tom Crean-Lynch 1910 – 1911
Fr. Patrick Joyce 1911 – 1912
Fr. William Mangan 1912 – 1913
Fr. Peter Curran 1913 – 1914
Fr. Peter Varden 1914 – 1919
Fr. Patrick Murphy 1919 – 1923
Fr. John Waldron 1923 – 1924
Fr. Michael Hennelly 1924 – 1926
Fr. Matthew Loftus 1926 – 1931
Fr. Thomas Burke 1931 – 1936
Fr. James Heaney 1940 – 1947
Fr. Patrick Moran 1947 – 1953
Fr. Malachy Stephens 1953 – 1954
Fr. Peter Loftus 1936 – 1940
Fr. Martin O’Donnell 1954 – 1959
Fr. John Philbin 1959 – 1962
Fr. Charles Gibbons 1962 – 1964 (Died in Skehana in 1964)
Fr. Tom Molloy 1964 – 1970
Fr. Patrick Henry 1970 – 1983
Fr. Pat O’Brien 1983 – 1995
Fr. Seán Kilbane 1995 – 1999
Fr. Michael Higgins 1999 – 2000
Since July 2000 Skehana has had no resident Priest. The area is now presently served by the Parish Priest in Menlough. This is likely to change in the future with the plan to cluster parishes throughout the Diocese
Some other facts and stories about the church:
The Costello family, Garbally have served as Sacristans in Skehana Church also for many years even though there has been a few breaks in service. Michael Costello (who was also the area postman for many years) served for 40 years, his son Mark for 5 years and Mark’s brother Mikie served for 36 years until his death in 2001, and then finally Mikie’s son, Gerry, served for 6 years until his resignation in July 2007 giving a total of 87 years of family service. Gerry also served as Church Organist for 29 years from 1978 to 2007.
Taken from the Gallery in 1966 before major renovations at that time. Photo: Courtesy Robert Snee – Rework & Enhancements by Gerry Costello Photography.
When Skehana Church was built in 1861 the main doorway was at the rear of the church where a window was installed some years ago. close to where the gallery stairs now exists. The floor was just soil/clay with only two seats which were at the front of the church. It is thought that these seats, which are now placed at the rear of the gallery, were reserved for the Fitzgerald-Kenny family who built the church and who were the local landlords. If you stand facing the altar you will notice an alcove to the left, more or less corresponding to the sacristy door on the right. It is believed that this was a door for the use of the Fitzgerald-Kenny family to enter and leave the church. In doing this they would not have to mingle with the ordinary people who were standing behind their seats at the front and who used the door at the rear of the church. A special tomb was constructed for the family just outside that door also and this was accessible via a set of stairs that were under the floorboards just about the location where the lectern now stands. The cast-iron railed tomb was demolished in the mid 1960s and is now just a tiled slab.
In my grandfathers time as sacristan, the original Skehana Church bell was taken to Menlough Church and replaced with the bell that was already in Menlough Church. The Skehana bell had a richer tone and the parish priest, Fr Pat Nicholson, decreed that the Parish church should have the better sounding bell and thus the church bells were swapped. My grandfather was furious with such an action and tried to get it back to no avail.
Both Skehana and Menlough Churches had central heating installed in late 1965 for the first time ever. Up until then the churches had no form of heating at all. Both churches had their first Sound/PA Systems installed in 1967 by John Byrne from Claremorris.
In 1968/69 Skehana church was renovated. The old high altar was replaced with a new marble altar facing the people. The church thinking at this time was minimalist in its sanctuary’s so there was no place for the life size statue of Our Lord laying in his tomb that was contained in the glass surround at the bottom of the old altar. It was practise at this time to destroy or burn objects that were consecrated so one glorious sunny Saturday afternoon, a few people gathered and the large statue, together with a statue from an old crib of a kneeling shepherd that was about 40 inches in height and lay under the gallery stairs along with the six tall brass candlesticks from the old altar were laid to rest in one large grave about three metres from the Fitzgerald-Kenny resting place in the church yard. In those days, of course, the church had only a narrow drive around. This grave now lies under the present car park.
Funds were hard come by in those days and much of the renovation work was donated. People were asked also to pay half a crown (which was 16 cent in today’s currency) per week from March until September. Nothing was wasted. The contractor that carried out the work was Joe Conroy from Cloonkeen-Abbert and every man in the Skehana half-parish also gave days as labourers as required.
One September Sunday afternoon at 3.00pm there was an Auction of old and left-over items. Joe Conroy was the auctioneer for the day and I was given the job as clerk to the auctioneer. Everything was sold – old floor boards that were taken out were much sought after as half of the church and all of the sanctuary and sacristy had timber floors up until then. A few old doors, some carpet strips, some stands and tables and even the lino that was on the sacristy floor fetched two shillings. The one item that was there but was not meant to be sold was the old altar but Joe was not told this and sold it for £5.10.00.
Later that evening I dropped the days takings to Fr. Molloy when he came home from Galway and he was most surprised to have actually accumulated £34.15.00 after the day. Asking how it was all accumulated, I gave him the list of items sold and the amount each was sold for. When I pointed out to him that the altar brought in over £5, it was then he remembered that he forgot to tell Joe not to sell the altar. I got five shillings for my part which was a great days wages even then.
Gerry Costello