St. Joseph's College, Garbally Park ( Irish: ''Coláiste Sheosaimh Naofa'') is an Irish voluntary Catholic secondary school situated in Garbally Park, the former seat of the Earl of Clancarty, near Ballinasloe in

County Galway "Righteousness and Justice" , anthem = () , image_map = Island of Ireland location map Galway.svg , map_caption = Location in Ireland , area_footnotes = , area_total_km2 = ...

. 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

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. It is managed by Michael Duignan, Bishop of Clonfert and

Bishop of Galway Galway ( ; ga, Gaillimh, ) is a city in the West of Ireland, in the province of Connacht, which is the county town of County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lough Corrib and Galway Bay. It is the most populous settlement in t ...

, along with four other governors. It is staffed by a priest of the diocese and lay teachers. The college was established at Cartron with funds provided by James Madden. 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 Creagh is an Irish surname derived from the Gaelic ''Craobhach'', meaning "branch". The Creagh family was first found in County Clare, where they held a family seat from ancient times. It is also the name of several locations throughout the islan ...

, Ballinasloe. In 1923, it moved to its present site at Garbally, once seat of the

Earls of Clancarty Earl of Clancarty is a title that has been created twice in the Peerage of Ireland. History The title was created for the first time in 1658 in favour of Donough MacCarty, 2nd Viscount Muskerry, of the MacCarthy of Muskerry dynasty. He had e ...

. The Diocese purchased Garbally Court (built in 1819) and estate from the trustees of the Earls of Clancarty for £6,750 in 1922. 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.

Curriculum

The school offers both the Junior and

Leaving Certificate A secondary school leaving qualification is a document signifying that the holder has fulfilled any secondary education requirements of their locality, often including the passage of a final qualification examination. For each leaving certifica ...

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 Business studies, often simply called business, is a field of study that deals with the principles of business, management, and economics. It combines elements of accountancy, finance, marketing, organizational studies, human resource management, a ...

, design & communication and music.

Sport

Garbally College is known for its sporting tradition in rugby union,

hurling Hurling ( ga, iománaíocht, ') is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic Irish origin, played by men. One of Ireland's native Gaelic games, it shares a number of features with Gaelic football, such as the field and goals, the number of p ...

Gaelic football Gaelic football ( ga, Peil Ghaelach; short name '), commonly known as simply Gaelic, GAA or Football is an Irish team sport. It is played between two teams of 15 players on a rectangular grass pitch. The objective of the sport is to score by kic ...

and

soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...

. The college has won several Connacht Schools Senior Cups and

Connacht Schools Junior Cup The Connacht Schools Junior Challenge Cup is an under-age rugby union competition for schools affiliated to the Connacht Branch of the IRFU. Competition is confined to students under the age of 16. The final is held in March each year in the G ...

s 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. The last team to include borders, which won the cup, was in 2007.

Notable alumni

;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 * Michael Tierney, president of University College Dublin ;Arts and media *

Jim Fahy James Fahy (21 November 1946 – 14 January 2022) was an Irish journalist broadcaster, journalist and documentary-maker. He was the Western Editor for RTÉ News and was RTÉ's longest-serving regional correspondent at the time of his retirement ...

, RTÉ western correspondent, journalist, broadcaster and documentary maker * Desmond Hogan, novelist * Seán Moncrieff, media broadcaster/presenter *

Ulick O'Connor Ulick O'Connor (; ; 12 October 1928 – 7 October 2019) was an Irish literature, Irish writer, historian and critic. Early life Born in Rathgar, County Dublin, in 1928 to Matthew O'Connor, the Dean of the Royal College of Surgeons, O'Connor a ...

, writer, historian and critic * Eoghan Ó Tuairisc, writer, poet, dramatist *

Tommy Tiernan Tommy Tiernan (; born 16 June 1969) is an Irish comedian, actor, and writer. He is best known for hosting ''The Tommy Tiernan Show'' (2017–present) and playing Gerry in the sitcom ''Derry Girls'' (2018–2022). Early life Tiernan was born in ...

, comedian, actor and writer ;Business * Ulick McEvaddy, businessman ;Politics * Patrick Beegan, former Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála * Seán Calleary, former Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála * Patrick Connolly, former Attorney General of Ireland. * Eamon Gilmore, Tánaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and the former Leader of the Labour Party * Brendan Glynn, former Fine Gael Teachta Dála * Brian Hayes, Fine Gael Teachta Dála for Dublin South-West * Patrick Hogan, first

Minister for Agriculture An agriculture ministry (also called an) agriculture department, agriculture board, agriculture council, or agriculture agency, or ministry of rural development) is a ministry charged with agriculture. The ministry is often headed by a minister f ...

* Seán Kenny, Labour Party Teachta Dála *

Tony Kett Tony Kett (1 June 1951 – 19 April 2009) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician and member of Seanad Éireann. In 1997, he was elected to the 21st Seanad by the Administrative Panel. He was elected again in 2002 and in 2007. Born in Woodlawn, C ...

, former Fianna Fáil member of Seanad Éireann * Gerry Reynolds, former Fine Gael Teachta Dála for Sligo–Leitrim * Michael Tierney, former

Cumann na nGaedheal Cumann na nGaedheal (; "Society of the Gaels") was a political party in the Irish Free State, which formed the government from 1923 to 1932. In 1933 it merged with smaller groups to form the Fine Gael party. Origins In 1922 the pro-Treaty G ...

TD and president of University College Dublin * Noel Treacy, former Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála for Galway East ;Religious *

Patrick Joseph Kelly Patrick Joseph Kelly (19 March 19578 May 1987), was an Irish commander of the East Tyrone Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army during the mid-1980s until his death in a Special Air Service ambush at Loughgall, County Armagh in May ...

, former Bishop of Benin City * John Kirby, former Catholic Bishop of Clonfert * Michael Griffin, Catholic priest, murdered by Crown forces in 1920 * John Fahy, priest, republican, agrarian and radical ;Sports * Michael Duignan, All-Ireland winning former Offaly hurler, RTÉ Gaelic games commentator. * Ciaran Fitzgerald, former Irish rugby international *

Noel Mannion Noel Mannion (born 12 January 1963 in Ballinasloe, Ireland) is a former Irish rugby union international player who played for the Irish national rugby union team. He played as a number eight. He played for the Ireland team from 1988 to 1993, wi ...

, former rugby player * Ray McLoughlin, former Irish rugby international and chairman and chief executive of The Crean Group * Johnny O'Connor, Irish rugby international *

Tiernan O'Halloran Tiernan O'Halloran (Irish name: ''Tiernan Ó hAllaráin''; born 26 February 1991) is a professional rugby union player from Ireland. He primarily plays as a fullback or on the wing. O'Halloran currently plays for Irish provincial side Connacht i ...

, Irish rugby international *

Willie Ruane Willie Ruane (born 10 August 1975) is a former professional rugby union player from Ireland who currently serves as chief executive officer of his former team Connacht Rugby. During his playing career he primarily played as a fullback. Playin ...

, rugby player, CEO of Connacht Rugby *

Colm Reilly Colm Reilly (born 8 September 1999) is an Irish rugby union player for Connacht in the Pro14. Reilly's primary position is scrum-half. He is the son of Stephen Reilly, a former principal of Garbally College. Rugby career Reilly came throug ...

, rugby player * John Muldoon, rugby union coach, former player *

Shane Jennings Shane Jennings (born 8 July 1981) is an Irish former professional rugby union player. He played at openside flanker for Leinster Rugby and Ireland. He was also registered to St Mary's College. Club career Jennings impressed for Leinster in the ...

, Irish rugby international

Notable staff and former staff

* Ulick Burke, Fine Gael Teachta Dála for Galway East

References

External links

St. Joseph's College website (Colaiste Sheosaimh) Garbally College

{{Private schools in the Republic of Ireland Ballinasloe Private schools in the Republic of Ireland Boys' schools in the Republic of Ireland Secondary schools in County Galway Educational institutions established in 1892 1892 establishments in Ireland