Church of St Ignatius,

Built in about a year, the Jesuit Church was dedicated by Bishop McEvilly on 31 July 1863, the feast of St Ignatius. Architect J. V. Roberts of Waterford designed it in Gothic style; the builders were Semple & Nugent of Galway. It is a Latin-cross plan in hammered limestone ashlar. The high altar of Caen stone was replaced by a marble one in 1878, reputedly installed by Patrick Pearse’s father. The shrine of Our Lady of the Wayside was designed by Michael Scott, with mosaic by Louis Le Brocquy. The great bell in the spire, cast by Murphy’s Foundry Dublin, was awarded a prize before installation in 1889.