ABOUT St Andrew’s Church, Bagenalstown

Phase 1: 1817 The Church in Dunleckney was closed and the Church in Bagenalstown was opened for Christmas Day 1820. The entrance was from where the window is on the Men’s side. It probably went as far as the altar. Some say that part of this was rebuilt later.
Phase 2: Renovated 1893 to what it is today, almost. The Steeple was added. Bernard Deegan, Royal Oak Road Chief Masons were Doyle’s. It was opened by the Bishop of Waterford in Oct. 1893 by the then Bishop of Waterford. The Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin blessed the steeple.
Phase 3: Porches inside aisles were added c. 1917. Architect/builder was a man named Foley, a brother of Bishop Foley.
Phase 4: Mortuary added in Mgr. Conway’s time.
Fr. Dowling renovated the Sanctuary c. 1978.
(Cobden never mentioned, people were only interested in the local people. The Land for the Church was given by the Newton Family, the successors to the Bagenals. They also gave the land for Newtown Church.)