The history of Bearna as a place of Christian worship has been documented in a fascinating new booklet produced by the Salthill Men’s Shed and Community Heritage Group.
Bearna na Forbacha – Worship through the Ages is an account of the evolution of the parish, its church buildings past and present, and it also mentions a few notable individuals associated with the ecclesiastic history of the village..
The parish of Bearna na Forbacha was originally part of Rahoon, and later, Salthill. Eventually it was designated a parish in its own right in 1972.
The ruins of an old, ivy covered chapel are still in existence today, as denoted on Larkin’s Map of 1819. Eagle-eyed visitors to Silverstrand might spot them en route to the beach. Author Seamus Hickey offers tantalising clues that this chapel may be 100 years older, and that some forms of worship, probably pre-Christian, occured across the lane at Tobair Éinne (St Enda’s Well ) since the 5th century.
Controversial priest Fr Peter Daly began a programme in the late 1820s to build three churches: one each in Moycullen, Bushypark and Bearna, all dedicated to St James.
In 1933 the chapel at Furbo was constructed under the guidance of Canon Peter Davis, the parish priest of Rahoon.
Two of the old tribal families of Galway, the Lynches of Bearna and the Blakes of Furbo also played a significant role in the development of the area, providing land for churches and educational opportunities for the local children.
Hickey is a lifelong resident of Bearna with a passion for the history and culture of the area. He has a particular interest in Galway church history. “I hope this booklet provides the community in the Galway area with an appreciation of local heritage and a clear insight into the history of Bearna na Forbacha parish,” he said.
This 2025 national heritage project was sponsored by Heritage Keepers as part of a nationwide initiative for community groups to explore their built, cultural and heritage environment.
Digital copies of the free booklet are available online from the Salthill Men’s Shed website. A limited number of printed copies are available by request at their HQ in Galilee House, Monksfield, in Salthill.
