Father Murray,St.Mary's Church Athlone kindly forwarded a copy of a History of that parish by Gearoid O Brien.In the book about over a page deals with Father Kieran Kilroe,who was born in 1798 in Shannonbridge,son of Thomas Kilroe.Educated in a school in Ballinasloe.In 1818 went to a clerical college in Bayeaux,where he remained for seven years.He spent a short time as a proffesor in a college in the south of France before Dr.McGovern called him home and appointed him to a curacy in Mohill.Appointed a curate in St.Mary's c1927.He was made Administrator in 1834 and in 1845 he became Parish Priest of St.Mary's.Fr Kilroe was a member of Athlone Town Commissioners from 1845 to 1855.Fr.Kilroe conducted a Latin school in Athlone in the early 1830's.Fr.Kilroe with his curateof 24years,Fr.Patrick Dardis was responsible for the erection of the present St.Mary's Church in Athlone between 1857 and 1862.Fr.Kilroe died in 1865 and the day after his funeral Fr.Dardis died.

St.Mary's Parish book has a lot of interesting meanings for the townlands in the parish.
-Ardnaglug ,the height of the bells.
-Athlone, the ford of Luan and refers to two popular versions.Like Snam Da En(Swim two birds)
-Ballykeeran, road of the rowan-tree.
-Kilnafaddoge, Cill na bhfeadog,church of the plovers or Coill an bhfeadog,wood of the plovers.
-Moydrum, Magh Droma,plain of the ridge.
And there are more.
By coincidence a man from Inistioge in Kilkenny named Cuddy told me recently that the translation for Inistioge is Island of the Young Virgin or Virgins.

The book also has information on priests that served in St.Mary's.Ones to catch the eye
-Father Patrick Reddy,native of Shannonbridge born c1845.Ordained outside Maynooth 1867/68
served in Athlone 1878-1881,Cloghan 1895-1905.Died 15th August 1905 and is buried in Clonmacnois.He went to Canada with Bishop Conroy in April 1875 on a visit.
In a letter dated 2nd November 1882 to Bishop Woodlock,in reference to St.Mary's,Athlone,Father Reddy says"as a relative of the two priests that built St.Mary's I must always continue to take a friendly interest in it.
Fr.Patrick Lane son of John Lane N.T. and Kate Agnes Gallagher,Shannonbridge,
Fr Mark Mimnagh Fr Donal O Lehane Fr Aidan Ryan Fr Sean Tynan and Fr Francis O'Hanlon all worked at some time in St.Mary's.

John Count McCormack was born the fourth of eleven children of Andrew McCormack and Hannah Watson on 14th June 1884.He was baptized in St.Mary's on 23rd June by Fr.McGeoy.Pages of interesting news on Mc Cormack and other items on Athlone.
stmarysparishathlone@eircom.net