Gortnahoe

(Dr. Willie Nolan)

 The church in Gortnahoe stands on a crossroads leading to the main road to Dublin. The church was renovated after 1921 when Fr. John Walshe became parish priest (1921-1941) and it was dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus by Archbishop John M. Harty on 7th. September 1924.  Gortnahoe church was further renovated and re-dedicated on 15th. June 1975.  The sanctuary was re-planned in accordance with Vatican II, oil-fired heating was installed, additions were made to the sacristy, new windows gave more light to the sanctuary, the building was re-decorated inside and outside.

 The parochial house is situated in Gortnahoe and was built in 1870.  However , Fr. Meighan, the parish priest from 1805-1847 lived in Pastorville near Ballysloe village. This was a private residence and was later sold.  The curate's house was built in 1905 by Fr. Philip Fitzgerald. This house is situated about one mile from Gortnahoe, so in fact the two houses are at the same end of the parish.  Gortnahoe in 1889 had 9 houses.  In that year the grocer was Pat Dunne and the doctor was Dr. P. Burke. The old school still stands beside the church.  A new school was built to replace it in 1947.  The old village hall was built in 1946 this has since been replaced by the community centre completed in 1992.  Until the mis-1950’s a Garda station was situated in the village.

 There are two ringforts near Gortnahoe. The first, behind Jack Duggan’ is a small one, only about 70ft. in diameter and is very much overgrown.  There is a fosse, a small moat approximately 14 ft. wide inside the outside bank.  The other ringfort is behind Michael O'Briens house in Rathbeg, about 3 miles from Gortnahoe.  It has a diameter of approximately 150 ft.  The outside bank is well preserved it's about 5 ft. high and about 14 ft. wide, the fosse inside is approximately 20 ft. and 7 ft. deep.