# Garbally College

St. Joseph's College, Garbally Park (Irish: Coláiste Sheosaimh) is an Irish voluntary Catholic secondary school situated in Garbally Park, the former seat of the Earl of Clancarty, near Ballinasloe in County Galway. It is a single-sex boys day school which has previously served as a boarding school. It is more commonly known as Garbally College (Irish: Coláiste Ghearrbhaile).

## History

St Joseph's College was founded as a Roman Catholic seminary in 1892 to help educate priests for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Clonfert. Today, it is a voluntary Catholic Secondary School under the patronage of the Catholic Bishop of Clonfert. It is managed by a Board of Management in accordance with the Articles of Management for Catholic Secondary Schools.
The college was established at Cartron with funds provided by James Madden. Due to expansion the college was changed to Esker, near Athenry in 1894. In 1901, it moved to the building known locally as "The Pines", at Creagh, Ballinasloe. In 1923, it moved to its present site at Garbally, once seat of the Earls of Clancarty. The Diocese purchased Garbally Court (built in 1819) and estate from the trustees of the Earls of Clancarty for £6,750 in 1922.
In the 1940s, 50s and 60s two other members of the same Madden family, brothers John Madden of Killimor and George Madden of London bestowed many gifts on Garbally, including the funds to build the present science halls, study hall, extra classrooms and dining hall.
Bishop John Kirby taught mathematics and coached the senior rugby team at the school in the late 1960s, and was later appointed as president and principal of the college in September 1979.
In September 2008, Garbally College's boarding facility officially ended after almost 85 years in existence.
A consultation process began in early 2023 for Garbally College and Ardscoil Mhuire regarding the future of Catholic secondary school provision within Ballinasloe, conducted by their patrons the Diocese of Clonfert and the Catholic Education an Irish Schools Trust (CEIST). In October 2023, it was announced that the two schools would be amalgamated to form a new co-educational school which will open in September 2025 named Clonfert College, with principal Pauric Hanlon

## Curriculum

The school offers both the Junior and Leaving Certificate cycles and was one of the first schools to implement a Transition Year programme when it was introduced in 1973. Garbally offers all the mandatory subjects, along with woodwork, metalwork, home economics, technical graphics, business studies, design & communication and music.

## Sport

Garbally College is known for its sporting tradition in rugby union, hurling, Gaelic football and soccer. The college has won several Connacht Schools Senior Cups and Connacht Schools Junior Cups and has produced a number of Irish Rugby Internationals. Garbally has won the Senior Cup 48 times, most recently in 2020. Garbally have won the Junior Cup 43 times, most recently in 2019. The last team to include borders, which won the cup, was in 2007.

## Notable alumni
### Academia

* Patrick Gullane, Professor and Chair, Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, University of Toronto
* Philip Pettit, William Nelson Cromwell Professor of Politics at Princeton University
* Michael Tierney, president of University College Dublin

### Arts and media

* Jim Fahy, RTÉ western correspondent, journalist, broadcaster and documentary maker
* Desmond Hogan, novelist
* Seán Moncrieff, media broadcaster/presenter
* Ulick O'Connor, writer, historian and critic
* Eoghan Ó Tuairisc, writer, poet, dramatist
* Tommy Tiernan, comedian, actor and writer

### Business

* Ulick McEvaddy, businessman

### Politics

* Patrick Beegan, former Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála
* Seán Calleary, former Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála
* Patrick Connolly, former Attorney General of Ireland.
* Eamon Gilmore, Tánaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and the former Leader of the Labour Party
* Brendan Glynn, former Fine Gael Teachta Dála
* Brian Hayes, Fine Gael Teachta Dála for Dublin South-West
* Patrick Hogan, first Minister for Agriculture
* Seán Kenny, Labour Party Teachta Dála
* Tony Kett, former Fianna Fáil member of Seanad Éireann
* Gerry Reynolds, former Fine Gael Teachta Dála for Sligo–Leitrim
* Michael Tierney, former Cumann na nGaedheal TD and president of University College Dublin
* Noel Treacy, former Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála for Galway East

### Religious

* Patrick Joseph Kelly, former Bishop of Benin City
* John Kirby, former Catholic Bishop of Clonfert
* Michael Griffin, Catholic priest, murdered by Crown forces in 1920
* John Fahy, priest, republican, agrarian and radical

### Sports

* Michael Duignan, All-Ireland winning former Offaly hurler, RTÉ Gaelic games commentator.
* Ciaran Fitzgerald, former Irish rugby international
* Noel Mannion, former rugby player
* Ray McLoughlin, former Irish rugby international and chairman and chief executive of The Crean Group
* Johnny O'Connor, Irish rugby international
* Tiernan O'Halloran, Irish rugby international
* Willie Ruane, rugby player, CEO of Connacht Rugby
* Colm Reilly, rugby player
* John Muldoon, rugby union coach, former player
* Shane Jennings, Irish rugby international

## Notable staff and former staff

* Ulick Burke, former Fine Gael Teachta Dála for Galway East
* John Dignan, former Bishop of Clonfert, served as president of the college
* John Kirby, former Catholic Bishop of Clonfert, served as president of the college