Name of Parish and something of its history
Because the Parish Church is located in the Village of Gurteen the Parish is known as Gurteen. However the official name of the Parish is Kilfree and Killaraght. Originally Kilfree and Killaraght were two separate Parishes.
However in 1851, Fr. Constantine Cosgrave, Parish Priest of Killaraght was
transferred to Keash and from then on Killaraght ceased to be a Parish of its own
and was amalgamated with Kilfree to form the present Parish.
Kilfree gave its name to the Parish because the Parish Church was originally located
in the Townland of Kilfree.. The site of this Church is said to have been located in Convey’s field (off the Gurteen to Ballaghaderreen road). Archdeacon O’Rourke,
writing towards the end of the 19th century, says that the ruins of the Church were then visible. In 1829 a new Church was built in Gurteen Village which was on the site of the present Church. Before the Church was built in Gurteen, or Rathmadder to be exact, the Parish Priest lived in the Townland of Kilfree. However there is no trace today of where this house was located. Archdeacon O’Rourke in his history of Sligo refers to a Fr. Cunnane who was Parish Priest and lived in the Townland of Kilfree in the early years of the 19th century. In 1825 Fr. Roger MacDermot was Parish Priest and he may well have been the last Parish Priest to live in Kilfree.
The present Parish Church was built in 1866. The building commenced in spring of 1866 and was officially opened on November 25th of that year. The Architect was George Goldie of London who also designed the Cathedral in Ballaghaderreen and Ballymote Parish Church.
St Joseph’s Church, Cloonloo was built in 1873 and St.Attracta’s Church, Killaraght was built in 1875.
Killaraght is the most historical area in the Parish. The earliest Churches in this area lay about two miles east of the present Church, in the Townland of Killaraght itself. They were situated in the old cemetery which was an early Christian site founded by St. Attracta and developed in medieval times. There are historical references to the place from the 5th century down to 1594.
Former Priests
Fr. Cunnane or Queenan served in the early years of the 19th century but exact dates are unknown.
Roger MacDermot was Parish Priest in 1825 and may have continued until 1834.
Peter Brennan 1834-1854
Roger Brennan 1854-1880
John McDermott 1881-1882
Peter O’Donoghue 1882-1896
Patrick Lowry 1896-1905
James O’Connor 1905-1944
Thomas Gallagher 1944-1955
James Colleran 1955-1968
Thomas A. McVann 1968-1978
Patrick Towey 1978-1992
John Doherty 1992-2009
Joe Caulfield 2009- Present
Former Curates
P. Duffy 1836 - Unknown
Roger Brennan 1836-1841
Bernard Egan 1842-1843
John Coughlan 1844 - 1846
John McDonnell 1847 - 1850
Patrick Roddy 1852 - 1858
John McDermott 1859 - 1860
Domnick O'Grady 1860 - 1861
Matthew Leonard 1862 - 1864
Patrick Killoran 1864 - 1868
Patrick Lowry 1868 - 1869
John McDonnell 1847 - 1850
James Keavney 1871 - 1876
Patrick Hunt 1877 - 1880
J. Horan 1880 - 1881
Michael Keavney 1882 - 1883
J. Brown 1883 - 1885
Patrick Conlon 1883 - 1885
Martin Henry 1885 - 1886
Patrick Conlon 1886 - 1888
Patrick A. Filan 1887 - 1890
Bartholmew Quinn 1889 - 1890
Walter Henry 1894 - 1897
Arthur Devine 1894 - 1895
Michael Durkin 1898 - 1899
Philip Mulligan 1900 - 1901
Domnic McGowan 1900 - 1905
Hugh O'Donnell 1903 - 1904
Michael Harte 1905 - 1906
John McKoen 1905 -1908 & 1912 - 1919
Edward Henry 1908 -1911 & 1921 - 1925
John Casey 1926 - 1939
James Shryane 1929 - 1930
Philip Durkan 1931 - 1934
Michael O'Hara 1934 - 1943
James McVann 1939 - 1941
James Shryane 1941 - 1951
Eddie O'Hara 1943 - 1948
James B. Walsh 1948 - 1952
James Henry 1952 - 1960
Paddy O'Leary 1960 - 1968
James Walsh 1963 - 1964
John Wims 1964 - 1968
Michael McLoughlin 1968 - 1977
Martin McManus 1968 - 1972
John Doherty 1972 - 1973 (Columban Priest: Co. Clare)
Charles Doherty 1973 - 1989
Michael Giblin 1977 - 1978
James Flannery 1981 - 1991
Don Shelly 1989 - 1990
Tommie Mulligan 1991 - 1997
John Durkan 1997 - 2001
Stephen O'Mahony 2001 - 2002
Gabriel Murphy 2002 - 2009
Tomas Surlis 2009 - 2011