placenamesKilglass
Cill Ghlas
Kilglass's nineteenth-century church and the changing buildings of its national school record two long-running institutions in this part of west Sligo.
The name
These Irish name elements are associated with this record in the Logainm glossary.
An element’s translation is a clue, rather than a complete explanation of the name. Its form and meaning depend on local history and the full Irish name.
Recorded forms
- Cill Ghlas · Irish · main form · validated name
- Kilglass · English · main form
Place & story
A church above the road junction
Kilglass Church of Ireland dates from around 1829 and belongs to the Board of First Fruits building tradition. Its three-stage tower rises to an octagonal spire behind a battlemented parapet, contrasting with the rendered nave. The National Inventory records limestone buttresses, pointed windows and decorative iron entrance gates. In the adjoining graveyard, stone memorials stand alongside wrought- and cast-iron grave markers, extending the record of local craftsmanship beyond the church itself. [2]
From thatch to a permanent school
Kilglass National School's own history dates its opening on the present site to 1872, initially in a thatched building. A replacement constructed in 1902 survives within the later school complex. An extension and remodelling followed in 1951. The account therefore distinguishes the founding of the institution from the date of its surviving early building, tracing successive investment in schooling rather than a single construction event. [3]
Changing facilities over time
Further school changes in the 1980s included a new roof and wiring, and indoor toilets replacing the separate outdoor block. An old shelter subsequently became office and learning-support accommodation. In 2011 three classrooms and an office were added while the existing building was remodelled. Another extension followed in 2016. These dated adaptations show how an older school site continued to accommodate changing classroom and support needs. [3]
Geographic information
Sources & further reading
- Logainm.ie — Kilglass. Place names and geographic record, licensed under CC BY 4.0.
- Kilglass Church, NIAH 32401607 · National Inventory of Architectural Heritage
- History of Kilglass National School · Kilglass National School
Name record retrieved 2026-10-25 · Source record modified 2026-09-19. How this page was prepared.