There is a magnificent stained-glass window in St. Joseph's Church, Ballindine. It features the Holy Family, Jesus, Mary and Joseph, and on it are the words -
" Gift of Mary McCann - in loving memory of her parents, Thomas and Letitia Corcoran".
This window, donated in 1926, was created by the renowned artist, Harry Clarke, of Dublin, and is regarded as one of the finest examples of his work in the country.
Who was Thomas Corcoran?
Thomas Corcoran was appointed as a Teacher in Ballindine Boys school in 1853. Thomas and his wife, Letitia, are buried close to the gate in the graveyard of the Church.Mary McCann, who donated the window, was his daughter. Mary, and all her brothers and sisters were educated by their father at Ballindine National School.Mary’s sister. Anne Nolan, was Principal of the Girls School in Ballindine. Mary emigrated to California in America, where she married George McCann, also from Ireland.
In 1926, the church was being renovated and Mary McCann donated the stained-glass window for St. Joseph's Church in her home town of Ballindine, as a memorial to her late parents. Her nephew, the Rev. Michael Canon Corcoran (son of John Corcoran) and his sister, Anne Corcoran Tully, selected the design of the window.

Harry Clarke

Harry Clarke was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1889. His father was a craftsman who produced, stained glass windows. He began to work with his father in stained glass at the age of 16. From 1910 to 1913 he attended the Dublin Metropolitan School of Art, where he won 3 gold medals and 2 scholarships.

He was also an illustrator of several books. He designed stained glass windows in Ireland, Britain, Australia, and Africa. He died of tuberculosis or TB in Switzerland in 1931. He was 41 years old.
To commemorate the 75th Anniversar y of the Death of Harry Clarke, An Post issued a 48c stamp. The Stamp features St. Hubert.

1990's

This is a photo of how the church looked early in the 1900's

This photo was taken from the wall near the old school/Community Centtre.
Click image to enlarge

The Sacristy was at the eastern end of the church. The entrance was at the other end and far away from the main road.
In the 1990's renovations, the sacristy was moved to the opposite side near the entrance door - West side of church.

I always wondered why the front door of our church was at the "back".

I think I found the answer. Granny Patty Glynn tells me that when she was a little girl, the people from
Newtown and Esker always went to Mass via a right of way near the railway bridge on Station Rd.
Indeed there were at least 2 houses still on that dirt road at that time, alongside where the Telecom Station is today.
The house on the Telecom site was owned by McHughs,
and a Sweeney family (RIC officer) lived in the other house.

It is noteworthy that the remains of an old Standing Stone is on that route behind the Telecom building.

The dirt road ended just beside the old entrance door to the church (just under the famous Harry Clarke stained-glass window)

Click standing stone to see enlarged photo