St. Joseph's College, Garbally Park (Irish: Coláiste Sheosaimh) is an Irish voluntaryCatholic 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).
St Joseph's College was founded as a Roman Catholicseminary 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.[4] 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.[5] 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.[4]
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.[4]
Bishop John Kirby taught mathematics and coached the senior rugby team at the school in the late 1960s,[6] and was later appointed as president and principal of the college in September 1979.[7]
In September 2008, Garbally College's boarding facility officially ended after almost 85 years in existence.[8][9]
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).[10][11] In October 2023, it was announced that the two schools would be amalgamated to form a new co-educational school which would open in September 2025.[12]
Garbally College is known for its sporting tradition in rugby union, hurling, Gaelic football and soccer.[15][16] 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.[17] The last team to include borders, which won the cup, was in 2007.