Work began on the Augustinian foundation in Galway in 1500. It was located outside the city walls, on the same site as the present Forthill Cemetery. About the year 1546, outlawed by an edict of Henry VIII, the friars were deprived of their lands. From there the Augustinians moved to a site in Market Street. They were to spend the next one hundred years wandering between Forthill and various "safe havens" in the city.
Not until 1760, according to the renowned historian James Hardiman, were they able to establish a public church near the site of the present one in Middle Street. Mass was celebrated continuously there -except for one single Sunday in Penal Times- until the 1850s.
The foundation stone of the present Gothic Church was laid on August 28th, 1855. James Hardiman was himself deeply involved in the project; indeed it was he who laid the foundation stone. Galway limestone, quarried from Angliham and Menlo quarries about two miles outside the city, was used in its construction. The church took four years to complete and its doors were first opened for public worship on September 4th, 1859.
The High Altar was erected in 1934 from a bequest of £7000, given by the mother of a Fr. Guiney O.S.A. from Athlone. Carved on the left panel as you face the altar is a scene from the life of St. Augustine. The death of Augustine's mother, Saint Monica, is depicted on the right panel. The oak panel surrounding the High Altar dates from 1855. The tabernacle dates from 1969. The mosaic on the floor of the sanctuary is the Augustinian crest, which can also be seen on the floor of the entrance hallway. The altar rails were presented to the church by George Comyns Davenport and family, Rosshill, Co. Galway in the late 1920s.
In the course of the 1970s renovations, the original window over the main altar was replaced by the stained glass representation of the Resurrection. The artist was one George Walsh from Dublin who completed the work in August, 1968.
To the right of the main altar is the Shrine to Our Lady of Good Counsel. A common feature in all Augustinian churches, this shrine was erected in the 1940s by the then prior, Fr. Farragher. To the left of the main altar is the shrine of the Sacred Heart. The stained glass window to the left of the shrine has a representation of St. Augustine. It too is the work of George Walsh. Unusually, Augustine is shown holding a quill in his left hand.
Located mid-way down the church are two shrines to two famous Italian Augustinian saints, St. Nicholas of Tolentine (Feast Day September 10th) and St. Rita of Cascia (Feast Day May 22nd).
The double shrine at the left towards the back of the church, of St. Joseph and the Pieta, date from the foundation of the church itself. The Pieta was donated by Mr. and Mrs. Kelly. On the right hand side is a statue of St. Augustine and on the left side through a doorway is a shrine to St. Jude.
This was constructed and installed by the famous Dublin organ builder, William Telford in 1868. It is valued today at €250,000. It was renovated, cleaned and reconstructed by Paul Neiland and Associates in 1992.
The ceiling is of cedar wood and dates from the 1970s when the church was re-roofed and raised above the original (and still visible) roof supports. The Stations of the Cross were originally oak-frame and were presented by members of Old Galway Tribal families when the church was originally built.
The €3.7 million renovation works to completely transform St Augustine's Church and Priory were completed and the church reopened with a Mass on Sunday December 18 2005.
In 2003 the Augustinian Community applied to the Galway City Council for permission to install new seating, floors, doors, lighting, and sanctuary furnishings, as well as providing disabled access and removing the Marian Shrine from outside the church.
St Augustine's was originally built in 1855 and its foundation stone was laid by the Galway historian James Hardiman on August 28 of that year. Although its old interior was much loved it had the disadvantage of reflecting a 19th century vision of Catholicism: that of a sanctified priesthood and a passive people - a vision no longer useful to today's laity or clergy.
As a result, prior to any planning application being made, the priests and laity of St Augustine's discussed the proposed changes. This became known as the Augustinian Project. The project looked, not only at changes to the churches interior, but at how to develop a better sense of spirituality and social interaction in Galway city; greater participation by the lay community, and the future of the church and its community.
The church's new 'antiphonal design' should have both a practical and symbolic effect creating a welcoming entrance sequence and presenting the conviction that the people too are sacred. It is also to be functional through the more effective use of space, be user-friendly by removing barriers, and to make available a venue for recitals and plays.
The changes to the Priory are designed to assist in fostering Galway's Christian community. These changes are designed to ensure safe practice in the workplace; facilitate lay leadership; offer a youth ministry; provide education services in theology, philosophy, and scripture; practice of the Children's Liturgy; to assist outreach services; provide counselling; provide a library, conference centre/public meeting rooms; to provide for small music recitals, and host and facilitate various support groups.
Work started in March 2005 and saw the Augustinian priests and their congregation move to St Nicholas' Collegiate Church to share this Church of Ireland church with its congregation. This sharing has strengthened ties and created new friendships. The event was marked by a candle lit parade from St Augustine's to St Nicholas' and featured clerics and lay people from both churches.
To mark the re-opening on Sunday December 18, 2005, a similar candle lit parade took place, this time from St Nicholas' to St Augustine's.