Martin Loughlin 1833-1894

John Lynch

The church of St John the Evangelist, on the Dublin Road in Kilkenny City is a magnificent building, sumptuously furnished and it was built from the bequest of one man. Martin Loughlin of Castlewarren in the County of Kilkenny.

Of course it needed more than one person to make this final wish come true. It needed the influence of Bishop Brownrigg of Ossory; it needed an exceptional architect, William Hague and the goodwill and drive of Martin Loughlin’s nephews, Count Thomas J O’Loughlin and Martin O’Loughlin. Today I will talk about the man who paid for the building and decorating of St John’s, O’Loughlin Memorial Church.

The benefactor Martin Loughlin was born in Castlewarren in 1833 to Martin Loughlin, a farmer and his wife Margaret. At a young age he emigrated to America but his ship foundered off Newfoundland. He spent some time working in New York but returned to Ireland and was apprenticed to a biscuit-maker but soon again he set sail, this time for Australia. He headed for the goldfields in the state of Victoria and arrived in Geelong. He became a shareholder in an alluvial goldmine in Ballarat. Martin had great good fortune finding large amounts of gold. He invested in mining companies and became a very wealthy man. It was reported that he spent his days drinking in Craig’s Hotel and buying and selling mining shares. He is mentioned in court proceedings where fraud and conspiracy were alleged but judgement was in Martin Loughlin’s favour.

He could afford to buy several large farm estates that comprised about 35,000 acres. They were named ‘Glengower’, ‘Lake Menenia’ and ‘Killarney’. He was a large shareholder in the Melbourne Tramway Co. and also owned hotels. He kept a large stable of racehorses and won the Melbourne Cup with Sheet Anchor and the Caulfield Cup with Oakleigh. His racing colours were green and white, colours which O’Loughlin Gaels GAA club wear to this day. He was noted as a heavy gambler but very generous and when he retired from racing he gave his horses to friends.

Martin Loughlin died at Craig’s Hotel on 22 Sept 1894 from a lingering illness. He was 61 years of age. An obituary in the Melbourne newspaper, The Australasian, described him as of fine upstanding build, fully 6ft 1inch. Ninety per cent of the obituary was devoted to Martin’s racehorses, winning or otherwise but mainly winning.

Martin, who never married, left his estate in trust to his nephews Thomas J. and Martin and on their deaths to their children. As nephew Martin had no children when he died, the Bishop of Ballarat in Australia challenged the will. The bishop believed that the nephew Martin’s share of the estate should be divided among various church charities but after various appeals the bishop lost the case. Martin Loughlin’s estate was valued at £250,000, which is about €21 million in today’s money. Martin was a philanthropist who donated paintings to Ballarat Art Gallery, supported many institutions and funded Catholic churches and schools.

Of course his biggest donation was to the parish of St John, here in Kilkenny. The Church of St John the Evangelist, The O’Loughlin Memorial Church. Martin is also commemorated by the naming of a roadway in the parish of St John’s, O’Loughlin Road and the parish GAA team, O’Loughlin Gaels.

It is fitting that this generous man, Martin Loughlin from Castlewarren should be remembered by the people of St John’s Parish and by the wider community of Kilkenny.