Richard de Burgo conquered Galway in 1236, and granted the land to Maurice Fitzgerald who built the castle whose ruins still stand today in Ardrahan. The churchyard wall contains the remains of a round tower, which suggests that a monastic community may have existed on the site before the castle was built.

Kilchreest or Cill Chríost, means Christ’s Church. This is one of the few churches in Ireland which are named after Christ.