Date of Church: 1884
Style: Neo-Gothic
Architect: William Hague
Building Pastor: Fr. Patrick Turner P.P
Clane had a monastery in ancient times and Colgan refers to a church at Clane prior to the middle of the 6th Century. St. Ailbe lived here for a time, and presented his cell to St. Senchell, who later founded a monastery at Killeigh, where he died in 549.
In the year 1162, a synod of the clergy in Ireland was held at Clane, attended by 26 Bishops and many Abbots. In the 1200's, Sir Gerard Fitzmaurice, second Lord of Offaly, founded a Francisan monastery at Clane.
In 1839 the Presentation Convent was established. Forty years later the Sisters kindly offered their garden as a site for the new Church. The building was dedicated in 1884, in a ceremony performed by Bishop James Lynch. The limestone came from Mr. Marmion's quarry and cost 6d. per ton. (This was Matthew Marmion, uncle of the Blessed Columba Marmion). Granite came from Ballyknockan, Co. Wicklow. The proposed Spire was never built.
In 1993, a new roof was installed. In 1998, a new Baptistery was added.
Churches of Kildare and Leighlin, John Duffy
