Editing Spiddal (section)

== History ==
Spiddal, like much of the west of Ireland, suffered greatly during the [[Great Famine (Ireland)|Great Famine]] of the 1840s, with many people being evicted, and many starving. Appeals were made by the parish priest John O'Grady and by A.W. Blake and, as a result, the Board of Works employed some men in improvements to the village harbour.<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.oughterardheritage.org/content/topics/murt-molloy-killannin-and-oughterard-local-history/the-famine-barony-of-moycullen-co-galway-1845-1850-2 | title = Spiddal | website = www.oughterardheritage.org}}</ref>

From 1848, the evangelical Protestant [[Irish Church Missions]] were active, establishing the Connemara Orphan's Nursery (Spiddal Orphanage or {{lang|ga|Nead Le Farraige}}) in the early 1850s,<ref>{{cite web|url = http://clifdenheritage.org/the-protestant-missions-in-connemara-miriam-moffitt/ | title = The Protestant Missions in Connemara, Miriam Moffitt | website = www.connemaraheritage.org | date = 28 January 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.advertiser.ie/Galway/article/4528/an-unseemly-brawl-over-god-and-scripture | title = An unseemly brawl of god and scripture | work = Galway Advertiser | date = 13 November 2008}}</ref> the home could accommodate up to 90 boys and girls, and became affiliated with the Protestant-run Smyly Homes (and was even referred to as ''The Bird's Nest'', the name of the home in Dublin).<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.childrenshomes.org.uk/SpiddalSmyly/ | title = Spiddal Orphan Home | website = childrenshomes.org.uk}}</ref> Following its closure as an orphanage, it became a secondary school for girls run by the Catholic [[Sisters of Mercy]].

The local [[Roman Catholic|Catholic]] church, {{lang|ga|Cill Éinde}} (church of [[Enda of Aran|Saint Enda]]), was built in 1904.<ref name="devPlan"/><ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/30327010/cill-einde-spiddle-west-an-spideal-spiddle-co-galway | publisher = National Inventory of Architectural Heritage | website = buildingsofireland.ie | title = Cill Éinde, Spiddle West, An Spidéal [Spiddle], Galway | accessdate = 3 April 2024 }}</ref> The ruin of an older chapel, dating to 1776, is nearby.<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/30327012/spiddle-west-an-spideal-spiddle-co-galway | publisher = National Inventory of Architectural Heritage | website = buildingsofireland.ie | title = Spiddle West, An Spidéal [Spiddle], Galway | accessdate = 3 April 2024 }}</ref>