Presentation Convent, Headford, Co. Galway was founded in 1906 from Presentation Convent, Tuam. The founding Sisters were Mother Columba, Sr. Jarlath Dolan, Sr. Ita O'Malley and Sr. Brigid Diviney. Because the Presentation Sisters were a contemplative, enclosed order, they traveled from Tuam in Dr. Healy's Horse Drawn Carriage with closed curtains. They never saw the town they were coming to serve! It is of interest to note that the original 'donated’ field proved to be unsuitable since there were no Tide Deeds!

The Parish Priest had requested Sisters for the education of girls and this was the reason for the foundation. Since the lay teacher was retiring as Principal, the P.P. offered the post to a Sister. The convent/house was situated on the outskirts of Headford town, on the Cong road, where the teacher’s residence had first been vacated. The school was situated where the Parish Hall is now built. The Canon donated a field to the Sisters where the teacher’s residence was built. After some years, a second teacher’s residence was built. This was used for teaching crafts, lace making, cookery classes and so on. The 'human development' of the girls was always promoted.

The first school, which dates back to 1906, was destroyed by fire in 1940. Army huts were acquired for the education of the children and placed on a slope at the back of the old burned school. They were famous for their 'below zero’ temperatures in Winter! Part of the Sisters’ vegetable garden was occupied by the huts also.

In 1947, the new primary school was built, attached to the boys school but on its own separate site. When the Huts were vacated by the Primary School, they were used as a Secondary School from 1942 to 1953, when a new school was built for the secondary students. The Archbishop asked that the Sisters take boys also – this was a big headache for the Sisters. Prefabs were erected and in 1955, the boys started. Local curate, Fr. Martin Hopkins is supposed to have said when announcing co-education, "if you want education for your colts as well as your fillies, you must talk to the Reverend Mother". There have been many extensions to the school since then. The original secondary school had been built for 150 girls and cost £1,524. The student’s fee in the huts was £1 but to cover expenses they paid £3.50 per term in the new Secondary school.

The impact of 'free education’ meant that pupil enrolment increased. Free transport for students was available so hardship in bad weather was 'no more'. No fees meant an appreciation of the opportunity of 'free education’ by parents and more job opportunities and of course, less emigration.

Along with change came challenges and difficulties. The Sisters gave their dining room over for a classroom and took their meals in a small kitchen which was also used for primary school classes on Wednesdays. Sisters made and sold butter to raise money for school. Fund-raising continued into the 1970’s and a new Gymnasium was built as well as a number of extensions.

From the late 1970s onwards other Ministries for the Sisters included Children of Mary, Vincent de Paul, Pastoral Visitation, Hospitality and Music and Choirs.

In 1996, due to the depletion of the Sisters, high maintenance costs and the ready availability of lay teachers capable of taking over two schools,  a decision was taken to close the Convent. The Western Health Board subsequently bought the Convent for a Day Care Centre at a cost of £82,000. The Sisters purchased a house in Meadow Hill on the Galway Road, where the Sisters carried out their Ministries in school and Parish, until October, 2001. The great work of the Sisters in Headford was celebrated in 2001 on the departure of the last Sister, Sr. Clare Costello who moved to live in Riverside in Galway, although she continued to work as the Home School Liaison Person until 2007. On that occasion, Fr. Richard Gibbons thanked the Sisters for four precious gifts they had given the town: the Christian story, courage, community and creative education.

A total of forty Presentation Sisters were born in Headford Parish and have been on Missions at home and abroad for many years.