Catholic, Freeman's Journal, Sydney, 13 June 1857, p 2, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article115564086:

The Rev. P. Magennis passed through Goulburn on Thursday, the 28th ultimo, on his way to Berrima, to take the spiritual charge of that district, in the room of the Rev. C. Twomey, who proceeds to Albury. The Rev. J. McElroy arrived in Goulburn on Saturday night, en route for Yass, where he is to be associated with the Rev. Mr. Bermingham. — Goulburn Chronicle.

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Catholic, Freeman's Journal, Sydney, 13 July 1861, p 5, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article115759266:

On last Sunday Father McAlroy preached his first sermon, since his appointment to the Goulburn mission, in the Church of SS. Peter and Paul. Before commencing his discourse— which was clear, to the point, and listened to attentively and thoughtfully—the reverend gentleman adverted to his removal from the Yass mission— from the midst of a generous and religious flock, who had received his fellow-labourer and himself with the open arms of a kind-hearted people—and being placed in a district where he was comparatively a stranger. But he would be very culpable did he lack the great virtue of obedience, so necessary to a labourer in the Lord's vineyard, and that he had come amongst a religious people, the respect shown to his' predecessors on their departure was ample and sufficient proof. The object of his appointment to Goulburn was partly to use his efforts in hastening the completion of the Convent for the Sisters of Mercy, and he should leave no stone unturned to attain this end. He was aware of his own inability to succeed in the prosecution of this work without the hearty co-operation of his congregation, and he should be happy to obtain counsel and support from every one who was willing so to aid him. The reverend gentleman spoke in a feeling manner of the generosity and zeal of the Catholics in the Yass district, many of whom, men of ordinary means, knowing the many blessings they and their children would share where a community of Religious was stationed, had come and offered ten and fifteen pounds towards the erection of suitable buildings for their reception, when the design of sending a number of the Sisters of Mercy to the Southern Districts was first mooted. Goulburn, however, was prefered to Yass, and he hoped the Catholics of Goulburn would show themselves worthy of the distinction. Father McAlroy paid a high tribute to his late flock, and said that, whatever his circumstances, the memory of the four years spent amongst that noble people would be amongst his most grateful thoughts.—Goulburn Chronicle.

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Australian Dictionary of Biography entry:
Michael McAlroy (1823–1880)
by C. J. Duffy

This article was published in the Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 5, 1974, online in 2006.

Michael McAlroy (1823-1880), Roman Catholic priest, was born at Westmeath, Ireland, son of John McAlroy, farmer, and his wife née Ulyer. He was educated at Navan and at Maynooth where he became friends with Patrick Bermingham and Patrick Dunne and was ordained in 1849. He became chaplain to Bishop Haly of Kildare and Leighlin, attached to the Carlow Cathedral, where he had leisure enough to study architecture. At the invitation of Dunne, seconded by Bishop Goold of Melbourne, he went to Melbourne with Bermingham in February 1855. Next year the three friends were posted to Geelong, but Goold soon became alarmed at their independence, criticism of himself and 'assertion of their personal and canonical rights'. He split up the three friends and McAlroy was given a 'roving commission' in the Ballarat area. Later unable to find enough parishioners in Gippsland, he returned but received no other offer.

McAlroy wrote to Archbishop Polding in Sydney, who was pleased to send him to Yass in 1857. In his four years there he enlarged the church and built others in Jugiong, Tumut, Gundagai, Wagga Wagga, Gunning and Binalong, all of solid construction and free of debt. A skilled horseman he averaged about 11,000 miles (17,703 km) each year riding around his large parish. He won loyal support from the large number of Catholics in the district, some of whom he had helped to settle there. In 1861 he accompanied Charles Cowper to Lambing Flat after the riots. He was sent to Goulburn to build a convent for the Sisters of Mercy. He also built the bishop's residence there and churches at Taralga, Breadalbane and Grabben Gullen. In 1867 contrary to expectations he was passed over when Bishop Lanigan became bishop of Goulburn. McAlroy was made his vicar-general and in 1868 he was transferred to Albury, where he built the 'large and beautiful' Convent of Mercy and church, and also churches at Corowa, Howlong and Newtown. He helped to found St Patrick's College, Goulburn, in 1874 and brought the Sisters of Mercy to Yass in 1875. He died on 14 July 1880 from heart disease at Albury where he was buried.

Select Bibliography

F. Mackle, The Footprints of Our Catholic Pioneers (Melb, 1924)
T. L. Suttor, Hierarchy and Democracy in Australia, 1788-1870 (Melb, 1965)
J. O'Brien, ‘The apostle of the south’, Australasian Catholic Record, 22 (1945) no 4
Dunne and Bermingham papers (Roman Catholic Archives, Sydney).

Citation details
C. J. Duffy, 'McAlroy, Michael (1823–1880)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/mcalroy-michael-4056/text6457, published first in hardcopy 1974, accessed online 30 June 2025.

This article was published in hardcopy in Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 5, (Melbourne University Press), 1974.

Reproduced by permission of Australian Dictionary of Biography. Original biography:https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/mcalroy-michael-4056.

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Catholic Parish of St Augustine, Yass, Priests who have served in the Parish of Yass, July 2018, https://staug-yass.org.au/wp/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/priests_list.pdf, accessed on 24 December 2025: "Rev. Father Michael McAlroy, 1857-June 1861."

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Catholic Parish of St Augustine, Yass, History, available from https://staug-yass.org.au/wp/about/history/, retrieved on 10 November 2025: "Rev Michael McAlroy (1857-1861)"