Three priests from Crosserlough parish became bishops in the United States including Thomas James Conaty from Kill.

He was ordained in 1872 for the diocese of Springfield where the bishop was Dr Patrick O’Reilly who was born in the same town land as himself. Dr Conaty became rector of the Catholic University of America in Washington DC and in 1903 was appointed bishop of Monterey, California.

During his episcopacy the diocese expanded greatly with the addition of 27 new parishes, 21 churches, 14 rectories and the catholic population increased from 58,000 to 178,000.

Dr Conaty died in 1915.