many of the settlers in boorowa were from ireland and the town shows their influence. two early settlers in the 1820s were cousins, roger corcoran and ned ryan. they had been sent to australia as convicts. saint patrick's church, built in 1877 has a huge stained glass window brought from ireland in 1881. it shows daniel o'connell (1775-1847) the "liberator of ireland." the oldest building still standing in boorowa is shamrock cottage, built in 1850, once the home of the owner of the queens arms hotel.