Christina Gallagher

Brigid Christina Gallagher was born on June 4, 1953, in the town of Calladashan, County Mayo, and grew up to marry and settle into the life of a housewife and mother of two children. She had her initial vision in 1985 when she saw the head of Jesus crowned with thorns. She was to see a number of visions over the next few years that included various heavenly personages and scenes. Then in 1988, while visiting relatives in Dublin, the Virgin Mary appeared to her. She held a clear glass sphere in her hand and invited Gallagher under her mantle.

In 1996, Cassidy's successor, Archbishop Michael Neary, established a commission of enquiry to investigate claims of supernatural phenomena arising from the centre. This investigation concluded that no evidence of supernatural events existed. In 2005, in the course of a crackdown on organisations purporting to pursue charitable aims, the Irish Revenue Commissioners revoked the House of Prayer's tax exemption. It emerged in 2008 that Gallagher, despite having no visible income, was living in a €4 million house in Malahide, County Dublin and also owned a €1 million house in Newport, County Mayo.