The potato was the staple
diet for a large proportion of the population and the arrival of the potato
blight in 1845 saw conditions worsen for the poor in Ireland.The potato crop failed for three successive
years and Ireland
found itself in the grip of famine.With
starvation the only alternative the workhouse became flooded with thousands of
starving people seeking relief work and admission.
Ballinrobe union was one of the wealthier
unions and one which should have been able to support the workhouse, the population
in 1880 standing at 31,000 and the valuation of the Union
at £60,000. But rate
collection became more and more problematic.For the period September-December 1846 only £533/3/7 was gathered out of
a total sum of £1,000/00.Workhouse
expenses for the same period came to £1,627/00/0.
DISASTER The
workhouse was unable to cope with the influx and many were turned away.Relief work was drying up and the people were
nearing a state of revolt.The
Government sent in troops and as they entered the town an inhabitant was heard cry
‘would to God the Government would send
us food instead of soldiers’ (Mulloy, B., 1990). In February of 1847 a wandering vagrant who
was infected with typhus was admitted to the workhouse.He died a few days later and in the
overcrowded workhouse conditions fever wreaked havoc killing hundreds including
the doctor, chaplain, master and matron. An article in the Mayo Constitution in March
of that year stated:“In Ballinrobe the workhouse is in the most
awfully deplorable state, pestilence having attacked paupers, officers, and
all. – In fact, this building is one horrible charnel house… every officer
swept away, while the number of deaths among the inmates is unknown…”. The fever hospital could not cope with the
numbers of sick inmates and a fever shed was added on the orders of the Central
Health Board.There were also relief
schemes for burying the dead, with trenches dug at the rear of the workhouse
where corpses were deposited daily.In
the week of April 21st,
1849 there were ninety-seven deaths recorded in the workhouse
records.
EMIGRATION
Many paupers were assisted to emigrate during this
time as the cost of emigration was less than that of sustaining an inmate in
the workhouse. A scheme was set up to
assist orphan girls from Irish workhouses between the ages of fourteen and
eighteen to emigrate to Australia
and Canada
and in 1848 twenty-five young orphan girls left Ballinrobe workhouse for Australia. POST-FAMINE YEARS
After the Famine life improved in the workhouse.The appointment of the Sisters of Mercy as
nurses saw a dramatic improvement in the medical care provided to the
sick.This led to reform in Irish
workhouse administration in that unqualified inmates would no longer be allowed
to work in the sick wards. Discipline became more relaxed and food
improved.Some recreational time was
allowed and outings were organised for the children.Newspapers and books were permitted and an
allowance of tobacco and snuff was provided for the elderly. The role of the
workhouse began to change, it became a place for the sick, the old, unmarried
mothers and the homeless and less of a prison for the poor.
THE DESTRUCTION OF THE WORKHOUSE
During the War of Independence the military occupied the grounds of the
workhouse while during the Civil War the Republican Army was in occupation.For fear of the Free State Army moving in
when the Republicans moved out they were ordered to burn the workhouse.Many local people were horrified at this and
tried to prevent it but most of the workhouse buildings were burnt to the
ground.The remaining inmates were
removed to the County Home in Castlebar.The administration block still remains today and is now used as a local
council depot and offices.A simple
headstone marks the resting place of thousands of Ballinrobe’s poor.
Other sites which may be of interest can be accessed here:
Litton, H., (1994).The Irish Famine: An Illustrated History.Dublin: Wolfhound Press
Mayo Constitution, 23-3-1847
Mulloy, B., (1990).Itchy Feet and Thirsty Work: A Guide to
the History and Folkloreof Ballinrobe.Lough Mask and Lough Carra Tourist
Development Association
O’Connor, J., (1995).The Workhouses of Ireland.Dublin: Anvil Books
Parliamentary Papers 1846-1850
Staunton, A., (2013).Ballinrobe – A Visual History.South West Mayo Development Company
