Destitution in County Clare, 1843 and 1844

Tenth Annual Report of the Poor Law Commissioners, 1844

Selection of cases from returns of paupers relieved in Workhouses in Ireland.

Ennis Union Workhouse
(Pages 425 and 426)

Thomas Griffy – Aged 70 – Roman Catholic – admitted by Board of Guardians January 10th – infirm – ill-clothed – in rags – applied to Board. (Since dead.)

Thomas Hinchy – Aged 50 – Roman Catholic –labourer – married – six children alive – admitted by Board of Guardians January 17th – ill-clothed – out of health – applied to the Board – present condition, infirm – in infirm ward.

George Clanchy - Aged 80 – Roman Catholic – labourer – widower – admitted by the Board of Guardians February 7th – infirm – ill-clothed – carried to the Board. (Since dead.)

Michael Flanagan – Aged 50 – Roman Catholic – married – admitted by Board of Guardians February 21st – unhealthy – ill-clothed, dirty and infested with vermin – carried to the Board. (Since dead.)

Mary Humeen – Aged 60 – Roman Catholic – widow – admitted by Board of Guardians February 21st – infirm – badly-clad – carried before the Board. (Since dead.)

Roger O’Neill – Aged 75 – Roman Catholic – no children alive – admitted by Board of Guardians, February 21st – badly clad – carried before the Board – present condition healthy – in men’s ward.

Ellen Neylan – Aged 23 – Roman Catholic – labourer – single – admitted by Master March 12th – ulcered leg – idiot – bad – dirty clothes – brought in a car to workhouse – present condition infirm – in idiots’ cell.

Mary Halloran – Aged 80 – Roman Catholic – widow – four children alive – admitted by Board of Guardians March 20th – unhealthy – bad clothes – brought to the Board – present condition infirm – in infirm ward.

Kilrush Union Workhouse
(Page 432)

Martin Murray – Aged 24 – Roman Catholic – labourer – single – admitted March 6th by Board of Guardians – ill-clothed and out of health – came himself for relief –present condition in hospital. (This man was a labourer, got ill about 12 months ago. He lived with his father, who was unable to to maintain him longer by reason of his poverty.)

Michael Slattery – Aged 70 – Roman Catholic – mendicant – married – six children alive –admitted (with wife and one child) on January 10th by the Board of Guardians – infirm – clothes bad – filthy and health much impaired – discharged voluntarily, March 23 – health improved.

Mary Bourke – Aged 60 – Roman Catholic – dealer – widow – three children alive – admitted February 14th by Board of Guardians – bodily infirm – was brought to workhouse by her son, from the fever hospital. Since dead. (It was supposed that this woman was threatening fever. She was in the fever hospital for a few days, and thence removed to workhouse.)

Anthony Frawley – Aged 25 – Roman Catholic – servant – single –admitted February 14th by Board of Guardians – bodily infirm – clothes pretty good – dangerously ill of dropsy – refused admission to County Hospital. (Died February 26th.)

Michael Brennan – Aged 35 – Roman Catholic – tailor – married – admitted February 21st by Board of Guardians – bodily infirm – clothes bad – dangerously ill, and turned-out by his father-in-law with whom he lived. (Died March 24th by the rupture of a blood vessel.)

Patrick McNamara- Aged 27 – Roman Catholic – labourer – single – admitted by Board of Guardians February 21st – bodily infirm – clothes very bad – appearing consumptive – discharged February 27th, voluntarily, not much improved in health – first admitted February 7th to April 19th, 1843.

Scariff Union Workhouse
(Pages 454 and 455)

Margaret Fleming – Aged 87 – Roman Catholic – mendicant – widow – two children alive – admitted March 5th by Board of Guardians – infirm and hungry – in a most destitute condition – came four miles to workhouse – present condition, bad health – in infirm ward.

Edmund Roughan – Aged 79 – Roman Catholic –peasant – widower – seven children alive – admitted March 5th by Boad – very infirm – in a destitute condition and badly clad – came three miles to workhouse – present condition, bad health – in infirm ward. (This man labours under a most acute disease.)

Thomas McNamara – Aged 75 – Roman Catholic – labourer – married, two children alive – admitted March 5th by Board of Guardians – infirm in a most unhealthy condition – came six miles to workhouse – present condition, in bad health – in infirm ward.

John Gorman – Aged 66, and Margaret, his wife, aged 50 – Roman Catholic – both mendicants – admitted March 5th by Board of Guardians, with their child, aged 12 – father very infirm, cripple – all ill-clothed and in rags – came one mile to the workhouse – present condition: father in bad health, mother and child in good health.

Edmond Dwyer – Aged 81 -- Roman Catholic – peasant – married – two children alive – admitted March 5th by Board of Guardians – infirm – hungry and almost starved – came four miles to workhouse – present condition, in bad health – in infirm ward.

Daniel Lynch – Aged 70 –Roman Catholic – labourer – single – admitted March 19th by Board of Guardians – destitute and in rags –came six miles to the workhouse – present condition, in good health – in men’s ward.

Anne Conway – Aged 24 – Roman Catholic – single – admitted by Board’s and warden’s ticket April 2nd – very infirm – in a most destitute condition – came half a mile to the workhouse -- present condition, in bad health – in infirm ward – believed to be in consumption.

An Irish Workhouse. “Illustrated London News,” 5 January 1850

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