Belmullet Workhouse on Historic 25 inch map (1897-1913)
The following information was provided by Mr Steve Dolan, Manager of The Irish Workhouse Centre, Portumna, Co. Galway
The Belmullet Poor Law Union was officially declared in 1849. The Workhouse was opened in 1852 at a cost of £6,850. It was built to house a maximum capacity of 500 inmates, but census records show that Belmullet Workhouse never even reached 50% capacity, with the highest population being recorded as 172 inmates in 1853. This is not an indication of affluence in Belmullet and is instead a reflection of the fact that the worst years of the famine had passed by the time the Workhouse opened. The Belmullet Workhouse was built to accomodate people from the areas of Bangor, Barroosky, Belmullet, North Binghamstown, South Binghamstown, Glanamoy, Glencastle, Glenco, Goolamore, Knockadaff, Knocknalower, Muingabo, Muings, Rath Hill, and Sheskin.
The Belmullet Workhouse site is now occupied by the Belmullet Community Hospital.
My great-grandfather, Timothy Tierney, was the Master of the Belmullet Workhouse until his death from fever on Christmas Eve, the 24th December 1877 at the age of 52. His eldest son Thomas pre-deceased him by 6 months having died on the 30th January 1877. Timothy was succeded in the post of Master by his son-in-law John Padden [married to Mary Tierney] Would love to know if Timothy was the first Master of the Belmullet Workhouse and how he became to be chosen for the position.
Hi my ancestor Kate Murphy died in Belmullet Workhouse in 1890. She was a widow at the time and Im unsure whether her husband had been in the workhouse with her at any stage or if she had come to be there after his death. Her age at the time of death is 80years and I am wondering if there would have been any records that the workhouse would have had on her admittance to calculate this age or if they perhaps may have been estimating the age? No family present at the death only an 'occupier' Edward Nielan.
