Glenamaddy Workhouse

Glenamaddy Workhouse - Front view

The Glenamaddy Workhouse, situated about a half of a mile from the village, had not the forbidding appearance of its like elsewhere. It was smaller in size and white washed, and the walls of the building were covered with ivy and other creepers which gave it a rather pleasant and homely appearance as one approached it. Built on high ground, sloping gently from north to south, the ruins have a commanding view of the turlough to the south. The workhouse is surrounded in its entirety by a limestone wall which has collapsed in some places and is crumbling in others. At the front of the building there are three old yew trees.

Poor Law Union - A Brief History

The Poor Law Act was introduced here in 1838 when the Poor Law Union—a grouping of four or more parishes was devised and institutions more commonly known as Workhouses were built to cure and assist the poor and destitute. During the mid 18th century famine and after, some hospital services were provided and their up-keep levied on the the sites of landed proprietors in each union. In turn, they administered the union-house affairs in a body called the Board of Guardians.

Workhouse Lakeside view

The Glenamaddy house opened its doors in 1853 to receive 600 inmates. From 1900, the workhouse proper had (including men and women) only about forty "inmates" but the hospital wards were, as a rule, fully occupied. The patients were mostly chronic cases but they also included patients with slight ailments from the surrounding parishes. The Bon Secours Sisters were in charge in 1921 when,during the "Troubles", curate Rev. James Fergus was summoned to remove the Blessed Sacrament from the chapel because local republican interests had orders to burn the housing wing. It was around this time too that the house was supplied with milk by Jones Farm, Fairfield. The master of the workhouse was Joe Connelly and after the nuns it was operated by a board of guardians. The chief clark of the workhouse at this time was by the name of Brown. After the "Troubles", the hospital section served as an orphanage and later the district dispensary.


Workhouse upturned basin for serving food is visible in the foreground. Fireplace is visible on the building wall.		Silouette picture of the frontal Workhouse building against Glenamaddy Turlough


Rear Workhouse buildings		Lake view