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Dingle and Castletownbere Workhouses, Ireland
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Dingle and Castletownbere Workhouses, Ireland
Architect George Wilkinsons design for the new union workhouses at Dingle, County Kerry, and Castletownbere, County Cork, in the west of Ireland. Date: 1848
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Media ID 18933503
© Mary Evans Picture Library 2015
1840s 1848 Architect Cork Dingle Kerry Layout Plan Poor Poverty Welfare Wilkinson Workhouse Workhouses
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This evocative photograph captures the imposing structures of the Dingle and Castletownbere Workhouses in County Kerry and Cork, Ireland, designed by architect George Wilkinson in 1848. The new Union Workhouses were part of the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1838, which aimed to provide a more efficient and economical system of care for the destitute and the able-bodied poor. George Wilkinson, an English architect, was commissioned to design these workhouses, which were to become symbols of social welfare in the west of Ireland during the 1840s. The design featured a central quadrangle layout, with a church and infirmary at the center, surrounded by accommodation blocks for the inmates. The buildings were designed to be self-sufficient, with workshops, farms, and even a brewery to provide for the residents. The workhouses were intended to be a deterrent to poverty, with their stark, imposing appearance and regimented living conditions. Inmates were required to work and live in separate quarters, with families only allowed to stay together if the head of the household was able-bodied and willing to work. The conditions inside were harsh, with long hours, meager rations, and strict discipline. Despite their intended purpose, the workhouses became notorious for their inhumane conditions, with overcrowding, disease, and even death common. The photograph captures the somber and austere atmosphere of these institutions, which have since been symbolic of the hardships faced by the Irish people during the Great Famine. Today, the Dingle and Castletownbere Workhouses stand as important historical landmarks, offering a glimpse into Ireland's past and the social welfare system of the 19th century.
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