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its advance. In the absence of a cure, the physicians increased their
order for alcohol; they mixed whiskey and mustard to give some relief
of symptoms to cholera patients.

The physicians documented their responses to illnesses within the
workhouse in scientific medical journals of the era. Bronchitis,
jaundice, scurvy, scarlet fever, famine fever, and malnutrition were
commonplace. However, records show limited out-breaks of smallpox.
This low incidence was attributed to the vaccination programme which
the guardians implemented in October 1845. It somewhat reduced
the pressures facing medical staff at the workhouse. Yet, there was a
cataclysmic mortality rate among the inmates.

Between January and June 1847, in a six-month period at Cork
workhouse, 2,622 deaths were recorded, whereas during the entire
year of 1846 the recorded deaths had been 880. Such high mortality
figures were replicated until late 1849. In 1847 the recorded deaths for
the first half of the year already had three times the number of deaths
of 1846’s entire year, and about six times the number for 1845. Bear in
mind that the capacity of the house itself could hold 2,000 inmates. In
1847, there were over 4,000 inmates and later this rose to 7,000.

Illustrated London News, of Feb 1847 The records for the latter half of 1847 are not available. Recorded
mortality for the later months of 1847 would be extremely high and an estimate of 6,000 deaths would not
seem unrealistic.

Another harrowing statistic was in relation to the number of child admissions to the workhouse and deaths.
In relation to children of the workhouse, various authors have referred to their experience as living one’s
childhood in a chamber of horrors. It shows a harrowing figure that in 1847, 42% of all child admissions (under
15 years) died in the workhouse. Is it any wonder 1847 became known as Black 47, due to mortality statistics
in all inmate cohort groups and the lives of those both inside and outside the workhouse.

It was because of such harrowing conditions (replicated throughout Ireland like those in Cork) that the workhouses
became embedded in the popular memory of the famine. Today, the famine memorial in Cork workhouse and
others around the country reminds us of all of those who died during the Great Hunger-An Gorta Mór.

In conclusion, I believe we have tended to have forgotten about the silent suffering that occurred in these
institutions particularly during the Great Hunger years and thereafter also. Yet these buildings today form
part of the built heritage landscape of Ireland and their stories in the main lie untold, but for a few exceptions
around the country. 2025 is the 180 anniversary of the arrival of the Blight in Ireland in the autumn of 1845,
th
now is the time to revisit the Great Hunger.

If only those walls could talk …………
Select Bibliography
O’Mahony, Michelle Famine in Cork City, Mercier Press 2005 & 2023, also available on Amazon and from Mercier Press
O’Mahony, Michelle , “Case study of Cork Workhouse” in The Atlas of the Great Famine , Cork University Press , 2012
O’Connor, John The Workhouses of Ireland,
Talk delivered to American Irish History Society , March 2025, The Innocents of the Workhouse, available on AIHS
YouTube channel.

Information on Workhouses of Ireland- Visit
The National Famine Museum, Co Roscommon
https://irishheritagetrust.ie/the-national-famine-museum-strokestown-park

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