#Kilkenny Workhouse

[stairnaheireann]

#OTD in 1846 – Cork Examiner reports death by starvation.

‘A Coroners inquest was held on the lands of Redwood, in the Parish of Lorha, on yesterday, the 24th, on the body of Daniel Hayes, who for several days subsisted almost on the refuse of vegetables, and went out on Friday morning in quest of something in the shape of food, but he had not gone far when he was obliged to lie down, and, melancholy to relate, was found dead some time afterward.’ ‘The…

[vaenire]

bro im so old just like judging off the books i find interesting on thriftbooks... im like ugh popular fiction and nonfiction 🙄and then my wishlist is this: 

Victims of Ireland's Great Famine : The Bioarchaeology of Mass Burials at Kilkenny Union Workhouse

American Workers, Colonial Power: Philippine Seattle and the Transpacific West, 1919-1941

Historic Preservation and the Imagined West

[savingusboth]

Dental health and poverty during the Great Irish Famine - Current Archaeology

Dental health and poverty during the Great Irish Famine  Current Archaeology

A new study analysing the teeth of adults who died in the Kilkenny Union Workhouse at the height of the Great Famine (1845-1852) has revealed some of the ...

from "smoking pipe" - Google News https://ift.tt/2EgY5Us via https://ift.tt/2Styk6f

[germanlander]

Leaving a mark - Spuren hinterlassen

About a week ago, I got an email from the Kilkenny Archaeological Society asking for volunteers to take part in a community inclusion project for the Kilkenny Famine Experience. The email explained a bit about the story behind it and when I went there today, the lady in charge Marion Acreman explained it again and showed some slides as well: Apparently, when they did the construction work for MacDonagh Junction Shopping centre on the site of the former Kilkenny workhouse, they found 975 human remains there. This started the largest investigation into the Irish Famine, because the skeletons could be used to find out the actual cause of death. Jonny Geber wrote a book called “Victims of Ireland’s Great Famine”, which they use for the monument. More about that later.

The minute books from the workhouse do survive, but apparently, there were 99 human remains showing signs of scurvy, even though the minute books don’t mention scurvy at all. The bodies had been buried at the site, because the city’s cemeteries were full and people had to be buried somewhere. They all got a shroud and a wooden coffin, but no names survive. The remains have been returned to the site in 2010 and are part of the Famine Garden, but there is an initiative to create a Famine Experience with a free tour. An artist, who was present at the fingerprint taking today, was commissioned to design a statue, of which we were shown a photograph. People are asked to provide their fingerprints to represent the people who had been buried at the site. Oh, by the way, I ran into my English friend (the girl I had met at the hostel back in September) there and after some confusion, we ended consecutive numbers, so our fingerprints might end up next to each other on the monument. Everyone in the room (there were only about 12 people) could choose to be connected to a woman, a man or a child (the sex of the children could not be determined from the remains) and was assigned a roman numeral (mine had been LXVI, my friend’s LXX). There was a book with all the Roman numerals where you could leave your name, place of residence, information about your connection to the site and a comment. When I wanted to enter my details at number 66, someone had already written in there, so I had to choose the next available line, which happened to be 69. We could then look up our number in Gerber’s book and find out more details about our connected famine victim. With mine, 80% of the skeleton had survived and the child had had scurvy. My friend’s child had only left behind 10% and no other information was given. Afterwards, you gave your finger print. Marion had started her talk with the story of two boys from Clonmel - John and Patrick Soul - who had walked from Clonmel to Dublin with their parents to emmigrate, but upon arrival, the parents boarded the ship alone and sent the boys back to Tipperary. They ended up in the Kilkenny workhouse, where we loose trace of them. The monument will be unveiled on November 7th by a descendant of one of the inmates who lives in Australia now.

**********************************************

Ungefähr vor einer Woche hatte ich eine Email von der Archäologischen Gesellschaft in Kilkenny bekommen, in der nach Freiwilligen für ein Gemeinschaftsprojekt zum Großen Hunger in Irland gefragt wurde. Die Email hatte schon ein wenig die Geschichte dahinter erklärt und als ich heute hingegangen bin, hat die verantwortliche Dame Marion Acreman es noch genauer erklärt und einige Bilder gezeigt: Als nämlich das MacDonagh Junction Shopping Center gebaut wurde, wurden auf dem Gelände des ehemaligen Armenhauses 975 menschliche ��berreste (also von 975 Personen) gefunden. Das hat die größte Untersuchung über die Große Hungersnot in Irland ausgelöst, denn die Skelette konnte verwendet werden, um die tatsächliche Todesursache herauszufinden. Jonny Geber hat ein Buch geschrieben “Victims of Ireland’s Great Famine”, das sie für das Mahnmal verwenden werden. Mehr dazu später. 

Die Protokolle aus dem Armenhaus sind überliefert, aber es wurden offenbar 99 Skelette mit Spuren von Skorbut gefunden, während Skorbut in den Protokollen nie erwähnt wurde. Diese Menschen waren auf dem Gelände des Armenhauses bestattet worden, weil die Friedhöfe der Stadt schon überfüllt waren. Alle bekamen ein Leichentuch und einen hölzernen Sarg, aber ihre Namen sind nicht mit den Skeletten überliefert. Die Überreste sind inzwischen wieder an Ort und Stelle und sind Teil des Hunger-Gartens (davon gibt es in Irland sehr viele), aber es gibt eine Initiative, darum herum eine kostenlose Führung zu organisieren. Die Künstlerin, die heute anwesend war, wurde beauftragt, ein Mahnmal zu entwerfen, wovon wir heute auch ein Foto gesehen haben. Die Freiwilligen wurden gebeten, ihre Fingerabdrücke zu geben, um die Verstorbenen zu repräsentieren. Oh, und nebenbei bemerkt, habe ich dort meine englische Freundin getroffen (die ich damals im Urlaub im Hostel kennen gelernt hatte) und nach einigem Hin und Her haben wir jetzt aufeinander folgende Nummern, so dass unsere Fingerabdrücke eventuell nebeneinander auf dem Mahnmal sein werden. Jeder im Raum (es waren nur ungefähr 12 Leute) konnte aussuchen, ob er mit einer Frau, einem Mann oder einem Kind von damals (das Geschlecht der Kinder konnte anhand der Knochen nicht mehr bestimmt werden) verbunden zu werden, worauf man eine römische Zahl zugewiesen bekommen hat (meine war die LXVI und meine Freundin hatte die LXX). Es lag ein Buch aus mit all dden römischen Zahlen, in das man hinter seine Nummer seinen Namen, Wohnort, Verbindung zur Stätte und einen Kommentar eintragen konnte. Danach hat man seinen Fingerabdruck einscannen lassen. Als ich meine Daten bei der 66 eintragen wollte, war die Zeile schon beschrieben und die nächste Zahl, wo eine Zeile frei war, war die 69.

Wir konnten dann unsere Nummer in dem Buch von Gerber nachschlagen und noch einige Details zu “unserem Toten” erfahren. Von meinem waren 80% des Skeletts erhalten und das Kind war an Skorbut erkrankt/ verstorben. Das Kind meiner Freundin war nur zu 10% erhalten und keine weiteren Details standen zur Verfügung. Marion hatte ihren Vortrag mit der Geschichte zweier Jungs aus Clonmel begonnen - John and Patrick Soul - die von Clonmel nach Dublin mit ihren Eltern gelaufen waren, um von dort nach Australien auszuwandern. In Dublin angekommen, waren die Eltern aber allein an Bord des Schiffes gegangen und hatten die Jungs wieder nach Hause nach Tipperary geschickt. Auf dem Weg zurück sind sie in Kilkenny hängen geblieben, wo sich nach der Aufnahme in das Armenhaus ihre Spur verliert. Das Mahnmal wird am 7. November von einer Frau enthüllt werden, die die Nachfahrin von einem der Bewohner des Armenhauses ist und die in Australien wohnt.

[stairnaheireann]

#OTD in 1846 – Cork Examiner reports death by starvation.

#OTD in 1846 – Cork Examiner reports death by starvation.

‘A Coroners inquest was held on the lands of Redwood, in the Parish of Lorha, on yesterday, the 24th, on the body of Daniel Hayes, who for several days subsisted almost on the refuse of vegetables, and went out on Friday morning in quest of something in the shape of food, but he had not gone far when he was obliged to lie down, and, melancholy to relate, was found dead some time afterward.’ ‘The…

[stairnaheireann]

#OTD in 1846 – Cork Examiner reports death by starvation.

#OTD in 1846 – Cork Examiner reports death by starvation.

‘A Coroners inquest was held on the lands of Redwood, in the Parish of Lorha, on yesterday, the 24th, on the body of Daniel Hayes, who for several days subsisted almost on the refuse of vegetables, and went out on Friday morning in quest of something in the shape of food, but he had not gone far when he was obliged to lie down, and, melancholy to relate, was found dead some time afterward.’ ‘The…

[stairnaheireann]

#OTD in 1846 – Cork Examiner reports death by starvation.

#OTD in 1846 – Cork Examiner reports death by starvation.

‘A Coroners inquest was held on the lands of Redwood, in the Parish of Lorha, on yesterday, the 24th, on the body of Daniel Hayes, who for several days subsisted almost on the refuse of vegetables, and went out on Friday morning in quest of something in the shape of food, but he had not gone far when he was obliged to lie down, and, melancholy to relate, was found dead some time afterward.’

‘The…

[stairnaheireann]

#OTD in 1846 – Cork Examiner reports death by starvation.

#OTD in 1846 – Cork Examiner reports death by starvation.

‘A Coroners inquest was held on the lands of Redwood, in the Parish of Lorha, on yesterday, the 24th, on the body of Daniel Hayes, who for several days subsisted almost on the refuse of vegetables, and went out on Friday morning in quest of something in the shape of food, but he had not gone far when he was obliged to lie down, and, melancholy to relate, was found dead some time afterward.’ ‘The…

[germanlander]

Heritage Week 2017

Tuesday: Rooftop tour Pembroke

First stop - a “guided tour” on the roof of the Pembroke Hotel, which is one of the highest points in Kilkenny. The guide - Courtney - used to work in the Castle and now works at the hotel. She knew her history alright. The view wasn’t that great really. I saw people on the roof of the Hibernian Hotel, who must have had a much better view onto St. Mary’s Cathedral, because their roof spoilt our view. There were about 20 people in the tour.

Wednesday: Architecture and Control

At noon, I took the hostel owner’s son, who is about 11 y/o, to a lecture about architecture and control at the Heritage Council (1st picture). It was about how workhouses and prisons and such like are designed to control the behaviour of people. I thought it was quite interesting. The lady giving the lecture quoted Michel Foucault’s book (Discipline & Punish: The Birth of the Prison), which I have read years and years ago. The boy is reading Harry Potter, so I tried to find some connection between the lecture and HP, so he could relate to it, which I think I managed. For example, I mentioned the layout of the Great Hall and how the teacher had a good view onto the students from their high table and the students being sorted by houses at the tables. However, Hogwarts is probably the worst example of architecture and control, because the layout changes all the time. But then again, the living pictures could be used as a kind of CCTV.

Walk and Talk along High Street

A very well attended guided tour - I heard people say afterwards that about 80 people attended. It was probably good contentwise, unfortunately, I couldn’t hear a lot. But it was based on a thesis written some years ago and I could since get hold of the thesis. So I’m reading that whenever I find the time.

Thursday: Why do we preserve special places?

Another lecture at the Heritage Council. Interesting enough, but I don’t really know what to share about it. It’s obvious enough to me that places have to be preserved.

Friday: Kells Priory

I had convinced a friend (regular in the Hole in the Wall and attendant of the Irish speaking group) to go to Kells (2nd and 3rd picture) with me. It sucks sometimes not to be able to drive, but then again - she might not have gone there if I hadn’t asked. The guided tour was given by a young lad who is apparently in his last year in college - and boy, was that a boring guided tour! He was not motivated at all and only told us the bare neccessities. However, the priory is stunning enough and it is becoming one of my favourite sites in Ireland. We went for a little walk to Mullins Mill for a tea and cake, had some blackberries on the way there and then took the walk back to the car park via the village. The weather was friendly enough, only a couple of drops. About 12 people were in the tour, but I think the family of eight was there by chance.

Sunday: Jerpoint Park

Again, I could find someone to give me a lift there. He is another regular in the Hole in the Wall. I don’t think he would’ve gone if I hadn’t asked him. Two other people came with us. I think, we all enjoyed that guided tour, because the tour guide Joe, who owns the property, was a really good story teller. The site is amazing, too (4th picture). It is a “lost village” that was founded in the 12th century and died out during the plague (not the one in 1348, but another one in the 1600s). All the medieval records survive, so we actually know the names of the people who lived there in the 1200s. Amazing. Joe told us about how back in the days they would recognise their relatives’ gravestones by their shape and height. I hadn’t known that before. Also, St. Nicholas is allegedly is buried there. They don’t want to promote it as Santa’s last resting place, though. Apparently, the town had 27 houses (of which you can still see the remains in the form of stone piles) of which 13 where pubs or inns - all because of the pilgrims! A most interesting site altogether. There were seven people in the group that took the tour.Discipline & Punish: The Birth of the Prison