Thanks for sharing this excellent video. One small request for future videos, when someone is speaking, it's nice when the background music is lowered (or muted) so the audience can clearly hear the speaker. Thanks again for this excellent coverage of the Biorra workhouse and wonderful explanation by a most knowledgeable presenter.
Thank you for sharing the video. I believe my Great Grandfather is buried there. He died there in 1917 from TB. There's no record for him in the Banagher Cemeteries.
My Great, Great Grandmother was Ellen Dooley. She along with her two Cousins Eliza and Catherine were taken from the workhouse and sent to Australia as part of the Earl Grey Scheme. All lived to ripe old ages. Ellen was 96, Catherine 90 and Eliza 73 when they died. Ellen had 10 children, Eliza 13 but Catherine sadly remained childless but a much loved Aunt. The Dooley girls were mentioned in this video and yes their descendants are very proud of them indeed. In 1860 and 1862 Ellen's husband John Murray a native of Roscommon sponsored two brothers of Eliza to come to Australia. They were Patrick and John. If there are any descendants of the siblings of these amazing women who remained in Ireland I would love to hear from you.
Brilliant video, I would love to learn more about it. It's such a shame to see the building crumble as one of the last one of it's kind in Ireland. What is happening about it's restoration or has that now been shelved? Gerri Hynes
Although I appreciate Mrs Hogan's sincere efforts regarding the Heritage of Birr, it is important to note that the inference that monoculture caused the so called famine without clarifying the reason for the monoculture; dispossession and penal laws reduced the Irish to less than penury. 100's of millions of tons of food was exported to the UK market to buoy up the British Colonial efforts at home and abroad. It was estimated that our agri economy supplied 10% of the British food requirement
Very interesting video, must have been horrible to have lived there but they were different times and people lived very simple life's, probably looks worse to us now with all the modern comforts we have.
I hate when paranormal seekers start getting in on theses situations, not for any religeous reasons, it's just as soon as i watched that vid, I thought the same as you. I could almost here, see Yvette Fileding lol
The brits have done many bad thing but they did not cause the Famine. Trevelyan said: God sent the Famine to teach the Irish a lesson. The thing is that the Famine didn´t only hit the Irish but the fact is that the Irish depended on the potatoe and that made them very vulnerable and that caused the death of so many people. If the british had given them the corn and the other thing thats was exported to england no one would have died because of hunger.
Yes, it is well to note, that Ireland continued to be a gross national exporter of foodstuffs within the UK throughout the lean years, the famine years, and the Great Famine itself. That export business was a very wealthy part of Ireland's income-producing industries, so the various governments had no intention of damaging it - or rather of harming the profits of its owners. Indeed, as a charitable institution, Parsonstown (Birr) Workhouse, like most others, was focused on giving value for money to the local landlords, business owners, and rate-payers who funded them; very little changed when the local Unions became government-funded bodies; indeed, the use of more or less 'free' labour (often from religious volunteers) emphasised the cheap deal that was expected - and delivered .. well into the 20th-century. Now add into this mix, the reality that to enter the Union Workhouse/ Orphanage etc was seen (not unfairly) as a punitive measure on the thriftless and improvident poor (like fining/ imprisoning vagrants if they could not produce ten shillings to show that they could pay for food and shelter). And then to that dread vision, recall that the Laundries and Borstals were part of the Justice System, not indoor charities; for it was the courts that sent the indigent, immoral and recidivist criminals to these institutions .. as a genuinely merciful alternative to prison.
Thanks for sharing this excellent video. One small request for future videos, when someone is speaking, it's nice when the background music is lowered (or muted) so the audience can clearly hear the speaker. Thanks again for this excellent coverage of the Biorra workhouse and wonderful explanation by a most knowledgeable presenter.
Mrs Hogan, great job, as you know this terrible scenario repeated all over Ireland, Birr should be preserved. Thanks for remembering the nameless.
My mother was born in Birr Workhouse in 1916.💖
Great to see Margaret Hogan at work!
Thank you For This
Amazing Unreal To me
Can't Imagine Life Like This
So So Sad
Paula
Thank you for sharing the video. I believe my Great Grandfather is buried there. He died there in 1917 from TB. There's no record for him in the Banagher Cemeteries.
My Great, Great Grandmother was Ellen Dooley. She along with her two Cousins Eliza and Catherine were taken from the workhouse and sent to Australia as part of the Earl Grey Scheme. All lived to ripe old ages. Ellen was 96, Catherine 90 and Eliza 73 when they died. Ellen had 10 children, Eliza 13 but Catherine sadly remained childless but a much loved Aunt. The Dooley girls were mentioned in this video and yes their descendants are very proud of them indeed. In 1860 and 1862 Ellen's husband John Murray a native of Roscommon sponsored two brothers of Eliza to come to Australia. They were Patrick and John. If there are any descendants of the siblings of these amazing women who remained in Ireland I would love to hear from you.
Really good, interesting and sad. Terrible iritating music behind it though.
Well Done Mrs Hogan ,
keeping the Birr Heritage Alive
kind regards
dickie donnelly
Brilliant video, I would love to learn more about it. It's such a shame to see the building crumble as one of the last one of it's kind in Ireland. What is happening about it's restoration or has that now been shelved?
Gerri Hynes
Although I appreciate Mrs Hogan's sincere efforts regarding the Heritage of Birr, it is important to note that the inference that monoculture caused the so called famine without clarifying the reason for the monoculture; dispossession and penal laws reduced the Irish to less than penury. 100's of millions of tons of food was exported to the UK market to buoy up the British Colonial efforts at home and abroad. It was estimated that our agri economy supplied 10% of the British food requirement
I'm I d only one thats been in this with the boys
Very interesting video, must have been horrible to have lived there but they were different times and people lived very simple life's, probably looks worse to us now with all the modern comforts we have.
I was in there with a few friends my cousins foot fell through the floor but we caught him just in time
GSI, I wouldn't if I were you. Been there lately, not a place I would stay . Got the pics to prove it Terrible atmosphere. God rest them.
I hate when paranormal seekers start getting in on theses situations, not for any religeous reasons, it's just as soon as i watched that vid, I thought the same as you. I could almost here, see Yvette Fileding lol
Up in scruagh
It burnt down
The music ruins the video
The Fuckn State Of The Gaf. :L
Mark Spain or as I could say mark Ayt u don't need to be commenting that u fool
Doesnt look too nice to live in.....
The brits have done many bad thing but they did not cause the Famine. Trevelyan said: God sent the Famine to teach the Irish a lesson. The thing is that the Famine didn´t only hit the Irish but the fact is that the Irish depended on the potatoe and that made them very vulnerable and that caused the death of so many people. If the british had given them the corn and the other thing thats was exported to england no one would have died because of hunger.
Yes, it is well to note, that Ireland continued to be a gross national exporter of foodstuffs within the UK throughout the lean years, the famine years, and the Great Famine itself. That export business was a very wealthy part of Ireland's income-producing industries, so the various governments had no intention of damaging it - or rather of harming the profits of its owners. Indeed, as a charitable institution, Parsonstown (Birr) Workhouse, like most others, was focused on giving value for money to the local landlords, business owners, and rate-payers who funded them; very little changed when the local Unions became government-funded bodies; indeed, the use of more or less 'free' labour (often from religious volunteers) emphasised the cheap deal that was expected - and delivered .. well into the 20th-century.
Now add into this mix, the reality that to enter the Union Workhouse/ Orphanage etc was seen (not unfairly) as a punitive measure on the thriftless and improvident poor (like fining/ imprisoning vagrants if they could not produce ten shillings to show that they could pay for food and shelter). And then to that dread vision, recall that the Laundries and Borstals were part of the Justice System, not indoor charities; for it was the courts that sent the indigent, immoral and recidivist criminals to these institutions .. as a genuinely merciful alternative to prison.