The following information was provided by Mr Steve Dolan, Manager of The Irish Workhouse Centre, Portumna, Co. Galway
The Athlone Poor Law Union was officially declared in 1839. The Workhouse was opened in 1841 at a cost of £9,301. It was built to house a maximum capacity of 900 inmates, but census records show that the true number of inmates reached as high as 2,150 in 1849. The Athlone Workhouse was built to accomodate people from the areas of Ballyloughloe, Ballymore, Bunown, Drumreaney, Kilcleagh, Kilcumreach, Kilkelly West, Moate, Noughaval, Saitn Marys in Co. Westmeath, and Athlone, Can, Dysart, Kiltoom, Rahara, Saint Johns, Taghboy, Taghmaconnell, and Tisrara in Co. Roscommon.
The Athlone Workhouse was repurposed as a regional hospital and his since been used by a number of different local businesses and the fire service.
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