The following information was provided by Mr Steve Dolan, Manager of The Irish Workhouse Centre, Portumna, Co. Galway
The Swinford Poor Law Union was officially declared in 1840. The Workhouse was opened in 1846 at a cost of £8,400. It was built to house a maximum capacity of 700 inmates, but census records show that the true number of inmates reached as high as 1,857 in 1848. The Swinford Workhouse was built to accomodate people from the areas of Aughamore, Bohola, Kilbeagh, Killasser, Killeaden, Kilmoree, Knock, Meelick, Swinford, Toomore, and Kilmacteigue.
Swinford Workhouse once housed the founder of the Land League, Michael Davitt who entered the Workhouse at the age of 4 with his mother when they could not pay their rent.
Swinford Workhouse is now a HSE facility.
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