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Dunshaughlin Poor Law Union was formally declared on the 1st April 1839 and covered an area of 170 square miles. Its operation was overseen by an elected Board of Guardians, 26 in number, representing its 12 electoral divisions as listed below (figures in brackets indicate numbers of Guardians if more than one):

Co. Meath: Culmullen (2), Donaghmore (2), Dunboyne (3), Dunshaughlin (2), Kilbreu (2), Kilcloone (2), Killeen (2), Kilmessan (2), Rathfeigh (2), Ratoath (2), Skreen (2).
Co. Dublin Garristown (3).

The Board also included 8 ex-officio Guardians, making a total of 34.

The population falling within the Union at the 1831 census had been 22,240 with Divisions ranging in size from Donaghmore (population 1,250) to Dunshaughlin itself (2,547).

The new Dunshaughlin Union workhouse was erected in 1840-41 on a five-acre site 1.5 miles to the south of Dunshaughlin. Designed by the Poor Law Commissioners' architect George Wilkinson, the building was based on one of his standard plans to accommodate 400 inmates. Its construction cost £4,938 plus £912 for fittings etc. The building was declared fit for the reception of paupers on 12th May, 1841, and received its first admissions on 17th May. The workhouse location and layout are shown on the 1909 map below.

The workhouse had a two-storey entrance and administrative block facing to the road at the west. On the first floor was the board room where the Guardians met on Tuesday each week.

During the famine in the mid-1840s, stables and probationary wards were converted into sleeping apartments to accommodate an additional 71 inmates. Initially, 25 fever patients were treated in a house hired for use as a fever hospital, with the workhouse stables also fitted up for the reception of new patients. A fever hospital was subsequently erected to the north of the workhouse. A burial ground was located to the rear of the workhouse.

In the late 1840s, the block was extended at its northern end with the addition of a three-storey wing containing children's accommodation and schoolrooms.

To the rear of the administrative block stood the two-storey main accommodation block.

The accommodation block was linked to an infirmary at the rear by a central spine containing the dining-hall and chapel. A small ventilation tower in the centre of the infirmary improved the circulation of air through the building.

A single-storey block at the rear of the site may be the former workhouse stables.

In the post-famine years, the workhouse rarely had more than a few dozen inmates. At the start of the First World War, the site was initially commandeered for military use. After being found unsuitable for accommodating soldiers, it was fitted up to house 125 Belgian refugees and thereafter became as a holding depot for refugees until they could be placed elsewhere. Some refugees died during their residence at the workhouse and were buried in the paupers' graveyard. In 1920-21, the building was taken over as a barracks by the 'Black and Tans' - a British reservist force - during the War of Independence.

Following the creation of the Irish Free State in 1922, the workhouse system was abolished. The workhouse buildings subsequently had a variety of uses including a school, a courthouse and a factory.

The entrance and administration block has now been refurbished for use as a guest-house. In 2002, the remainder of the buildings were derelict. Plans for their redevelopment have been the subject of much local debate.

Records

Note: many repositories impose a closure period of up to 100 years for records identifying individuals. Before travelling a long distance, always check that the records you want to consult will be available.

Meath County Library, Railway Street, Navan, Co. Meath. Holdings: Guardians' Minute Books (May 1839 - May 1843, Apr 1846 - Jan 1848, Dec 1848 - Feb 1850, Jan 1851 - Dec 1891, Jan 1893 - Nov 1921); Rough Minute Books (Jan 1856 - Dec 1857, Jan 1863 - Dec 1863); Miscellaneous statistics (c.1915-19, including daily return of inmates, Belgian refugees housed in Dunshaughlin workhouse, including arrival and departure dates).

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Dunshaughlin Poor Law Union was formally declared on the 1st April 1839 and covered an area of 170 square miles. Its operation was overseen by an elected Board of Guardians, 26 in number, representing its 12 electoral divisions as listed below (figures in brackets indicate numbers of Guardians if more than one): Co.

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How was the Famine described by witnesses, by those trying to help and by those facing starvation? Performed by top Irish actors, Famine Monologues is a 6 part fictional series on the Irish Famine written by Anna Carey as part of The Great Irish Famine project on RTE.ie/history.

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The Great Famine
The Great Famine also referred to as "The Great Hunger", that lasted between 1845 and 1849 was arguably the single greatest disaster that affected the Irish history.
The famine was caused by the potato blight (fungus) that was inadvertently brought over initially from North America to mainland Europe and had eventually made its way to Ireland during the summer of 1845. It was not unusual to have crops that failed and people thought that it was just an isolated event. What the eight million people who lived in Ireland at the time did not realise was that the potato crops would fail for the next four years and that the disaster would lead to the deaths and the emigration of millions of its peoples to strange, foreign and distant lands. The potato was the staple diet for the Irish people at the time and was the only food that was affordable for the masses. Certain grains such as oats and wheat were grown, but were exported by the government as were cattle and pork. In just four years, Irelands was on its knees. Over a million of its population would die from disease and starvation and through forced emigration, Irelands' population was reduced by almost a further two million people.
Read more
The initial efforts to alleviate the problems brought on by the failure of the potato crop were slow to be organised. As was mentioned earlier, it was not unusual to have a potato crop fail. People lived on their reserves and shared with those that were better of. Many of them had also eaten their seed potatoes, therefore depriving themselves of their next harvest as well, but as the years went on and the crops kept on failing the world slowly became aware of the plight of the Irish people. The British government's reaction at first was slow and some members also suggested that the problem was in Ireland and should be left to sort out or let it run its course despite the fact that other crops continued to be produced and exported while the people were dying. To make matters even worse, some landlords began to evict those tenants who could not pay their rent, sending them wandering aimlessly from town to town in the search of food. The town of Skibbereen located in the West Cork region was particularly affected to the extent that it became the rallying point for international efforts to help out. The United States who despite being at war with Mexico at the time, dispatched two warships (the Jamestown and the Macedonian) laden with supplies to assist the starving population.

Eventually groups such as the Quakers, set up soup kitchens in order to try to save the population. Another attempt by the government to get the most out of the already starving and disease ridden Irish was to establish Work houses for the starving. It was felt that they would feel more worthy knowing that they were not accepting food for free.

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https://www.scoilnet.ie/learning-path/ref/4891/

http://www.askaboutireland.ie/learning-zone/primary-students/5th-+-6th-class/history/history-the-full-story/ireland-in-the-19th-centu/the-great-famine-an-gorta/

https://www.scoilnet.ie/go-to-post-primary/collections/junior-cycle/greathunger/

http://www.mrobroin.stcronans.ie/the_great_famine.html

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https://www.discoveringireland.com/the-great-famine/

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http://www.theirishstory.com/2016/10/18/the-great-irish-famine-1845-1851-a-brief-overview/

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http://www.askaboutireland.ie/learning-zone/primary-students/subjects/history/history-the-full-story/ireland-in-the-19th-centu/the-great-famine-an-gorta/