We're still in County Laois in Ireland and just had our cream tea in Abbeyleix. Our next stop was the Donaghmore Famine Workhouse. Here families lived (and died) before, during and after the Great Famine of 1845 to 1852, also known within Ireland as the Great Hunger or just the Famine, and outside of Ireland as the Irish Potato Famine. This and about 130 other workhouses operated as a means to provide relief for extremely poor people. They would do some work here in return for food and a roof above their heads. The living conditions in these workouses were very harsh since the aim was not to encourage people to stay there. After the Great Famine it became a place for unmarried mothers, illegitimate children, orphans or mentally ill people - people that society wouldn't accept. Donaghmore Workhouse was opened in September 1853 and closed in September 1886.
This felt like entering the world described in the books by Charles Dickens. Not a place where you would like to end up.
The museum also houses an Agricultural Collection with a wide range of artefacts that had been donated by local people. It was quite the collection!
