This podcast (the second show on the town of Clogheen) introduces Richard Burke, a man who had a very unusual experience of the Great Famine. Between 1845 and 1848 he was the clerk of Clogheen Workhouse and Richard's life provide us with unique insights into this institution which was central to how the Great Hunger affected this community. The workhouse was where stories of kindness and cruelty played out side by side. The show includes an testimony from Michael Doody, an inmate in Clogheen Workhouse in 1848 which is a fascinating first hand account of life inside this building.
Overall workhouses had a huge impact in every community across Ireland during the late 1840s. The shocking statistic that one in three people who perished in the Famine (over 300,000 people) died in workhouses highlights their importance in the story of the Great Hunger. Richard Burke's experiences in Clogheen give us a greater understanding of why they were so important not only in this town but across ireland.
The next patrons-only podcast will focus on a fascinating murder mystery that relates to todays show. This will be exclusively available on www.patreon.com/irishpodcast.
For Further reading I recommend Edmund O'Riordain's book The Famine in the Valley which is available for free online.
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