Gorey Union’s Earl Grey famine orphans
Wexford County Archive is delighted to showcase a recently produced digital exhibition by Rosemary Hartigan Hayes on the assisted female emigration scheme (the Earl Grey scheme) from Gorey Union workhouse. The scheme operated during the 1848-50 period and resulted in a total of 4,114 girls from workhouses across Ireland being sent to the Australian colonies. This exhibition identifies the 21 orphan girls from Gorey workhouse who were assisted to emigrate (out of a total of 40 girls initially selected).
What better time to make this exhibition available than Explore Your Archive week which runs from 20-28 November 2021 #ExploreYourArchive
The Explore Your Archive week this year assigns a different theme to each of the nine days. This exhibition covers two themes in particular:
Handwriting – information relating to the selection of the girls, their name, age, address, literacy and domestic skills is detailed in the Gorey Union workhouse minute books for the period. However, deciphering the information at times proved very challenging due to the density of the text and the handwriting skills of the Clerk! Check out one of the lists of girls on page 6 of Volume 9 and see how much information you can identify www.wexfordcountyarchive.com/our-collections/digital-collections/poor-law-union-minutes-gorey-union/
Going Digital – the Earl Grey scheme also operated in the three additional workhouses in County Wexford – in Wexford, Enniscorthy and New Ross unions. The minutes for the workhouses have been digitised and are available to read on www.wexfordcountyarchive.com
War of Independence in County Wexford
Wexford County Archive holds extensive primary source materials relating to the Decade of Centenaries in County Wexford (1912-23) – in particular, for the latter half of the period, including a significant 1916 collection of original documents and artefacts.
This online exhibition focuses on the War of Independence in County Wexford as revealed in extant documents, photographs and objects from collections in our holdings.
1920 Local Elections Commemorative Booklet
This year marks the centenary of the local elections of 1920 which were pivotal in the history of local government in Ireland.
To mark these events, and because of their significance for the struggle for independence, the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government recently commissioned a publication from the Local Government Archivists and Records Managers (LGARM) to commemorate the 1920 local elections. Edited by archivists Niamh Brennan (Donegal) and Gráinne Doran (Wexford) with the title ‘Democracy and Change: the 1920 Local Elections in Ireland’ this publication is available to download free of charge, in Irish and in English.
The publication contains images of material held in Wexford County Council Archives.
Leabhrán Cuimhneacháin Thoghcháin Áitiúla 1920
Tá sé céad bliain ó bhí Toghcháin áitiúla na bliana 1920 ar siúl, toghcháin a bhí ríthábhachtach maidir le stair rialtais áitiúil na hÉireann.
Chun na himeachtaí sin a cheiliúradh, agus ó tharla chomh tábhachtach agus a bhí siad maidir leis an gcoimhlint chun neamhspleáchas a bhaint amach, tá Cartlannaithe agus Bainisteoirí Taifead an Rialtais Áitiúil coimisiúnaithe ag an Roinn Tithíochta, Pleanála & Rialtais Áitiúil chun foilseachán a chur i dtoll a chéile chun toghcháin áitiúla na bliana 1920 a chomóradh. Is féidir an foilseachán seo, dar teideal ‘Daonlathas agus Athrú Toghcháin Áitiúla 1920 in Éirinn’ a íoslódáil saor in aisce i nGaeilge agus i mBéarla. Is iad na cartlannaithe Niamh Brennan (Dún na nGall) agus Gráinne Doran (Loch Garman) a chur in eagair.
Dá mba mhaith leat tuilleadh a fháil amach faoin tréimhse seo i stair na hÉireann téigh chuig
Tá íomhánna d’ábhar a choinnítear i gCartlann Chomhairle Chontae Loch Garman sa bhfoilseachán
The 1920 local elections in County Wexford
As in most counties across Ireland, the local elections in County Wexford in 1920 took place during a period of disturbance and civil unrest which included raids on residences for arms and ammunition, destruction of a number of RIC barracks and attacks on civilians.
These elections were a significant means of furthering the cause for Irish independence. A number of candidates across County Wexford were still actively involved in the republican cause, with some incarcerated in British jails at the time of their election.
One political landmark in the elections in County Wexford that year was the election of two female candidates to Wexford Corporation – a first for the municipal authority. In total, seven women were elected to local government bodies in the county in 1920.
This exhibition takes a look in detail at the January and June elections in County Wexford that year.