The Ballinasloe Historical and Archaeological Society of Uí-Mháine hosted a lecture in Ballinasloe Library on Monday 5th November entitled "The petty Czar of Garbally, Lord Cloncarty; the Sisters of Mercy and the Ballinasloe Workhouse 1853 - 1863". The lecture was given to a full house by local man Brian J. Casey of NUI Maynooth IRCHSS Post Graduate Scholar in the Humanities and Social Sciences. His thesis, with a working title of 'A reappraisal of landlordism in Ireland, a case study of the Clancarty estate east Galway 1851-1914', is estimated to be completed in 2009/2010.

The chief librarian Mary Dillon (both herself and Collette Hanrahan were founding members of the Historical Society) introduced Brian to the large attendance present. She said that lectures such as these play an important role by informing people of the human activity carried on in their area in the past and that it was particularly pleasing to welcome Brian Casey, a local lad whom she wished the best of luck in his future studies. She concluded by saying that if any evidence was needed that a new library was required in Ballinasloe it was provided here this evening by the large crowd present some of which were forced to stand during the proceedings.

The Sisters of Mercy were invited to come to Ballinasloe in 1853 by Bishop John Derry of Clonfert to establish a workhouse and tend to the spiritual needs of the paupers resident at the time in the Ballinasloe workhouse. For a decade William le Poer Trench, the Third Earl of Clancarty and landlord of Ballinasloe, resisted all attempts to have the sisters admitted to the workhouse. He was a fervent evangelical Protesant and was fearful that the sisters would exert great influence upon the paupers of the workhouse, whom he wanted to convince to convert to Protestantism. Bishop Derry and Alderman John Reynolds from Boyle, Co. Roscommon campaigned tirelessly for a decade to have the sisters admitted to the workhouse and finally succeeded in 1863 after members of the Board of Guardians (who were responsible for the running of the workhouse) believed that Lord Clancarty could no longer continue with the stance he had taken and that it would be unwise to refuse the sisters admittance any longer.

This affair deeply angered many Catholics in the town and the lecture argued that this event led to the Clancarty family suffering a tainted legacy, despite being very good landlords.

When the lecture ended Brian answered questions from the floor. During the discussion that followed many comments were made by those contributing such as Barry Lally, Joe Molloy and Paul Hill and others.

Brian would like anyone who has any sources etc relating to the period like letters, photographs, farm account books, anything that may be of use to him in his research to please contact him on This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .