Tag Archives: workhouse

A DECAYED statue dating back to Famine times has been restored and reinstalled in Portumna’s Workhouse cemetery thanks to the help of Ennis-based artist Larisa K Bevillard and Moycullen-based Klaus Dieter Von Kerckoff. The statue, depicting the crucifixion of Jesus, had been lying abandoned and badly damaged at the cemetery of Portumna’s Workhouse for decades. The pair were tasked to carry out the repair work by Galway County Council and the newly restored statue has now been reinstalled back in its original location. Ms Bevillard told The Champion it was “horrifying” to see the damage to the statue recalling it “crumbled extensively due in part to its composition and  mixture of excessive sand with insufficient cement”. She explained that as part of the restoration the remains of the statue were first brought to Ennis, before Covid-19 restrictions, for initial works. It was partially restored in Ennis with Ms Bevillard rebuilding the fingers and hands before it was brought to Moycullen …

KILRUSH historian Rita McCarthy, who investigated the operation of the County Clare Nursery on the Cooraclare road in the town, believes it is unlikely that any babies are buried on or close to the site. It follows revelations of the discovery of human remains at the site of the Mother and Baby Home in Tuam, County Galway. The nursery in Kilrush is one of the mother and baby homes nationwide that is part of the Mother and Baby Home Commission of Investigation, which was established on February 17, 2015 and is chaired by Judge Yvonne Murphy. The home in Kilrush was operated by Clare County Council from 1922-1932. Ms McCarthy told The Clare Champion that she could not yet reveal details of her contribution to the report, which is likely to be published in 2018. “I can’t talk about the specifics in that report because that is subject to the commission releasing it. But before that, I had done quite …