This placemark reflects the results of a 4-year partnership between the Arnold Bernhard Library of Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut and the Kerry County Library in Tralee, Ireland to digitize records from workhouse administrators in County Kerry during the Famine years. This project, which is housed at CONTENTdm covers the years 1845 to 1848. A new section of postings from Kenmare will be made public later in 2008.
The complete listing of projects done by Quinnipiac, including digitized books and multimedias, can be found at http://www.thegreathunger.org

Welcome to the GE community Terry. This sounds like a fascinating project. I looked at some of the transcripts, and they give an interesting insight into life in the workhhouse. I was particularly struck by this bit from July 26 1845:

With regard to the previous week's events, it was decided that, if the "violent and disruptive" female pauper Ellen Connell repeated any of the behavior complained of, that she be treated as a "refractory pauper", and confined to the "Female Idiot Ward".

There's no mention of her on August 2, so I hope she managed to avoid the "Female Idiot Ward"!

Check out the posting from November 28, 1846:

There was also a report from the Master �that on Monday night the 25th Instant, he apprehended Ellen Connell, an inmate of the Workhouse, in the act of absconding there from, she having got over one of the Walls, and having had her examined, an additional garment was found on her, which the Master is of the opinion she was intended to dispose of improperly.�

I suspect that I'm glad they left out a certain level of detail here.

The image below shows the main wall of the workhouse at Cahirciveen.

Terry