The first Irish Workhouse opened on the 1st of March 1840. Over the next 80 years, 163 more would open, supposedly to offer a last point of refuge for the poor and destitute in the communities they "served".
In reality, these institutions degraded all those who entered. Families were separated and the "inmates" were forced to wear uniforms and adhere to very strict living conditions which were often enforced by cruel wardens. They slept in dormitories and worked long hours at arduous tasks in return for basic food rations. Essentially, they were prisoners and their crime was being poor.
While many workhouses have been demolished since 1920, others remain. While some are now derelict, others have been repurposed. It should not be a surprise that many are considered to be haunted.
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