Each Poor Law Union built a workhouse to accommodate the poor of the area. The regime in workhouses was tough. Families were separated and a harsh Victorian moral climate prevailed. Bawnboy workhouse, built in 1853, is a wonderful time capsule, it sits much as it was when it closed. The fixtures and fittings are gone but the fabric of the building is almost intact. It overlooks the Ballyconnell road as it enters the village, and is easily assessable. Well worth a visit if you want some idea of what a workhouse looked like.

A dormitory in Bawnboy Workhouse.