Kilrush Union Minute Books 1849

Proposed by George Taylor Seconded by Timothy Kelly Resolved In accordance with notice of motion given on Saturday the 1st December that the Board decline sanctioning the appointments of additional officers, until such time, as the Board are in funds to meet the demands.
Consequent on such appointments proposed by George Taylor seconded by Benjamin Cox Resolved that the house as at present occupied as a temporary hospital in Kilkee be given up to Mr Studdert there being no further need for it.

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Proposed by Jonas Studdert Esqr Seconded by Mr Timothy Kelly Resolved that the Board of Guardians consider the present Out Door medical staff as beyond the present requirements of the Union. That we are of opinion that the following distribution of medical officers would be sufficient
Namely No. 1 District  Moyarta Kilballyowen & Kilkee
             No. 2     "        Killard & Kilmacdooane
             No. 3     "        Kilmurry Ibrickane & Kilmihil
             No. 4     "        Kilrush Killimer & Knock
             No. 5     "        Kildysart Kilfidane & Killofin

The Guardians pledging themselves to make these appointments subject to the sanction of the Poor. Law. Commissioners under sec. 5 of 10 vic Chap 31 respectfully call upon the Board of health to withdraw the certificates as the Guardians consider they can manage this part of the Union Establishment more economically and sufficiently, when brought more immediately under their own control

The following letter was handed in by the Clerk, Viz;

Sir,
May I take the liberty of requesting that you would order me a cheque for £5. for Out Door Relief Purposes Viz to pay for coffins and lodgins of Paupers
I have made application before now and was refused, but if withheld any longer the dead must have to be buried without Coffins
Will you please have the kindness to order two suits of old Clothes for paupers in Kildysart, who are confined to bed for want of them
                                                                                                (Signed)
                                                                                                        Thomas Guinnane

The 1st of the 12 December No. 74200/49. relative to the lease of the Premises @ Kildysart
  "   2   of the same date No 77.897./49 sanctioning the appointment of Messrs. Brew,
Stackpoole, Lillis, Healy & Whitston as Collectors of Poor Rates
  "   3d  of the 13 Decemr No. 76626/49
  "   4     "   " same date No 77897/49 relative to proceedings in Superior Courts against Immediate Lessors
  "   5     "   " 14 Decemr. No 76.626/49 stating that the Comrs. did not consider the salaries of the officers of the union by any  means excessive
  "   6   of the same date No. 77221/49 relative to the Return of Liabilities for October
  "   7   "   " 10th Decr. No. 77022-/49 addressed to Col Vandeleur relative to the general & financial state of the Union.
  "   8th of the 10th Inst relative to the Instalments due on the Loan for the Workhouse

Captain Kennedy informed the Board that he had received the Sum of £100 from the Poor. Law Commissioners for the purpose of averting starvation from the Infirm paupers on the Out Door Relief list till the new Rate is put in process of collection
Captain Kennedy proposed to allocate this sum in fair proportion to each Relief District with Directions to apply it to the Relief of the most urgent cases only

Captain Kennedy informed the Board that he had in company with Mr. Lynch visited the northern part of the Union and witnessed many Paupers on the Out Door Relief list suffering privation of the most fretful character from want of food. In the Village of Doonbeg particularly a large number of paupers, old and young, male and females, many sick, and some in a dying state, were huddled together in fretfully overcrowded Cabins, where disease must soon decimate them unless, some, immediate, steps be taken to relieve them. The Relieving officers of Moyarta & Kilballyowen likewise reported upon the alarming State of Their respective Districts

adjourned to Monday-

Captain Kennedy laid before the Board a report from Dr Tuite the medical officer in charge of the Moyarta & Kilballyowen Districts Dated 14 Dec. /49 detailing the state of his District also a report from the Relieving officer of the Kilballyowen Electoral Division
Captain Kennedy brought the state of the schools, both male and female, before the Board, & represented the impossibility of one School master & one School mistress attending to educating about 900 Children he also informed them that the schoolmistress was In Fever and that the Children were without any Superintendence

Sir,
Taking into consideration the financial embarrassment of the Union, and the feeling of the Board of Guardians respecting my present salary, I beg to relinquish all claims to the ..... remuneration of "/5 per diem, which I am entitled to receive under my appointment from the Board of Health. I will feel obliged by you conveying this decision to the Poor Law Commissioners as well as to the Board of Guardians.
I cannot expect that the Board of Guardians, can be aware of the amount of labour, and anxiety attendant upon the office I hold there being only the one hospital, or refuge for the sick, of every kind in a union with a population of 82,000, 30,000 of whom are Paupers, sufficiently indicates the labour and risque I have undergone during the last two years. And the present sanitory state of your workhouse and auxiliaries attests with what success.
The emaciated starvelings I am for the most part called upon to heal when beyond hope of recovery, are dangerous to the reputation of any professional man.
I have devoted almost my whole time and best energies to bring the Workhouse and Auxiliaries into a satisfactory state as far as my duties require in which course it required a higher motive than mere pecuniary gain to lead me to a successful result & while I have the honor to hold office under the Poor Law Commissioners I purpose to pursue the same course                                                                                                              (Signed)
                                                                                                             Thomas. B O Donnell

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The Clerk reported that the Insurance on the auxiliary premises at Leadmore, was perfected, and requested a cheque for the amounts of the premium £ 6" 6" 0. which was drawn accordingly

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The following Report was read from the medical officer for Moyarta and Kilballyowen District Viz,
I merely gave a sketch of four families who have laboured under severe Illness such as fever & diarhia omitting a greater number of cases labouring under debility produced by extreme privations for the last forthnight. I fear that any succour now produced will not prevent disastrous consequences. The very hearts and nerve of even the ablebodied paupers is nearly parallized, through actual dread of being exposed to the heart rending sights they are now accustomed to, what can public officers do, who are connected with the paupers on Out Door Relief, truly they cannot be responsible for the lives of so many unfortunate human beings placed under their charge when the common scanty supply of meal hitherto afforded is now withheld for the last forthnight, and that draw back of food will tell frightfully in a short time even on the stalwart Labourer, not to mention, the delicate male and female children, under their charge. Turnip tops and the scavenging of the fields, for small turnips are now exhausted and winter cold will finish the fare for the Poor, having described to you the state of sick poor, & the poor in general, things would have been worse were it not for a few bags of meal obtained on the credit of the Relieving officer & distributed. Those few bags of meal were distributed to the worse cases, I could find, having travelled in company with Mr McInerney Relief Officer through the Parish, anything I could add to this would be only making bad worse, the same state of things are to be expected and are realized in Moyarta District
                                                                            (Signed)
                                                                                    Jeremiah Tuite, M.D.

William Ceasy and Pat Penders tender for supplying the workhouse with 300 Creels of turf at 9 pence per Creel was accepted

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John, M. Shannon tendered his resignation for measuring the Broken Stones, through the union, which was accepted,

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Resolved that the Medical officers of the Temporary Dispensaries be directed to send into the Workhouse Infirmary and Fever Hospital all cases requiring Medical Diet and that no Milk or other food be issued by the Relieving Officer but that allowed for, out door Relief being the only means of checking the abuses in existence.

Resolved that the Relieving Officers be directed not to employ any cars except for the conveyance of Sick Paupers

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Resolved that the advertize for the conveyance of Meat and Sick Poor to and from the different districts

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Colonel Vandeleur handed in the following notice of Motion for the 29th Inst Viz -
That as it appears the Vice Guardians have increased the Scale of Officers Rations I propose that they shall for the future receive the same as that allowed by the Board before they went out of Office.

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That from this Boys & Girls being divided into different Houses much inconvenience is felt, evidently also additional superintendence. I therefore propose that all Children between the ages of 9 & 16 be sent to Leadmore Workhouse under the charge of the Schoolmaster and Schoolmistress and that the Master of the Workhouse be directed to visit and inspect that Establishment once at least every day.

The Relieving Officers for the undernamed districts handed in the following Eviction Notices Viz -
From Hugh. P. Hickinan for recovery of the lands of Danganelly West in Kilmacdooan Electoral division
From Jno McDonnell for recovery of the lands of Dromelihy in Kilmacdooan Electoral division
From J.S. O’Brien for recovery of the lands of Lack in Kilmihill Electoral Division
From Jno McDonnell for recovery of the lands of Danonghboy Emlagh Foohagh Kildimo and Cabally in Kilkee division
From Jno McDonnell for recovery of the lands of Farroor Lisseencrony and Lisseen Farroor in Moyarta Division
From Hugh P Hickman for recovery of the lands of Rehy West and Rehy East in Kilballyowen Electoral Division

Medical Report Week ended 15th December 1849
Number in Infirmary by last report                                                 196
Admitted during the Week                                                                68
Discharged                33                                                                  264
Sent to Hospital          1
Died                          11                                                                    45
Remaining in Infirmary this day                                                    219
        In Girls dysentery wards                                                          11
          " Girls Skin disease wards                                                    127
          " Small Pock wards                                                                  6
          " Other Dormitories                                                                 7
                        Total under Medical treatment                              370
Deaths
In Infirmary             11
Other Dormitories     4
                                15

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Rate Books for the following Divisions have been duly signed on the undermentioned days Viz.
            Kilrush              17 Decem             Kilmurry   Dec/15/49
            Killofin               "                          Killard          -   " -  " -
            Kilfiddane           "                          Moyarta   Dec 18/49
            Kildysert            "
            Kilballyowen      "                          all @ 3/= in the £