Councillor welcomes opening of workhouse memorial garden

A DUNGANNON councillor who has consistently lobbied for a permanent memorial to the victims of Dungannon Workhouse, has welcomed the opening a new garden at the site near the South Tyrone Hospital.

This week, the Southern Trust held a special event to mark the official opening of the Dungannon Workhouse Memorial Garden to remember the men, women and children who are buried on the site. The garden also includes a special engraved stone in their memory.

Independent councillor Barry Monteith who had laid flowers at the site on a monthly basis as part of a concerted campaign, said he was glad to see the garden finally in place.

“This is long overdue. Those buried here died of enforced poverty and hunger. It must be a living memorial,” said Cllr Monteith.

“Their story shows what happens when those in need are stigmatised and treated as inferior. In the words of Che Guevara, in the week of his birthday, ‘The life of a single human being is worth a million times more than all the property of the richest man on earth’.”

Members of Donaghmore Historical Society, staff from the Southern Trust as well as the Chair of Mid-Ulster Council and local religious leaders were among those attending the opening.

Dr Maria O’Kane, chief executive of the Trust said, “It is impossible for us to imagine the terrible hardship suffered by so many people in this area in the 19th Century. It’s even harder to imagine that this is the site of a graveyard where hundreds, of men, women and children who died in the Dungannon Workhouse, were buried.

“As well as being a memorial to all those who died, this garden is also a space for reflection and a place for our staff, patients and visitors from the local community to come and take time out for quiet space, fresh air or to enjoy some exercise. Exercise is so important for general overall health, we also know the benefits of being outdoors and connecting with nature for our mental wellbeing.”

Dr O’Kane also acknowledged the dedication and commitment of Mary MacGinty and other Donaghmore Historical Society members who campaigned over many years for a fitting memorial for the many people who had died in this workhouse.

Bertie Foley of Donaghmore Historical Society, said some poignant words and discussed the history of the Workhouse and those who experienced it.

The Dungannon Workhouse was opened in May 1842 and was built to serve up to 800 people but during the period of the Great Famine (1847-1850) it catered for twice that number.

The first death was recorded on August 12, 1842 and between then and the end of the century almost 4,000 deaths were recorded.

The old Workhouse was finally pulled down in 1978 but the date stone that was over the entrance is still on display today inside South Tyrone Hospital.