Clifden Poor Law Union archive collection, Descriptive List, GPL3.pdf

Clifden Poor Law Union
The distress of 1904-05, again due to a poor harvest, resulted in the establishment of further
relief schemes. Parish Committees were formed to consider what schemes could be
introduced (GPL3/91, p5), such as in the Bunowen ED a small pier at Aillebrack and in the
Clifden ED walls at Clifden old graveyard and various roads, together with the appointment of
named gangers for each area (GPL3/91, pp18-26). The LGB advised the Guardians that
they could open the relief works from 27 th February 1905, and that they could administer
outdoor relief ‘...in money to destitute persons’ from that date too (GPL3/91, p37).
Medical Charities
The issue of lack of funds and the PLC‟s desire for the Union to increase rates to fund the
requirements of the Medical Charities Act was ongoing during 1852. The Board wanted total
revision of the valuation, so made a case to the Commissioners for one to be carried out for
the whole Union, stating for example „… the present valuation has been successfully
appealed against in several instances and quashed, and the Board are aware of omissions
and errors existing sufficient to support many more appeals against any future rate struck on
the present valuation’ (GPL3/14, p12, 28 April 1852,). Also that the „…Board are of opinion
that in consequence of decrease of the population and cultivation the selling value of
seaweed for manure has fallen from 5/ to 2/6 per boat, that a considerable additional value
was placed on some of the coastal district of this Union in consequence of the great value of
such weed as an article of trade with Galway and other places in its neighbourhood, and that
the fall in value from this cause has not been sufficiently considered in the present
valuation…’ (GPL3/14, 28 April 1852, p13).
Throughout 1855-1856 the Board was in ongoing communication with the PLC
Commissioners regarding the establishment of a Medical Dispensary in Renvyle.
In late 1859 there was discussion about the establishment of a Medical Dispensary in Carna,
though at that time some of the Board members and the Roundstone Dispensary Committee
were of opinion that ‘…a dispensary at Carna is quite unnecessary’ (GP3/24, 5 October
1859, p11). In 1873 the location of the Carna dispensary was again discussed and after
some discussion and despite objections on behalf of the people of the district the dispensary
was changed from Carna to Killkerrin (GPL3/45, pp169-172, 3 Nov 1873, and pp188-189).
Yet a little while later, at their meeting of 28 th January 1874 the Board accepted a
‘...substantial slated house at Carna at £10 a year for a Dispensary’ from Mr Leonard
(GPL3/45, p249).
In 1861 there was discussion about the provision of medical care on the islands of Inishbofin
and Inishark, and the proposal to have the Renvyle Dispensary rather than the Clifden
dispensary district responsible for the islands (GPL3/26, ff194-195, ff244-245). In April 1862
Cartlann Chomhairle Contae na Gaillimhe „…cuimhne dhoiciméadach Chontae na Gaillimhe a shealbhú, a chaomhnú agus a dhéanamh inrochtana’
Galway County Council - Archives „…to acquire, preserve and make accessible the documentary memory of county Galway’
xviii.