Cork Poor Law Unions (Boards of Guardians)

Poor law unions and their workhouses were established by the Poor Law (Ireland) Act, 1838, as a response to widespread destitution, and each was governed by a Board of Guardians. Minute books, recording the proceedings of meetings are the largest series of poor law records that survive, however workhouse registers, financial accounts and correspondence and several other series also survive for some areas.  Many subjects are recorded, such as the struggle to both fund and manage the workhouse and related services, attitudes to poverty, developments in public health provision, and the care of the infirm, the destitute, children, and the mentally ill. From the 1880’s, glimpses of the rise of nationalism may be found in some collections. (For information on workhouse/poor law records here relevant to family history and genealogy, see our genealogy pages)

CCCA holds the following archives from Boards of Guardians in Cork city and county. The descriptive list for each BG collection is available on request by email.

BG 42    Bandon Board of Guardians (West Cork)

BG 43    Bantry Board of Guardians (South West Cork)

BG 59    Castletown Board of Guardians (South West Cork)

BG 65    Clonakilty Board of Guardians (West Cork)

BG 69    Cork Board of Guardians (Cork City and hinterland)

BG 83    Dunmanway Board of Guardians (West Cork)

BG 89    Fermoy Board of Guardians (North Cork)

BG 98    Kanturk Board of Guardians (North West Cork)

BG 108  Kinsale Board of Guardians (West Cork)

BG 115  Macroom Board of Guardians (West Cork)

BG 116  Mallow Board of Guardians (North Cork)

BG 118  Midleton Board of Guardians (East Cork)

BG 145  Schull Board of Guardians (South West Cork)

BG 163  Youghal Board of Guardians (East Cork)

A descriptive list for each of the above archives is available on request by email to archivist@corkcity.ie