Description

County Mayo, A History of Imprisonment, Capital Punishment & Transportation – Part II: Castlebar Prison & the Bridewells of County Mayo, 1835–1935 continues Dr. Michael O’Connor’s acclaimed research into the history of crime, punishment, and public institutions in County Mayo. Using archival material from Ireland, Britain, and the United States, the book reconstructs the history of Castlebar Prison from its opening in 1835 through its closure and eventual demolition in the 1930s.

The study explores the prison’s role during some of Ireland’s most significant historical events, including the Great Famine, the Fenian Rising, the Land War, the 1916 Rising, the War of Independence, and the Civil War. It also examines the network of bridewells in Ballina, Ballinrobe, Belmullet, Swinford, and Westport, documenting prison administration, daily routines, health care, education, discipline, and the experiences of prisoners, staff, women, children, and those suffering from mental illness. Rich statistical analysis, contemporary records, and genealogical information provide an unparalleled insight into nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Mayo.

Combining rigorous scholarship with engaging storytelling, this substantial volume is an essential reference for historians, genealogists, legal researchers, and anyone interested in Irish social history, criminal justice, and County Mayo’s past.