Cavan Orphanage Fire
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On the night of February 23, 1943 a fire broke out at St Joseph's Orphanage in Cavan, Ireland. 35 of the children and one adult lay worker died.
Much of the attention after the fire surrounded the role of the order of nuns who ran the orphanage, the Poor Clares.
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[edit] History of the Orphanage
The Poor Clares founded a convent in Cavan in 1861 in a large premises on Main Street. As a closed contemplative order the nuns themselves were never seen by the public.
In 1868 the Industrial school system was founded in Ireland to provide accommodation and education for orphaned and abandoned children. Most were run by religious orders although the Orphanage founded in Cavan in 1869 was unusual in being run by a closed order.
[edit] Events of February 24th, 1943
It is likely the fire started due to an electrical fault in the laundry housed in the basement of the orphanage. Nothing was noticed until about 2am when one of the girls from the dormitory alerted one of the nuns.
The sight of smoke coming out of the building also alerted people living on Main Street. They went to the front door and tried to gain entrance. Eventually they were let in by one of the girls but not knowing the layout of the convent were unable to find the girls.
By this time all of the girls had been moved into one Dormitory. At this stage it would have been possible to evacuate all of the children but instead the nuns persuaded the local people to attempt to put out the fire. Two men (John Kennedy and John McNally) went down to the laundry to try to put the fire out. The flames were now too intense for this to be possible and Mr McNally only survived by being carried out by Mr Kennedy.
By this point it was no longer possible for the girls to get out through the main entrance or the fire escape. The local fire brigade had then arrived but their equipment was not sufficient for this fire. In the absence of any other solution girls were encouraged to jump. Some survived by doing this, though with injuries, however most were too frightened to attempt it. By the time a local electricity worker, Mattie Hand, arrived with a long ladder, it was too late. Although a local man, Louis Blessing, went up to the dormitory window and managed to bring down five girls the fire completely engulfed the dormitory and the remaining girls died.
[edit] Victims
The next day 36 bodies were recovered from the building. They were;
- Mary Harrison (15 yrs Dublin)
- Mary Hughes (15 yrs Killeshandra)
- Ellen McHugh (15 yrs Blacklion)
- Kathleen & Frances Kiely (12 yrs & 9 yrs Virginia)
- Mary & Margaret Lynch (15 yrs & 10 yrs Cavan)
- Josephine & Mona Cassidy (15 yrs & 11 yrs Belfast)
- Kathleen Reilly (14 yrs Butlersbridge)
- Mary & Josphine Carroll (12yrs & 10 yrs Castlerahan)
- Mary & Susan McKiernan (16 yrs & 14 yrs Dromard)
- Rose Wright (11 yrs Ballyjamesduff)
- Mary & Nora Barrett (12 yrs -Twins - Dublin)
- Mary Kelly (10 yrs Ballinagh)
- Mary Brady (7 yrs Ballinagh)
- Dorothy Daly (7 yrs Cootehill)
- Mary Ivers (12 yrs Kilcoole Wicklow )
- Philomena Regan (9 yrs Dublin)
- Harriet & Ellen Payne (11 yrs & 8yrs Dublin)
- Teresa White (6 yrs Dublin)
- Mary Roche (6 yrs Dublin)
- Ellen Morgan (10 yrs Virginia)
- Elizabeth Heaphy (4 yrs Swords)
- Mary O'Hara (7 yrs Kilnaleck)
- Bernadette Serridge (5 yrs Dublin)
- Katherine & Margaret Chambers (9 & 7 yrs Enniskillen)
- Mary Lowry (17 yrs Drumcrow, Cavan)
- Bridget & Mary Galligan (17 & 18yrs Drumbrath,Kilnaleck, Cavan)
- Mary Smith (80 yrs employed as Cook)
[edit] Aftermath and Inquiry
In the immediate aftermath the fire was seen as a tragic accident and much sympathy was expressed to the local Catholic Hierarchy. However disquiet about the causes of the fire and the standard of care led to the setting up of a Public Inquiry. The outcome of this Inquiry absolved the nuns of any blame but was critical of the local fire service. However this finding has been disputed by many, including in a piece of verse written by the secretary to the Inquiry Brian O'Nolan, better known as the author Flann O'Brien
| “ | In Cavan there was a great fire, Judge McCarthy was sent to inquire, |
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—Flann O'Brien |
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Due to the nature of the fire, the remains of the dead girls were placed in 8 coffins and buried in Cullies cemetery in Cavan. Currently the gravestone there is the only memorial to this event.
[edit] References
- Arnold, Mavis; and Heather Laskey (2004). Children of the Poor Clares. Appletree Press Ltd. ISBN 0862819172.
