Mullingar Heritage & Landmarks
Mullingar Gaol 1566
The history of Mullingar Gaol (Jail) goes back as far as 1566 when the first County Gaol was build on the site of the Dominican Priory in Blackhall Street. It was later replaced with a Gaol which was housed in the now Greville Arms hotel.
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The history of Mullingar Gaol goes back as far as 1566 when the first County gaol was build on the site of the Dominican Priory in Blackhall Street. It was later replaced with a gaol which was housed in the now Greville Arms hotel.
The old Gaol as we know it was started in the 1780’s on the site of the County Council buildings it was completed in 1828.
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The jail was typical of the Victorian prison design of the time. It housed men, women and children (children were legally responsible at 7 years of age).
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Map circa 1837
The Gaol had a Gallows which was frequently used. It is believed the last man hanged there in 1846 was Brian Seery, who’s crime was the alleged attack on a local landlord, Sir Francis Hopkins.
The public consensus of the time was that Brian Seery was innocent and the street was renamed from Gaol Street to Seery Street. This is now known as Mount Street.
Gallows & Mechanism used
Plan of the County Gaol
The Gaol was closed in 1900. The men were moved to other various prisons and the women who were incarcerated were sent to St. Loman’s Asylum.
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For a time the Gaol was used as a technical school and other areas of the buildings were used as factories for shirt and hat making.
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In 1910 the Gaol building was demolished to make way for the old County Council buildings. Thankfully some of the buildings remain.
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Ref.
Mary Farrell. Mullingar Library
Ruth Illingworth
Mullingar County Library Local Archives
Example of Treadmill from Wicklow Gaol