Castlebar Board of Poor Law Guardians Westport Board of Poor Law Guardians Cork Board of Poor Law Guardians

Prior to 1834 Ireland did not have any kind of poor law system. Outdoor relief was provided through local parochial (Church of Ireland) boards. The Poor Law Act of 1834 divided Ireland into poor law unions. Each union was to have an elected Board of Guardians. The Board was responsible for building and administering workhouses and providing further care for the poor within its bounds. An Irish poor law union consisted of an area approximately ten miles in radius. Multiple townlands, usually with a large market town as its centre were found in each union. Although most unions were located within one county, some encompassed up to three counties. Large cities contained their own unions. By 1842, 37 workhouses were operation. In that year alone, more than 30,000 people sought relief. By 1846 there were 130 Irish poor unions housing 94,437 destitute people in its workhouses.