Orlaith McBride

But actually, when we go a bit deeper and...

and researched Susan Dempsey a bit more, we realised that St.

Phelan's in Cavan Town used to be the workhouse.

Susan was born in the workhouse.

And then as a young girl, she was in the industrial school in Cavan.

And then as a woman, she comes back to be employed here

in St.

Phelan's, in Cavan, as a maid and a cleaner.

So institutions play their own particular role in Irish life in terms of local employment.

You can see that in St.

Bridget's in Ballinasloe, how St.

Bridget's, so many people are employed there.

and their employment and the multiplier effect within the local town.

Absolutely.

And described, so occupation, you just asked occupation.

So High Park and Drumcondra, you've got 17, 18 year old girls and they're described

Well, first of all, they're described as inmates and then their occupation is a laundress.

And then there was one particular example of a lady who was in her 80s and her occupation no longer fit for labour.

But as you say, she's been completely institutionalised.

So this book, you know, essay in this book that very clearly shows the role of institutions...