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Troops at Kells Workhouse
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Troops at Kells Workhouse
Troops camped at Kells Union workhouse, County Meath, Ireland. They had been sent to the area to quell unrest caused by the Duke of Leinsters attempts to evict Irish tenants from his properties. Date: 1870
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Media ID 23265210
© Mary Evans/Peter Higginbotham Collection
Area Attempts Camped Caused Kells Meath Properties Quell Tenants They Unrest Workhouse Workhouses
EDITORS COMMENTS
This evocative image captures the tense atmosphere of Kells, County Meath, Ireland in 1870 as British troops camped outside the Union Workhouse in an attempt to quell the unrest caused by the Duke of Leinster's attempts to evict Irish tenants from his properties. The Duke, a prominent landlord, had ordered the evictions in order to make way for more profitable farming methods, but the local population was unwilling to leave their land and homes peacefully. The arrival of the troops, seen here in this photograph, only served to escalate tensions in the area. The soldiers, dressed in their full regalia, are seen setting up camp outside the workhouse, a large, imposing building that would have been a familiar sight to the local community. The workhouse, which was intended to provide relief to the destitute, had become a symbol of the harsh realities of poverty and eviction for many Irish families. The presence of the troops in Kells was a stark reminder of the power dynamics at play in Irish society during this period. The conflict between the landlords and tenants was just one of many issues that contributed to the wider political and social unrest that would eventually lead to the Irish Land War and the rise of nationalist sentiment. Despite the ominous setting, the photograph also offers a glimpse into the daily life of the soldiers, with men seen tending to their horses and setting up camp. It is a poignant reminder of the human stories that lie behind the larger historical events, and the complex web of relationships and power struggles that shaped the Irish landscape in the late 19th century.
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