Memorial Garden

Memorial Garden

In June 2022 the Workhouse memorial garden was created and officially opened by the Southern Trust as a memorial to all those men, women and children who are buried on the site and includes a special engraved stone in their memory.

Members of the Donaghmore Historical Society, Southern Trust staff, as well as the Chair of Mid-Ulster Council and local religious leaders were among those who attended the opening.

Dr Maria O’Kane, Southern Trust Chief Executive, welcoming everybody to the event, said: “It is impossible for us to imagine the terrible hardship suffered by so many people in this area in the 19th Century.

“It’s even harder to imagine that this is the site of a graveyard where hundreds of men, women and children who died in the Dungannon Workhouse were buried. “As well as being a memorial to all those who died, this garden is also a space for reflection and a place for our staff, patients and visitors from the local community to come and take time out for quiet space, fresh air or to enjoy some exercise. Exercise is so important for general overall health, we also know the benefits of being outdoors and connecting with nature for our mental wellbeing.”

Dr O’Kane also acknowledged the dedication and commitment of Mary MacGinty and other Donaghmore Historical Society members who campaigned over many years for a fitting memorial for the people who had died in this workhouse.

Bertie Foley, on behalf of the Donaghmore Historical Society, discussed the history of Dungannon Workhouse and what life was like in it for those who experienced it. He also mentioned the efforts of Margaret MacGinty from the historical society who successfully campaigned and received support from the local council to have a plaque erected outside the old wall of the workhouse on Quarry Lane, and more recently, how Margaret’s daughter-in-law, Mary, has been working with The Southern Trust on plans for a memorial on the site of the actual graveyard.