About Us

Discover the Story Behind Donaghmore Workhouse & Agricultural Museum.

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Our Story

From a past of hardship to a future grounded in history.

Originally built in the 1850s, Donaghmore Workhouse once offered refuge to families during one of the darkest periods in Irish history — the Great Famine. Decades later, the site was restored and transformed into a museum, preserving not just the walls of the building but the stories within them. The museum officially opened its doors in 1999, and since then, it has become a vital heritage site for locals, schools, and international visitors seeking to connect with Ireland’s past.

The Museums Past
Stone museum building exterior isolated on a transparent background
Wooden door labeled “Detention Room” inside historic dormitory building

What We Offer

Authentic tours that bring history to life.

Guided Tours

Explore the Workhouse and Agricultural Museum with expert local guides.

Educational Visits

Interactive learning experiences for schools and universities.

Events & Private Hire

Available for meetings, workshops, classes, community events, etc.

Our People

Meet the People Behind the Museum

Donaghmore Workhouse is owned by Laois County Council and run by Donaghmore Famine Workhouse and Agricultural Museum CLG who’s members are drawn from the local community. Their personal connection to the site brings each story to life, making every visit heartfelt, authentic, and memorable.

Museum guide explaining historic objects to a small group inside a stone exhibition room
Museum guide speaking to a small group of visitors inside a historic dormitory space
Museum guide speaking to a group of visitors among historic farming machinery inside Donaghmore Museum

Our Mission

To honour the past and educate the future.

We aim to preserve the memory of those who lived through hardship, foster empathy through education and strengthen community ties through shared heritage. Every exhibit, tour and event helps keep Ireland’s history alive — and its lessons remembered.

Be Part of Our Story

Your visit helps preserve this important piece of Irish history.

Every ticket, donation, or shared story helps us continue our work. Plan your visit today and discover the heart of Ireland’s heritage.

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The Donaghmore Board Of  Guardians minute books, held by Laois Local Studies, are vital, handwritten records detailing the administration of the Donaghmore Poor Law Union and workhouse.  They provide insights into weekly statistics including admissions, discharges, deaths, financial reports and decisions on food/supplies etc

See laois local studies
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The Museums Past

The workhouse is a unique site set in rural South Laois. Donaghmore Workhouse opened in 1853 as part of a second wave of workhouses built following the formation of 31 additional Poor Law Unions after the Famine. The workhouse was built to a generic plan by George Wilkinson (1814-80), architect to the Poor Law Commissioners in Ireland. Wilkinson had built 130 workhouses throughout Ireland between 1839 and 1846.

The second series of workhouses were smaller than the larger pre-Famine buildings and of lighter construction. Two-storey, hipped roofed linear buildings were arranged on either side of an entrance gate, with quarters for boys and girls, intake wards and offices. Parallel blocks of three storeys behind this formed the main accommodation, with a forward projecting dining hall dividing the complex into two distinct halves segregating men from women. At the rear was a linear block infirmary, which often included fever accommodation. There was also a laundry and a bread oven (Gould, 2014). The Donaghmore workhouse was built to hold 400 inmates, with males to the north and females to the south. Its design was similar to others of the period including Bawnboy, Co. Cavan, Ballymahon, Co. Longford, Glenamaddy and Portumna, Co Galway, and Kilmacthomas, Co Waterford. The workhouse closed in 1886.

The Donaghmore Famine Workhouse is a protected structure, listed in the Laois County Council Record of Protected Structures with RPS ref. 337. The building is an intact 19th Century building that attracts around 2,500 visitors each year to experience the story of life in the Workhouse during the latter part of the 19th Century. 3 of the 5 buildings on site are currently in use. One of the few original Workhouse Buildings still standing today it was commissioned in 1847 at the height of the Great Famine to tackle chronic overcrowding in the Irish Workhouse Union System.

Post Famine Workhouse Buildings also accommodated soldiers. In 1919 British Military Soldiers did billet in Donaghmore. Some evidence of their residence exists and forms another part of history at this location.

The story of Donaghmore Co-operative Society was established in 1927 on this site and survived the second World War as an independent co-operative for over 40 years. When it amalgamated with others Glanbia Co-operative was formed.

The Museum contains a wide range of Agricultural and Household collections donated by people from the area and beyond, depicting the rural way of life in the 1950s and 1960s.

Some restoration works were carried out on the Dining Hall in 2010, this was limited to conservation of the historic fabric of the building.

Stone museum building exterior isolated on a transparent background