The lunatic asylums of Ireland 1825-1839

By the early 19th century the social manifestations of psychiatric disorder had become a matter of public and parliamentary pre-occupation in Ireland. This concern led to legislative provision for the establishment of a national system of district lunatic asylums. This paper describes some details of the early foundation of this system.

Examination of House of Commons papers on the lunatic asylums of Ireland 1835-1839.

Details are presented concerning the activities, numbers of residents, admissions and costs of the 11 asylums in operation by 1839.

By 1839 the operational, administrative and cultural characteristics of a national asylum system that would take another half century to complete and would extend well into the 20th century had been established.