Grange Gorman psychiatric institution

perri winkles

Hey guys,

So I havn't done much genealogy at all, but have recently heard a bit about my maternal grandfather's sister.

What I know about her is that she was sent to grange gorman mental institution when she was in her 20's and died there around 4 years later. My grandad doesn's say much about her,all we know is that she was a "bit slow". No fuss seems to have been made about it, as it seemsto just have been the done thing, to send people there that may have been intellectually challenged.

I'd love to know what happened to her, it seems strange that within approx 4 years she died..

I know that you can make an appointment to go view their archives, but I don't know how much my grandad would appriciate that..

Just wondering if anyone has any experience with grange gorman at all? Or how I could find out more about her?

Thanks:)

pinkypinky

Right, well, I had a great grandmother who was in there too so I know about this. You haven't said what time period she was there but they have excellent records. I went on a walking tour of Grangegorman recently so I got all the details from the tourguide. He advised me to write to a particular person and do an FOI request. The HSE is still in charge of the records. I had to provide as much detail about her as possible and prove my direct descent from her. So you will need your birth cert, your parents, etc and hers. If possible get her death cert as well to show she died in GG. I was advised that it might also cost some search charges. If you want to go ahead, let me know and PM you the person's name and address. Also, that was a month ago and I haven't heard a dickiebird in response...so there may be a significant backlog but personally I doubt it because I was actually told before that they had no records at all (by someone in their office when I phoned) so they may be just reluctant.

perri winkles

Thanks for the reply pinky pinky.

Im not sure of exact dates, my grandad hasn't got the best memory. But I think she would have been sent there in maybe the mid 40s. My grandad says she died there when she was 34, but that date doesnt match up with when he said she arrived there (before he was married). I think she may have been 20 when sent there, So maybe 1948?

How much was the walking tour? were you able to just show up or do you need to make the appointment?

I wouldnt have here birth ordeath cert, but I know there are ways to get it as you detailed in one of your posts on starting out.

I think I need to talk to my grandad a bit more about it, and see if he minds me doing a bit of detective work!

I think the whole thing is really interesting, and its weird that they might be reluctant to give you information

pinkypinky

The walking tour was part of Open House weekend and isn't a regular thing.

It's not really weird that they won't give out this information to just anyone. We're talking about mental health, something that's always had a stigma, even now, and they have records of people who might still be alive and no longer in Grangegorman. It's a bit like the privacy laws that cover the census - each one is sealed for 100 years, with the exception of 1911 and 1901. We actually have Charlie Haughey to thank for their early release!

Norfolk Dan

My father was a patient there in 1957/58 when I was 14. He had tried to take his life twice, and was there for 9 months. He recovered eventually and died in 1976 of Cancer.

My late Mother and myself used to cycle there once a week from where we lived in Rathgar, to see him. At one stage I remember seeing him through a window in a locked ward - he was walking around a large room with lots of other very disturbed patients. None of them had shoelaces or belts in their trousers - presumably to prevent self harm. We were allowed to meet him in another room, where we were given tea and biscuits in tin cups and plates.

It was a terrible time and I will never forget it

pinkypinky

Resurrecting this old thread with an update.
I had an email last night from a member of a voluntary group who do the Grangegorman look-ups. He's a retired HSE person. He asked for a date of admission, which I don't have but I gave him a rough idea (no one alive to remember exactly). They have records going back to 1815 but apparently there are lots of gaps. Fingers crossed we'll find out what happened my great-grandmother.

He also mentioned that RTÉ is making a 3 part documentary about Grangegorman and the records, for broadcast in the Autumn. Should be interesting.

adee

As a further update, I am also looking to access the Grangegorman records circa 1870's. It seems the National Archives have no space for them but I found this website
http://grangegorman.ie
Worth an look. They seem to have them.

pinkypinky

Yes, I think the person I was in touch was part of that organisation. I haven't heard from him since my last update though.