St. Mary's Chest Hospital

[missing]

Curious if anyone has pictures of St. Mary's in the late 1950's. Would love to see what it looked like. Thank you

[bigby]

where was it?

[Rashers]

where was it?

Phoenix Park. Fortypence is the one to ask about it, he's in there often on the ambulance.

[bigby]

ah thanks, I only ever called it St. Mary's in the Park, but mostly the visits were to someone elderly

[Fortypence]

missing, you've given me a great photographic idea

The old St.Mary's is still very much there and the furnishings have not changed much. But I will tell you that the staff are as dedicated as ever.
I did a course in 2011 which had a module for the care of the older person which took place in St.Mary's. The day I was there they had just six patients which was a reduction from approximately eighty persons.

There is a newer building within the grounds which perhaps is accommodating some of the patients that otherwise would have been hospitalised in the old building. I will find out for sure and get back to you all.

[jeangenie]

Here's one way before the 50s when it was a military school. Photo from www.nli.ie

[archangel]

St Marys in 1951

[jembo]

Here's one way before the 50s when it was a military school. Photo from www.nli.ie

Two of my Uncles were pupils at this school and left in 1922.

The Royal Hibernian Military School (1769 – 1924), Phoenix Park, Dublin, was originally the Hibernian Asylum created by the Hibernian Society, a philanthropic organization founded in Dublin in 1769 following the Seven Years War. The Society petitioned the King for a charter, which was granted. The Society’s aim was to help the orphaned children of soldiers who fell during the war, its services later being extended to the destitute families of soldiers leaving Ireland for overseas service.

When a regiment embarked for service overseas, six families per company only were allowed to accompany the battalion. Selection of the families permitted to travel was made by drawn lot. The families left behind were without support of any kind. They suffered misery and destitution. The burden of destitute military families fell hard on Ireland’s two main garrisons, Dublin and Cork. In 1785, a census revealed that in Dublin alone some 1,400 children whose father’s were dead or serving overseas were begging on the streets of the city. In 1806, responsibility for the Hibernian school was assumed by the military authorities. The institution was renamed the Royal Hibernian Military School.

http://www.achart.ca/hibernian.htm