Ancestry UK

Mother and Baby Homes — Republic of Ireland

The establishments listed below are believed to have provided at least some accommodation for unmarried mothers and their babies, during at least some of their existence. They include maternity homes, before-and-after-confinement care homes, hostels for pregnant working girls or working mothers, and Irish County Homes. Homes that in their day were labelled Magdalen Homes are listed elsewhere.

Where applicable, the 'Places' column shows the accommodation provided for mothers and babies (exact figures could change over time).
Note that over the years, many institutions changed location and/or name, sometimes more than once. The accommodation provided, age of those admitted etc. at a home could also vary.

Co. Cavan

Name and LocationFounded/OpenedClosed/MovedClasses Received, Weekly fees, etc.PlacesAdmission Age
County Home, Cathedral Road, Cavan1921 Inmates included unmarried mothers and their babies  

Co. Clare

Name and LocationFounded/OpenedClosed/MovedClasses Received, Weekly fees, etc.PlacesAdmission Age
Auxiliary Home / County Nursery, St Joseph's Terrace, Cooraclare Road, Kilrush19221932Unmarried mothers and their babies  

Co. Cork

Name and LocationFounded/OpenedClosed/MovedClasses Received, Weekly fees, etc.PlacesAdmission Age
West Cork County Home, Convent Road, Clonakilty1920s Inmates included unmarried mothers and their babies  
Cork County Home / St Finbarr's, Douglas Road, Cork1922c.1964Inmates included unmarried mothers and their babies  
Bessborough Mother and Baby Home, Blackrock, Cork19221999Unmarried mothers and their babies25m/25b 
North Cork Auxiliary Home, The Showgrounds, Fermoy1922 Unmarried mothers and their babies  

Co. Donegal

Name and LocationFounded/OpenedClosed/MovedClasses Received, Weekly fees, etc.PlacesAdmission Age
The Castle, Newtowncunningham19822006Unmarried mothers and their babies.10m/10b 
County Home, Lifford Road, Stranorlar1922 Inmates included unmarried mothers and their babies  

Co. Dublin

Name and LocationFounded/OpenedClosed/MovedClasses Received, Weekly fees, etc.PlacesAdmission Age
Dublin Bethany Home, 23-25 Blackhall Place, Dublin19221934Unmarried mothers and women in distress.24no limit
St Gerard's, 39 Mountjoy Square, Dublin19191938Fee-paying privatecases and 'select destitute cases'.20m/12b 
St Gerard's, Herbert Avenue, Merrion Road, Dublin19381939Fee-paying privatecases and 'select destitute cases'.20m/12b 
Miss Carr's Flatlets, 16 (later 5) Northbrook Road, Ranelagh, Dublin1972 Mothers and babies moving towards independent living.8m/8b 
Eglinton House, 75 Eglinton Road, Dublin19861998 13m/18b 
Dublin Magdalen Asylum, 8 Lower Leeson Street, Dublin17651959Respectable class on first fall; free; maternity cases before and after first confinement; remain two years. Protestants only.20under 20
Dublin Magdalen Asylum / Denny House, 83 Eglinton Road, Dublin19591994Unmarried mothers and their babies.7m/7b 
Belmont Flatlets, Belmont Avenue, Dublin19802001Mothers and babies moving towards independent living.11m/11b 
St Patrick's Home, Navan Road, Pelletstown, Dublin19191985Unmarried mothers and their babies.  
Regina Coeli Hostel, North Brunswick Street, Dublin19301998Unmarried mothers and their babies.  
Dublin Bethany Home, Orwell Road, Rathgar, Dublin19341972Unmarried mothers and their babies.  
Templeogue Nursery Rescue Home, Little Fortfield, Templeogue Road, Templeogue1910 First fall maternity cases. Remain 6 months after birth of baby. Payment when possible.12no limit

Co. Galway

Name and LocationFounded/OpenedClosed/MovedClasses Received, Weekly fees, etc.PlacesAdmission Age
Children's Home, R362, Glenamaddy19221925   
Mother and Baby Home, Cooraclare Road, Kilrush19221932Unmarried mothers and children.  
Mother and Baby Home, Dublin Road, Tuam19251961Inmates included unmarried mothers and their babies  

Co. Kerry

Name and LocationFounded/OpenedClosed/MovedClasses Received, Weekly fees, etc.PlacesAdmission Age
County Home, Rock Road, Killarney1921 Inmates included unmarried mothers and their babies  

Co. Kildare

Name and LocationFounded/OpenedClosed/MovedClasses Received, Weekly fees, etc.PlacesAdmission Age
County Home, Woodstock Street, Athy1922 Inmates included unmarried mothers and their babies  

Co. Kilkenny

Name and LocationFounded/OpenedClosed/MovedClasses Received, Weekly fees, etc.PlacesAdmission Age
County Home, Chapel Lane, Thomastown1922 Inmates included unmarried mothers and their babies  

Queen's County (Co. Laois)

Name and LocationFounded/OpenedClosed/MovedClasses Received, Weekly fees, etc.PlacesAdmission Age
St Columbkille's County Home, St Joseph's Terrace, Mountmellick1922 Inmates included unmarried mothers and their babies  

Co. Leitrim

Name and LocationFounded/OpenedClosed/MovedClasses Received, Weekly fees, etc.PlacesAdmission Age
County Home, Station Road, Manorhamilton1922 Inmates included unmarried mothers and their babies  

Co. Limerick

Name and LocationFounded/OpenedClosed/MovedClasses Received, Weekly fees, etc.PlacesAdmission Age
Borough Home, Shelbourne Road, Limerick1922 Inmates included unmarried mothers and their babies  
County Home, Gortboy, Newcastle West1922 Inmates included unmarried mothers and their babies  

Co. Longford

Name and LocationFounded/OpenedClosed/MovedClasses Received, Weekly fees, etc.PlacesAdmission Age
County Home, Dublin Road, Longford1922 Inmates included unmarried mothers and their babies  

Co. Louth

Name and LocationFounded/OpenedClosed/MovedClasses Received, Weekly fees, etc.PlacesAdmission Age
County Home, Dublin Road, Drogheda1922 Inmates included unmarried mothers and their babies  
County Home, Ardee Road, Dundalk1922 Inmates included unmarried mothers and their babies  

Co. Mayo

Name and LocationFounded/OpenedClosed/MovedClasses Received, Weekly fees, etc.PlacesAdmission Age
County Home, Davitt's Terrace, Castlebar1922 Inmates included unmarried mothers and their babies  

Co. Meath

Name and LocationFounded/OpenedClosed/MovedClasses Received, Weekly fees, etc.PlacesAdmission Age
Árd Mhuire Mother and Baby Home, Dunboyne Castle, Maynooth Road, Dunboyne19551991Unmarried mothers and babies, including mothers with more than one child.  
County Home, Patrick Street, Trim1922 Inmates included unmarried mothers and their babies  

Co. Monaghan

Name and LocationFounded/OpenedClosed/MovedClasses Received, Weekly fees, etc.PlacesAdmission Age
County Home, Laurel Hill, Castleblayney1921 Inmates included unmarried mothers and their babies  

King's County (Co. Offaly)

Name and LocationFounded/OpenedClosed/MovedClasses Received, Weekly fees, etc.PlacesAdmission Age
County Home, Emmett Road, Tullamore1922 Inmates included unmarried mothers and their babies  

Co. Roscommon

Name and LocationFounded/OpenedClosed/MovedClasses Received, Weekly fees, etc.PlacesAdmission Age
County Home, Golf Links Road, Roscommon1921 Inmates included unmarried mothers and their babies  

Co. Sligo

Name and LocationFounded/OpenedClosed/MovedClasses Received, Weekly fees, etc.PlacesAdmission Age
County Home, Ballytivnan Road, Sligo1922 Inmates included unmarried mothers and their babies  

Co. Tipperary

Name and LocationFounded/OpenedClosed/MovedClasses Received, Weekly fees, etc.PlacesAdmission Age
County Home, Deer Park Road, Cashel1922 Inmates included unmarried mothers and their babies  
Sean Ross Mother and Baby Home, Short Corville Road, Roscrea19311969Unamrried mothers and their babies.  
County Home, Castlemeadows, Thurles1922 Inmates included unmarried mothers and their babies  

Co. Waterford

Name and LocationFounded/OpenedClosed/MovedClasses Received, Weekly fees, etc.PlacesAdmission Age
County Home, Springmount, Dungarvan1922 Inmates included unmarried mothers and their babies  

Co. Westmeath

Name and LocationFounded/OpenedClosed/MovedClasses Received, Weekly fees, etc.PlacesAdmission Age
Castlepollard Mother and Baby Home, Castlepollard19351971Unamrried mothers and their babies.136m/120b 
County Home, Castlepollard Road, Mullingar1922 Inmates included unmarried mothers and their babies  

Co. Wexford

Name and LocationFounded/OpenedClosed/MovedClasses Received, Weekly fees, etc.PlacesAdmission Age
County Home, Munster Hill, Enniscorthy1922 Inmates included unmarried mothers and their babies  

Co. Wicklow

Name and LocationFounded/OpenedClosed/MovedClasses Received, Weekly fees, etc.PlacesAdmission Age
County Home, Union Lane, Rathdrum1920s Inmates included unmarried mothers and their babies