 |
| OSI Historic map excerpt of the hospital |
 |
| Passage Hospital via Paul O’Farrell and from an original via NLI panoramic album photos circa 1907/8. http://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000284024#page/1/mode/1up |
Quarantine has a long history, most probably originating with the black death in Europe in the 14th Century where it took millions of lives. The concerns for ship borne diseases grew and from the early 1700’s laws were enacted in the UK and Ireland to protect ports and citizenry. In some cases ships were used to guard harbours, here’s an example from Liverpool. Evidence about the local hospital however is scarce, and apart from the local folklore (always in my experience containing many grains of truth) little seems to be written about the building or its history. Online sources deal with the issue of quarantine in general, and highlight just how prevalent it was at all the major ports*.
The earliest mention I could find in the newspapers for Passage was from 1884 (1). Under a heading of Waterford Board of Guardians, we are told via a sub heading of a meeting of the board (best known for their overseeing of the workhouses and administering the poor laws). There are efforts afoot to take back control of the Quarantine Hospital, the keys of which were then in the hands of a builder who had refurbished the building at a cost of £200.(2)
 |
| Quarantine ship at Standgate Creek (Medway) By Unknown – UK National Maritime Museum, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=47865275 |
 |
| HMS Hazard flying the yellow jack 1841 source: National Maritime Museum, London |
In 1910 we learn of a dispute amongst members of the Waterford and New Ross Port Sanitary Authority where the building is referred to as an Intercepting Hospital(4). Following a cholera outbreak in Russia and three cholera incidents; on two separate ships in London (where a quarantine hospital is based close to Gravesend), and an incident in Italy, a circular has issued from the Local Government Board of Ireland urging the need for up to date disinfecting devices to treat the clothing and bedding of quarantined sailors. The article provides lots of heat, by way of argument, but not much light! Readers will be delighted to hear that a sub committee was to be formed, if any cases arose.
To conclude what better than a memory from a member of the fishing community. Eamon Duffin shares this recollection with me from a fishing trip in the 1950’s;
I remember calling in there with my grandfather, Jimmy Duffin, on the way back from salmon fishing. There was a concrete landing stage with iron railings. The building was of rusting galvanised sheets. You could see old iron beds with bedclothes and pillows thrown on them and on the floor. There were bottles and jars and dressings strewn about also. That was as far as we got as my grandfather said that, “you wouldn’t know what you’d catch if you went in”.
 |
| The landing stage as it looks now |
My thanks to Paul O’Farrell, John O’Sullivan, James Doherty, Bernard Cunningham, Pat Moran and Eamon Duffin for assistance with this piece
Since publication Paul O’Farrell sent on the following list of Irish quarantine stations on the Island of Ireland, from government papers dated 1828 –
- Poolbeg in the harbour of Dublin
- Warren point in the harbour of Newry
- near Garmoyle in the harbour of Belfast
- Tarbert in the River Shannon, harbour of Limerick,
- Baltimore,
- Passage on the River Suir, Harbour of Waterford,
- White Gate, Cove of Cork
- Green Castle, Lough Foyle and
- Black Rock, Galway Bay
Also a link I have since found, dating an order for the establishment at Passage to 1824
http://www.dippam.ac.uk/eppi/documents/9788/page/214351. This must have been a temporary station, or an area designated as a quarantine ground as a later blog post revealed that there was no hospital in place during a cholera outbreak in the country in 1832.
Arrr, Jim lad, Yellow Jack is also sailor-slang for Yellow Fever which had a wide impact on things nautical – Suez Canal for starters:
http://blobthescientist.blogspot.ie/2016/02/yellow-jack.html
Another great one Andrew. Could not help but think of a time in the future when our knowledge will be shared by thought transference and they quote "Andrew Doherty from way back in 2017"??? Loved the read and thanks for Reg mention.
Hi Andrew, my great,great grandfather, John "Jack" Donnelly was a River Pilot based in Passage East, county Waterford. He was awarded an engraved silver fog-watch for his part in a heroic sea rescue off the coast in 1910. Any idea of the story behind this event? cathy Donnelly Dye
I meant to say fob-watch, sorry. Cathy Donnelly Dye, Firth, Idaho USA
Hi Cathy, That's intriguing…I don't know anything about it, but I would be delighted to follow it up. If you want to send me an email to russianside@gmail.com it might be a more effective way of keeping in touch on it.
Kind Regards, Andrew
You can say a lot about the British but some of their ways of dealing with everyday life were dealt with efficiency and precision when it suited them,
We might all need to learn this in the weeks and months ahead Kev
Andrew I remember my Nanny Catty Dwyer telling us about this hospital when we were children in the 50 s and pointing out where it was we were always a little scared of it and wary passing.
Those stories had a real power to them Maura