1777 – Old Gaol, Roscommon, Co. Roscommon
The building originally consisted of 36 Cells and the Governor’s Private Dwelling. It is known for having a hangwoman “Lady Betty”, a criminal who had her sentence for murder withdrawn on condition that she carried out the hangman’s task without pay. It was replaced as County Gaol in 1817 because of its ‘want of arrangement and space for the necessary classification of prisoners and of wholesome ventilation’. In 1822 it was taken over for use as a lunatic asylum. Now poorly converted into shopping and accommodation, almost all traces of antiquity have been lost.
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APA Format:
Clerkin, Paul (2012, October 22). *1777 – Old Gaol, Roscommon, Co. Roscommon*. Archiseek.com. https://www.archiseek.com/1777-old-gaol-roscommon-co-roscommon/ (Updated 2025, January 24)
MLA Format:
Clerkin, Paul. "1777 – Old Gaol, Roscommon, Co. Roscommon." *Archiseek.com*, 22 Oct. 2012, https://www.archiseek.com/1777-old-gaol-roscommon-co-roscommon/. Updated 24 Jan. 2025.
Published October 22, 2012 | Last Updated January 24, 2025
