Cavan Orphange Fire 23rd Feb 1943

On the night of the 23rd February 1943, a devastating fire occured in St. Joseph's Orphanage, Main St. Cavan. As a result thirty five children and one adult died. The youngest child was Elizabeth Heaphy who was four years old.

Now for the first time the Report of the Tribunal of enquiry into the fire at St. Joseph's Orphange from the Official Publications Collection has been scanned and made available through the Library's Digitisation Service.

This tragedy was to lead to the Department of Local Government issuing a forty seven page list of recommendations: Fire Protection Standards for Public Buildings and Institutions.
One footnote is that Brian Ó'Nualláin, better known as Flann O'Brien, was then an official  in the Department of Local Government and worked as secretary at the tribunal and on the later report.

Hugo Kelly,
Law, Official Publications and EDC Librarian
091 (49) 3359
hugo.kelly@nuigalway.ie

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