Data from https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1394327
Coercive Confinement in the Republic of Ireland: The Waning of a Culture of Control. Graph by me using python, you can have the code if you want it.

Percentage incarcerated at the time of Stalin's death was a bit lower than Stalin's Gulag's which was about 1.45 of the population

I'm Brazilian who like good history, I propose everyone should know Jonathan Swift and his magnificent works in defense (and little mock of). Irish against England

I just finished The Fallen- The Magdalene Laundries and Irelands Legacy of Silence by Louise Brangan. I found it really interesting as it gives a lot of the historical context for how they got started and the concealed amendments yo the constitution. One thing that struck me is that it detailed the government's desire to lock up all manner of "socially unwanted", from unwed mothers, epileptics, people with down syndrome, autistic people, and then obviously people qho society looked down on for "reading too many foreign books", "dancing with men" etc.

One thing that struck me by its absence was any mention of the travelling community. Surely with such a widespread arm, travellers would have also been swept up into laundries and industrial schools? Are there any accounts or books that go into this topic?

Hello every one! Can you suggest an info source for the types & layout of ancient buildings on Inis mac Nessan/ Inis Mac Neasáin ("Ireland's Eye")? The ruined church walls are still standing. But I see mention that "...the ecclesiastical settlement – which was presumably substantial enough to house a scriptorium, as well as the church, burial ground and dwellings of the monks..." (Church of "St Nessan's"). Unfortunately this source does not have additional details. I'd prefer academic/journal material as there's a lot of ... less reliable material online. Thanks very much and have a wonderful day.

Folks, I had occasion to browse the Wikipedia entry for the 1932 where I read "four processions left the park to O'Connell Street where approximately 500,000 people gathered on O'Connell Bridge for the concluding benediction".

Now O'Connell Bridge is 45m long by 50m wide and a half a million people was 222 people per square meter. Improbably? So I googled it and sure enough I found another three sites citing the same figure.

I post for two reasons (1) does anyone have an authoritative source from the time that can give an accurate number as I'd like to correct the Wikipedia article, and (2) a warning to the dangers of cut'n'paste citation w/o checking primary sources.

Bit of a niche question, but really an exercise in understanding how accurate news reports on intelligence are.

Last week, the Bel Tel reported that the Brits think the East Tyrone Brigade still possessed three (with regard to their potential use if Garvaghy Road kicked off).

Wikipedia states there were 26 in the arsenal, but the source article (via Jane's Intelligence Review) says 20.

We know some were lost on operations, and some were recovered in finds, so I was just looking to see whether all the information (or claims) tallies.

Cops feared dissidents would use old Provo guns in Drumcree violent outbreak

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_weapons_used_by_the_Provisional_Irish_Republican_Army

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/ira/inside/weapons.html

Machine-gun find believed to be part of IRA arsenal

I am interested in learning about the linen mills in the Falls Road area in Belfast or just Belfast in general. I'd like to learn about the sorts of people who worked in the mills and about working conditions/pay, etc.

I have a particular interest in the slang and culture of the workers as well as the walkouts and protests organised by people like Mary Galway and James Connolly.

Damask weaving in Belfast is another interest. However I'm aware damask weaving was more concentrated in the Lisburn area at the turn of the 20th century.

What resources on the subject would you all recommend?