Mendicity Institution

There was no broad system of public welfare, nor, until some time later, any general policy on the part of the government to alleviate poverty.

It was left to parishes (which in the poorer areas of the city had very little to spare), private individuals and institutions, such as the House of Industry to ease poverty through voluntary work.

It aimed to care for those normally resident within the city core, between the North and South Circular Roads, and to preserve family integrity, operated male and female schools.

Applicants for this service had to work in the institution for four weeks while their cases were examined, and provide details of referees, and might then have their fares paid; the charity received discounts from rail and ferry companies.

[3] After the introduction of the poor law rate system in Ireland, and the opening of workhouses in the North and South Dublin Unions, the demand for the charity's work reduced, falling as low as 400 persons a day, before temporarily rising back to over 2,500 during the years of the Great Famine.

[3] The charity began work in Hawkins Street, renting from the Royal Dublin Society, then moved to Copper Alley.

It was here, on 18 May 1798, that Pamela, wife of the rebel patriot Lord Edward FitzGerald, was spending the evening when her husband was betrayed into the hands of his pursuers nearby.

It is overseen by a Managing Committee and its assets, which include its premises and cash, as of 2018, of almost 3 million euro, reserved for the work of the charity, are secured by a small panel of trustees.