Did You Know? – Prison Portions

Did you Know?

Throughout the 19th century, prisons in Ireland had to follow strict rules & regulations regarding the inmates diet.  The portions were meticulously weighted to ensure that prisoners weren’t overfed! Simple food such as bread, milk, Indian meal (maize) and oatmeal gruel were usually what was given to prisoners in the mid 1800s.  Longer serving prisoners were given some more nutritional food like vegetable soup, meat and potatoes from time to time.  Inmates subjected to solitary confinement could only expect bread and water each day.