A pauper named Owen McCarthy, who had been an inmate at the Limerick Poorhouse for twenty years, recently passed away, leaving behind £3,910 in his possession. The workhouse master described McCarthy as a miserly individual who refused to see a priest, parson, or doctor. The authorities are now consulting with the Local Government Board to determine if they can use some of the money to cover the costs of the man’s maintenance during his time at the poorhouse.

The intriguing case of Owen McCarthy, a man who chose to live as a pauper despite having a considerable fortune, has raised questions about how such accumulated wealth remained hidden for two decades. Throughout his time at the Limerick Poorhouse, McCarthy’s frugal and reclusive nature kept both his past and his money a secret from the workhouse staff and fellow inmates. Now, as authorities look for ways to potentially utilize McCarthy’s hidden fortune, his story serves as a reminder that appearances can be deceiving. Moreover, it raises questions about the complex relationships between wealth, poverty, and individual choices, and sheds light on the psychological aspects of people’s relationship with money.

Northants Evening Telegraph – Monday 13 January 1902