Cavan Orphanage Fire

Date: February 23, 1943 • Location: Cavan, Ireland

35 children and 1 adult employee were killed in a fire at an orphanage in the town of Cavan, Ireland.

The Cavan Orphanage fire occurred on the night of 23 February 1943 at St Joseph's Orphanage in Cavan, Ireland. 35 children and one adult employee died as a result. All of the lay teachers and nuns survived the fire. Much of the attention after the fire surrounded the role of the Poor Clares, the order of nuns who ran the orphanage, and the local fire service.