Magdalene Laundries

clarribo · 05/02/13 - 15:58

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21326221

I hope the report is damning. Just watching the news and reading about this on the internet one thing that strikes me is how recent it is and the fact there may well be people on here who have relatives (they themselves) affected by this.

Belligerence · 05/02/13 - 16:01

Poor women.

mackara · 05/02/13 - 16:01

These work houses are the result of the church dictating politics and laws in Ireland and nothing much has changed

SilvioDante · 05/02/13 - 16:04

Yes, all in the name of religion/god/RC church, (delete as appropriate)

[Deleted User] · 05/02/13 - 16:08

The same sort of thing happened in the UK too. Back in the 90's I did some training in mental health and there were lots of long term inpatients at large mental hospitals who had been there since the 50's for no other reason than they might have had a child out of wedlock or were considered fallen women.

Utterly shameful.

Glowbot · 05/02/13 - 16:08

It's absolutely harrowing to hear some stories, 3rd world even.
The Catholic Church are doing the same things now in other countries from what you hear in the news, it's the things we don't hear that you worry about.

Cellar_Door · 05/02/13 - 16:09

Those lovely, caring nuns.

SilvioDante · 05/02/13 - 16:21

I worked with an older bloke from Dundalk, and he was "educated" by the Christian Brothers in Ireland when he was younger, some of the things he would tell were terrible. Definitely left a mark on him.

mackara · 05/02/13 - 16:24

wishfulthinking wrote: »

The same sort of thing happened in the UK too. Back in the 90's I did some training in mental health and there were lots of long term inpatients at large mental hospitals who had been there since the 50's for no other reason than they might have had a child out of wedlock or were considered fallen women.

Utterly shameful.

Not good, but were they forced to work in laundries/sweatshops for 50-60 hours per week for nothing bar a bed in what was effectively in a prison, then paraded around towns and villages and made fools of simply because they got pregnant out of wedlock. This went on in the later part of the 20th century in what is supposed to be a civilised country. A Hindu lady recently died in an Irish hospital because the church run state refused her a life saving abortion on religious grounds, that is what I call backward.

Viridiana · 05/02/13 - 16:24

Horrible situation. The film made about it it's excellent, it really brought to light the suffering of this women.

Get Den Watts · 05/02/13 - 16:31

Will Kenny apologise for anything his own administration gets wrong? I doubt it. Historical apologies are empty, insincere soundbites.

[Deleted User] · 05/02/13 - 16:34

Watch The Magdalene Sisters if you get the chance, it is quite eye opening.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Magdalene_Sisters

TelevisionUser · 05/02/13 - 16:38

This is a scandal encompassing brutality and detention and it went on for years. It is good to hear that Irish PM Enda Kenny has made an apology on behalf of the government at last (although he was not in any way personally responsible) especially since some of the accounts indicate that some of the young women were sent there by the state. In which case, those particular people ought perhaps to be compensated for their distress and trauma.

stud u like · 05/02/13 - 16:38

Chartham in Kent had the massive St Augustines Hospital and people had been in there for years and years.

Thomas007 · 05/02/13 - 16:51

SilvioDante wrote: »

I worked with an older bloke from Dundalk, and he was "educated" by the Christian Brothers in Ireland when he was younger, some of the things he would tell were terrible. Definitely left a mark on him.

Hmm must of gone to the same school as my dad.

PinkPetunia · 05/02/13 - 16:53

mackara wrote: »

These work houses are the result of the church dictating politics and laws in Ireland and nothing much has changed

I think you will find that the vast majority will now not tolerate the Churchs interference and will speak up about injustice and wrong doing ,

mackara · 05/02/13 - 17:00

PinkPetunia wrote: »

I think you will find that the vast majority will now not tolerate the Churchs interference and will speak up about injustice and wrong doing ,

Really? what about the young Hindu woman who spent a week in an Irish bed a month ago and then died because she was refused treatment on religious grounds even though she was not a catholic.Women leave Ireland never to return by the hundreds after falling pregnant out of wedlock due to the shame and hostility they will receive even today. Nothing has changed as far as I can see.

sofieellis · 05/02/13 - 17:01

The apology seems a bit half - hearted and no real responsibility has been taken for the injustices caused to these women. The RC church and the state should both be ashamed.

PinkPetunia · 05/02/13 - 17:05

mackara wrote: »

Really? what about the young Hindu woman who spent a week in an Irish bed a month ago and then died because she was refused treatment on religious grounds even though she was not a catholic.Women leave Ireland never to return by the hundreds after falling pregnant out of wedlock due to the shame and hostility they will receive even today. Nothing has changed as far as I can see.

And di you see the protests and rallies and support from the public and the outcry .NO more lieing down and taking it from the majority
Do you live in ireland ? What shame and hostility for single Mums ??? ? Not in my world , not in Dublin , not anywhere I know .
By the way that enquery has not published results yet as to the reason she was not offered a termination .I will await to hear the final results before commenting on it

rtavy73 · 05/02/13 - 17:05

the church owes these women an apology and compensation, a truly awful story, lets get rid of organized religion now as it;s all about power and corruption

Kyle_T · 05/02/13 - 17:06

mackara wrote: »

Really? what about the young Hindu woman who spent a week in an Irish bed a month ago and then died because she was refused treatment on religious grounds even though she was not a catholic.Women leave Ireland never to return by the hundreds after falling pregnant out of wedlock due to the shame and hostility they will receive even today. Nothing has changed as far as I can see.

Indeed. My girlfriend and I left Derry after she was disowned by her family for falling pregnant. Literally thrown out of the house. If they could have sent her to a laundry they would have. These attitudes have remained largely unchanged.

That story about the Indian woman refused life saving treatment made me ashamed of where I came from. They condemned her to death because she was just an incubator to them. Hell, even in most Middle Eastern countries that shit wouldn't have happened.

irishfeen · 05/02/13 - 17:08

This is another instance where I feel truly ashamed of my countries past, the Catholic church ruled this country with an iron fist for the majority of our existence and my generation is the first to be able to stand up without bowing/kneeling before these bastards and shake off the shackles of the past. I for one hope there is a god and every single one who participated in these austerities burn in hell for what they did to those poor innocent woman... The traditional catholic church in Ireland will be non-existent in Ireland in 20 years, all of which was their own doing, I welcome that day even as I still believe in god.

PinkPetunia · 05/02/13 - 17:08

Kyle_T wrote: »

Indeed. My girlfriend and I left Derry after she was disowned by her family for falling pregnant. Literally thrown out of the house. If they could have sent her to a laundry they would have. These attitudes have remained largely unchanged.

Thats is quite simply not true .Attitudes have changed greatly regarding single mums in Ireland now .Do you live here ?

The poeple have changed , the Church has not unfortunately .I wish they would and butt out

PinkPetunia · 05/02/13 - 17:12

irishfeen wrote: »

This is another instance where I feel truly ashamed of my countries past, the Catholic church ruled this country with an iron fist for the majority of our existence and my generation is the first to be able to stand up without bowing/kneeling before these bastards and shake off the shackles of the past. I for one hope there is a god and every single one who participated in these austerities burn in hell for what they did to those poor innocent woman... The traditional catholic church in Ireland will be non-existent in Ireland in 20 years, all of which was their own doing, I welcome that day even as I still believe in god.

I welcome that day too , it has to come and the sooner the better for us all

Kyle_T · 05/02/13 - 17:13

PinkPetunia wrote: »

Kyle_T wrote: »

Indeed. My girlfriend and I left Derry after she was disowned by her family for falling pregnant. Literally thrown out of the house. If they could have sent her to a laundry they would have. These attitudes have remained largely unchanged.

Thats is quite simply not true .Attitudes have changed greatly regarding single mums in Ireland now .Do you live here ?

No, I don't live there. Not anymore. I do know their attitudes are unchanged however. She is dead to them, and they have made no effort to reconcile even for the sake of the grandchildren they have never seen. I've long since washed my hands of my childhood home.

PinkPetunia · 05/02/13 - 17:15

Kyle_T wrote: »

No, I don't live there. Not anymore. I do know their attitudes are unchanged however. She is dead to them, and they have made no effort to reconcile even for the sake of the grandchildren they have never seen. I've long since washed my hands of my childhood home.

I am very sorry to hear that .But they do not represent us all

Hey there!

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