The Magdalene laundries were institutions that operated in Ireland from the 18th century, right up until September 1996. These institutions were run by religious orders. Primarily, the Sisters of Mercy, Sisters of Charity, and Sisters of Our Lady of Charity. These “homes” were intended to provide refuge and rehabilitation for “fallen women” or those deemed “morally wayward”. However, the reality of life inside these laundries was far from the benevolent image projected by the religious orders.
The poor women and children who found themselves in the Magdalene laundries were often unmarried mothers, victims of sexual abuse, or those who had engaged in prostitution. They were sent to these institutions by their families, the church, or the state. This was under the belief they would be reformed and reintegrated into society. However, instead of receiving the support and care they needed, these women and young girls were subjected to harsh and exploitative conditions.
The Magdalene Laundries – Inside The Laundries
Inside the laundries, the women were forced to work long hours. Performing gruelling and monotonous tasks such as laundry work and cleaning. These women and many children were worked from 6am-9pm. They were not paid for their labour, and any contact with the outside world was severely restricted. The women were subjected to physical and emotional abuse, with strict rules and punishments for even minor infractions. Many of them were also subjected to medical experiments, including electroconvulsive therapy and forced labour during childbirth.
The Magdalene laundries were shrouded in secrecy, with the religious orders denying any wrongdoing or mistreatment of the women and children. It was only in the 1990s that the truth about the laundries began to emerge. This was thanks to the efforts of survivors and investigative journalists. The Irish government eventually established the Magdalene Restorative Justice Scheme in 2013, which provided compensation and support to the survivors.
The legacy of the Magdalene laundries is one of immense suffering and injustice. The women who were confined within their walls endured years of physical and emotional abuse. Their voices silenced and their stories hidden. The exposure of the truth about these institutions has led to a reckoning in Irish society.
The “Mother & Baby Homes”
If you think the laundries were bad, take a look at the “mother and baby homes”. The Irish Magdalene mother and baby homes were also operated in Ireland from the 1920s to the 1990s. These homes were also run by religious orders, primarily the Sisters of Bon Secours and the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. The “Homes” were intended to provide shelter for unmarried pregnant women and their babies.
The women and young girls who found themselves in these homes were often ostracized by society. This is due to the stigma surrounding unmarried motherhood. Again, they were sent to these institutions by their families, the church, or the state, under the belief that they would receive care and support during their pregnancies and after giving birth. However, the reality of life inside these homes was the complete opposite to how they portrayed it.
Inside the mother and baby homes, the women were subjected to strict rules and regulations. They were also required to perform hard labour, such as laundry work, and were not paid for their efforts. The women were subjected to emotional and physical abuse, with many reporting instances of neglect, malnutrition, and even infant mortality.
Tuam Mother And Baby Home
One of the most notorious mother and baby homes in Ireland was the Bon Secours Mother and Baby Home in Tuam, (also known as St Mary’s Mother and Baby Home) where the remains of hundreds of infants were discovered in a mass grave in 2014. This discovery shed light on the high mortality rates and lack of proper burial practices within these institutions.
It has been estimated that nearly 800 babies and children died at the home. The main causes of death being congenital debilities, infectious diseases and malnutrition. Excavations were carried out between November 2016 and February 2017. Heartbreakingly, these excavations found a significant amount of human remains, aged from 35 foetal weeks to two to three years.
In 2015, the Irish government established the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation to investigate the treatment of women and children in these institutions. The findings of the commission’s report, released in 2021, confirmed the widespread abuse and mistreatment experienced by women and children in the mother and baby homes. The report detailed the high mortality rates, the lack of proper medical care, and the forced adoption practices that took place within these institutions. Many of the forced adoptions relate to the babies and children sent to the united states against the Mother’s wishes never to be seen again.
The revelations about the Irish Magdalene mother and baby homes have sparked outrage and calls for justice. Survivors and their advocates have demanded accountability for the abuses that occurred and have called for reparations and support for those affected. The legacy of these institutions serves as a painful reminder of the need to address historical injustices and ensure the protection of the rights and dignity of all individuals. Click Here to read more about the justice for Magdalene Research.
Bon Secours Sister’s Apology
Following the release of the final report of the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation, the Bon Secours Sisters released an apology. It states:
The Commission’s report presents a history of our country in which many women and children were rejected, silenced and excluded; in which they were subjected to hardship; and in which their inherent human dignity was disrespected, in life and in death. Our Sisters of Bon Secours were part of this sorrowful history.
Our Sisters ran St Mary’s Mother and Baby Home in Tuam from 1925 to 1961. We did not live up to our Christianity when running the Home. We failed to respect the inherent dignity of the women and children who came to the Home. We failed to offer them the compassion that they so badly needed.
We were part of the system in which they suffered hardship, loneliness and terrible hurt. We acknowledge in particular that infants and children who died at the Home were buried in a disrespectful and unacceptable way. For all that, we are deeply sorry.
We offer our profound apologies to all the women and children of St Mary’s Mother and Baby Home, to their families and to the people of this country. Healing is not possible until what happened is acknowledged. We hope and we pray that healing will come to all those affected; those who are living and those who have died. We hope that we, our church and our country can learn from this history.
— Sr Eileen O’Connor, Area Leader, Sisters of Bon Secours Ireland
