No Redress For Victims of Magdalen Laundries

JupiterKid

It's been reported in the Irish Times today that the former inmates of the church run Magdalen laundries will not be able to access the monies of the institutional abuse redress board because the government have deemed that the Magdalen launderies were not funded by the State. Despicable b*stards.:mad::mad:

For anyone who isn't aware, Magdalen laundries were places run by nuns where pregnant unmarried women were sent to have their babies who were then forcibly removed from them to be given up for adoption.

The women were effectively imprisoned in the laundries and suffered horrific physical and mental abuse by the Nuns - they were treated as slave labour. Many died as inmates and were buried in mass graves. The last Magdalen laundry closed as recently as 1996.

Article here:
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0918/1224254799965.html

mattfender

So theyre having trials still with the schoolkids who were abused in class but not helpin out these women that were treated like sh1t? balls

994

They should get minimum wage for every hour they worked, plus compensation from the Gardaí who hunted down escaped women.

brendansmith

The Government has failed! Thats disgusting

thomond2006

A bit OT but that film was terrifying.

getz

this is a irish shame,the world looks on and the world will condemn,

Joey the lips

Interesting! Does this increase the victums chances of a private cival case i wonder?

Noffles

Ireland really was a terrific place to live in them days.....

myflipflops

Sue the Cathloic Church. If they say they have no money then tell them to sell some of the huge amount of expensive real estate they own. That church at the crossroads in Donnybrook must be worth a few quid.

THis helps in 2 ways:

1. Abuse victime are compensated.

2. The church has less money and therefore less power and influence and is less able to inflict it's will on innocent people. It spent enough time f**king up the country - time to give something back folks.

getz

maybe they could take ireland to the european court of justice over this ?

brummytom

Absolutely disgusting.. I think my great-grandmother was sent to one when she was pregnant with my nan (we presume, we don't know).

The horrors they suffered there were dispicable. If the state had let these places remain open with knowledge of their actions, how can they claim it's nothing to do with them?

JupiterKid

It really does beggar belief that the government could be so callous to these victims - but sure the former inmates of Magdalen laundries aren't prominent bankers or developers are they now?:mad:

And look at the "sweetheart"! deal the govt did with the religious orders implicated in widerspread child torture to limit the amount the orders had to pay over to the victims - yes , let the powerful get away and get the taxpayer to foot the rest of the bill. (NANA anyone?)

Turns my stomach...

Rob Northall

We are trying to change this at
www.shameofireland.co.uk
you can also vote against the Statutory fund at
http://www.petitions.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=238&Itemid=9&latestnews=latest

PeterIanStaker

This should go all the way to European court I think. Seems that RCC and Govt still have a cosy little relationship though, makes me sick really.

Also, there's a thread over on A&A that says religious orders are offloading their assets elsewhere over the past decade so that they will pay out nothing. Wouldnt suprise me.

http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055756208

There's one of these laundries in Galway. I think it's an old-folks home now, but I could be wrong. It's a really eerie thought to pass there and wonder what happened on those grounds, what sort of brutality and punishments these women had to endure. There's a statue placed near to remember them.

galwayrush

From the days when the Catholic Church were no better than the Taliban.

JonJoeDali

I wonder how many women are actually affected.

I notice the OP is very thin on details and very thick on anti-Catholic rhetoric.

He/she/it obviously hasn't been listening to the Pope over the last few days.

If you expect people to take you seriously, you'll need to drop the hysteria and talk in a rational manner.

Rob Northall

http://www.magdalenelaundries.com/

bronte

JonJoeDali wrote: »

I wonder how many women are actually affected.

Are you actually serious?

GLaDOS

bronte wrote: »

Are you actually serious?

I suggest a glance through his previous posts

Rob Northall

Rob Northall wrote: »

We are trying to change this at
www.shameofireland.co.uk
you can also vote against the Statutory fund at
http://www.petitions.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=238&Itemid=9&latestnews=latest

Does anyone find it sorta fitting that the shameofireland website is actually .co.uk instead of .ie?

KittyeeTrix

horrible conditions suffered by those poor women. My mum was reared ( beat up) in an Industrial school from the age of 2-16. At the age of about 12 she was sent to work in the adjoining magdalene laundry and I won't even go into the hardships here that she endured.

Those women should be compensated to the highest for what they were put through. Anything else is a travesty and a downright second injustice to them.

I remember sitting thru the "Magdalene" film with my mam and she wasn't too affected by it whereas myself and my sisters were visibly upset by some parts of it. She replied that the movie was not half as bad as actually living in one day to day:(:mad:

PeterIanStaker

galwayrush wrote: »

the Catholic Church are no better than the Taliban.

Fyp
The RCC and the Taliban, both backward mysoginistic and controlling. A lot in common really.

Chuchoter

What does it matter if they weren't owned by the state? Thousands of women imprisoned for no crime, thousands of children stolen from their mothers and this all happened in plain sight of the government and the country. Everyone is responsible, the RCC, the government and the people of the time.

byhookorbycrook

and most of all the parents/family who sent the women to them.

Ickle Magoo

crayolastereo wrote: »

What does it matter if they weren't owned by the state? Thousands of women imprisoned for no crime, thousands of children stolen from their mothers and this all happened in plain sight of the government and the country. Everyone is responsible, the RCC, the government and the people of the time.

I was about to say that - what about the people that sent their daughters, nieces, granddaughters to these places. The way some people go on the church or state dragged these women away from their families for forgetting it was the families that forced them to go to the laundries.

It's deplorable that those poor women won't get compensation for what they were forced to endure.

KittyeeTrix

Ickle Magoo wrote: »

I was about to say that - what about the people that sent their daughters, nieces, granddaughters to these places. The way some people go on the church or state dragged these women away from their families for forgetting it was the families that forced them to go to the laundries.

It's deplorable that those poor women won't get compensation for what they were forced to endure.

Good point raised by yourself and Crayolastereo!!

I can only speak from my own families experience of this situation. My mam had no family and at the age of 16 the state would stop paying the industrial school money towards her upkeep:rolleyes: which meant that the youngsters would normally leave and reunite with their families.
In my mam's case however because she had no family who could watch out for her she was kept in the industrial school/laundry until she was 21 and never informed that she could actually leave.
We were shocked to discover a few years ago going thru the reddress process that the industrial scool had doctored documents stating that she was working as a domestic at age 16 having left the school when in fact she was there for a further 5 years:eek::mad:

LadyMayBelle

Ickle Magoo wrote: »

I was about to say that - what about the people that sent their daughters, nieces, granddaughters to these places. The way some people go on the church or state dragged these women away from their families for forgetting it was the families that forced them to go to the laundries.

It's deplorable that those poor women won't get compensation for what they were forced to endure.

Couldn't agree more. My great grandmother was a midwife in Galway, and practiced out of her home on Foster Street, right beside the Maggies. My gran relays so many sad, sad stories about those women, the babies my great grandmother delivered and also how she and her brothers used to run up to the gate and leave bread and the occasional biscuit they used to be given for the girls behind the walls.

Actually, can anyone recall the Irish book some of us studied in Leaving cert (circa 1999/2000), which was the story of a young women who got pregnant by a neighbour and was sent to the Maggies? I can't remember it or find it on google.

mikemac

"You've brought shame on the family"
"Watch yourself or you'll end up in Letterfrack"

In most cases it was the family who sent the girls there. The Church didn't arrive on your doorstep and drag you away

The Church and State have a lot to answer for these laundries and industrial schools.
And within the next decade we probably will see a motivated team take this case to Europe.

But the people who will never answer for anything are those that sent their daughters, nieces and granddaughters away.

Latchy

Seperate issue I know but the popes 4 day vist to uk cost £12 milion .
The uk goverment in it's cut backs plans to take another £12 million of people in child allowances . Can understand why people, catholic and non-catholics alike are so not pleased and the CC with it's billions should have funded this trip .

Killer Pigeon

getz wrote: »

maybe they could take ireland to the european court of justice over this ?

I was just about to say that. If the church (i.e., the Vatican) or the Irish State hasn't been brought to the European Court of Justice already it's kinda shocking.

The Irish state back in those times must have been comparable to Saudi Arabia today. Truly horrific. I could never put the true horrors of what happened in church run institutions into perspective. The Mendelian Laundries sound a bit like concentration camps or gulags.

tricky D

JonJoeDali wrote: »

I wonder how many women are actually affected.

I notice the OP is very thin on details and very thick on anti-Catholic rhetoric.

He/she/it obviously hasn't been listening to the Pope over the last few days.

If you expect people to take you seriously, you'll need to drop the hysteria and talk in a rational manner.

Wow, just wow.

babyfratelli_x

LadyMayBelle wrote: »

Actually, can anyone recall the Irish book some of us studied in Leaving cert (circa 1999/2000), which was the story of a young women who got pregnant by a neighbour and was sent to the Maggies? I can't remember it or find it on google.

Are u thinkin of "An Trial"? I teenager gets pregnant by her teacher or somethin I think.

Its actually a drama, we went to see it with the class, was quite good.

Rob Northall

Can YOU Spare 2 MINUTES of your TIME?
To HELP! “IRELANDS FORGOTTEN CHILDREN”?

SEXUALLY ABUSED
BEATEN!
STARVED!
TORTURED!
HUMILIATED!
DOWSED IN D.D.T.!
USED AS SLAVE LABOUR!
USED IN DRUG TRIALS!
Most are STILL TRAUMATISED TO THIS DAY!
Vote at >

http://www.petitions.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=238&Itemid=9&latestnews=latest


...It will take less than 2 MINUTES OF YOUR TIME!
TO STOP THE IRISH GOVERNMENT IGNORING THEM!!
Many were placed in these INSTITUTIONS by the N.S.P.C.C. who received a BOUNTY From the RELIGIOUS ORDERS!
The GOVERNMENT did a DEAL that means these ABUSERS can NEVER BE PUNISHED! WE are trying to get JUSTICE!
When you vote at petitions.ie you will be sent a confirmation email to the email account you supplied; your vote will not count until you click this link. Make sure you check your Junk email Folder?

Revisit the site and check your name is there?

Rob Northall

"Kathys story" is one of the most famous Maggie books!

Childhood interupted is about the Industrial Scools!!

Rob Northall

http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/families/article6882575.ece

The first few words of this article are shocking!!!

Kathleeln O'Malley is a member of the Shame Of Ireland http://shameofireland.co.uk/ for Survivor Family and Friens of Survivors!

KittyeeTrix

Rob Northall wrote: »

Can YOU Spare 2 MINUTES of your TIME?
To HELP! “IRELANDS FORGOTTEN CHILDREN”?

SEXUALLY ABUSED
BEATEN!
STARVED!
TORTURED!
HUMILIATED!
DOWSED IN D.D.T.!
USED AS SLAVE LABOUR!
USED IN DRUG TRIALS!
Most are STILL TRAUMATISED TO THIS DAY!
Vote at >

http://www.petitions.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=238&Itemid=9&latestnews=latest


...It will take less than 2 MINUTES OF YOUR TIME!
TO STOP THE IRISH GOVERNMENT IGNORING THEM!!
Many were placed in these INSTITUTIONS by the N.S.P.C.C. who received a BOUNTY From the RELIGIOUS ORDERS!
The GOVERNMENT did a DEAL that means these ABUSERS can NEVER BE PUNISHED! WE are trying to get JUSTICE!
When you vote at petitions.ie you will be sent a confirmation email to the email account you supplied; your vote will not count until you click this link. Make sure you check your Junk email Folder?

Revisit the site and check your name is there?

Just had a look there at the petition.......

What are they thinking of doing to the Education fund??

Rob Northall

It gets replaced 110million euros in 50 million euros out
Plus shortfall of 500 million in compensation given by CORI

CORI has an asset base world wide of 500 billlion if the government sued them for breach of contract for looking after children they were paid to look after? No More CORI Real Compensation!! No Government debt!! Rich Ireland???

Survivors shouldn't have to go cap in hand to their abusers in ther hour of need/crisis Trust Funds can refuse on their agreed criteria???

Rob Northall

Killer Pigeon wrote: »

I was just about to say that. If the church (i.e., the Vatican) or the Irish State hasn't been brought to the European Court of Justice already it's kinda shocking.

The Irish state back in those times must have been comparable to Saudi Arabia today. Truly horrific. I could never put the true horrors of what happened in church run institutions into perspective. The Mendelian Laundries sound a bit like concentration camps or gulags.

http://shameofireland.co.uk/

We are loking into this!!

Need a good Barister?? Know one??

Rob Northall

Please sign our online petition at http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/leadership-needed-on-magdalene-laundries to urge Taioseach Brian Cowen to call for State acknowledgment of its complicity in remanding women and children to Magdalene Laundries. We also have a direct e-mail form which can be sent to An Taoiseach at http://www.magdalenelaundries.com/an_taoiseach.htm.

Killer Pigeon

babyfratelli_x wrote: »

Are u thinkin of "An Trial"? I teenager gets pregnant by her teacher or somethin I think.

Its actually a drama, we went to see it with the class, was quite good.

It was something like that.

Basically the girl, I think her name was Máire lives with her mother (ultra conservative Catholic) and two brothers (one of which wants to become a priest). Máire goes to this dance where she meets a man named Pádraig, who is at least 10 years older than her and begins flattering her. Pádraig says that he was once in the seminary but was caught smoking and kicked out (or something like that). He also tells her that he is married but his wife is very ill and will die anytime soon and he asks her to marry him when his wife dies. Máire is an innocent and falls for it. She becomes pregnant with Pádraig's child but he is nowhere to be found so she can tell him. When Máire's mother finds out, she tries make her abort the child because if the neighbours find out the family would be disgraced and her brother wouldn't be allowed to join the seminary. Máire refuses to abort it and she is basically kicked out of her family home and she moves to Dublin.

She still longs to meet up with Pádraig again and start a family; she doesn't realise what type of a man he is. In the meantime, she begins to work in a Laundry in Dublin. She finds out that some of the women in the Laundry know of Pádraig and that he has a new girlfriend. One day Máire meets Pádraig in a café. She tells him that she has had his child. When Pádraig hears this, he calls her a slut and storms out of the café.

Máire, feeling totally helpless and segregated from society, kills her baby and commits suicide by gassing herself in an oven. There is an aside in the drama where she says that she doesn't want her child to live in a society like this and become like her.

Faith

LadyMayBelle wrote: »

Actually, can anyone recall the Irish book some of us studied in Leaving cert (circa 1999/2000), which was the story of a young women who got pregnant by a neighbour and was sent to the Maggies? I can't remember it or find it on google.

Is is An Triail? She has sex with a guy who dumps her when she finds out she's pregnant, her mum tries to get her to abort the baby and disowns her when she won't, she gets a job as a cleaner but is fired when her employer finds out she's pregnant, she ends up working as a prostitute and killing herself and her baby when she runs into her baby-daddy and he doesn't know her.

Uplifting story.

I can't remember if she spent time in a laundry though.

/edit: Killer Pigeon clearly remembers it way better than I do!

babyfratelli_x

yup thats the one.

Its def called An Trial and I think it was written by Maire nic Ghradaigh or somethin along those lines.

Seaneh

myflipflops wrote: »

If they say they have no money then tell them to sell some of the huge amount of expensive real estate they own.

Ok, sure let them sell all the Land the Schools and hospitals they built with their own money is on and let the government fill the void.

Yeah, didn't think that one through, did ya?

bronte

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

Rob Northall

Seaneh wrote: »

Ok, sure let them sell all the Land the Schools and hospitals they built with their own money is on and let the government fill the void.

Yeah, didn't think that one through, did ya?

CORI Have world wide assets of 500 billion The Irish Government have let them off too lightly!!!

Rob Northall

Can YOU Spare 2 MINUTES of your TIME?
To HELP! “IRELANDS FORGOTTEN CHILDREN”?

http://www.petitions.ie/index.php?opt...

...It will take less than 2 MINUTES OF YOUR TIME!
TO STOP THE IRISH GOVERNMENT IGNORING THEM!!
Many were placed in these INSTITUTIONS by the N.S.P.C.C. who received a BOUNTY From the RELIGIOUS ORDERS!
The GOVERNMENT did a DEAL that means these ABUSERS can NEVER BE PUNISHED! WE are trying to get JUSTICE!
When you vote at petitions.ie you will be sent a confirmation email to the email account you supplied; your vote will not count until you click this link. Make sure you check your Junk email Folder?

Revisit the site and check your name is there?

SIGN THIS AND WE CAN MAKE IT CHANGE!!

PROMOTE THIS VOTE! IT MANDATES REAL CHANGE!!

rob.northall@ntlworld.com for the answer to how???

Morlar

Rob Northall wrote: »

Can YOU Spare 2 MINUTES of your TIME?
To HELP! “IRELANDS FORGOTTEN CHILDREN”?

http://www.petitions.ie/index.php?opt...

...It will take less than 2 MINUTES OF YOUR TIME!
TO STOP THE IRISH GOVERNMENT IGNORING THEM!!
Many were placed in these INSTITUTIONS by the N.S.P.C.C. who received a BOUNTY From the RELIGIOUS ORDERS!
The GOVERNMENT did a DEAL that means these ABUSERS can NEVER BE PUNISHED! WE are trying to get JUSTICE!
When you vote at petitions.ie you will be sent a confirmation email to the email account you supplied; your vote will not count until you click this link. Make sure you check your Junk email Folder?

Revisit the site and check your name is there?

SIGN THIS AND WE CAN MAKE IT CHANGE!!

PROMOTE THIS VOTE! IT MANDATES REAL CHANGE!!

rob.northall@ntlworld.com for the answer to how???

Are you high ? ? ? ?

Why not quit spamming the thread ffs.

Rob Northall

Not High! Just not used to this type of forum?
We all have to start somewhere

wolfpawnat

Deleted User wrote: »

There's one of these laundries in Galway. I think it's an old-folks home now, but I could be wrong. It's a really eerie thought to pass there and wonder what happened on those grounds, what sort of brutality and punishments these women had to endure. There's a statue placed near to remember them.

When I was in secondary school in Cork we were told that one of the old laundries that closed in 1996 (Blackrock) was now open as a centre for young mothers who, when leaving hospital are not able to go home for one reason or another, family won't have them/just not ready can go to it. I am sorry but who would EVER choose to go there. It is still called the Good Shepard and it helps Mothers and Children as well as homeless girls! Great idea, just could do with another group in charge of it!

They were created to help prostitutes to reform their lives and adopt their unwanted children that were concieved as a result of their "trade". But Catholic Ireland and the Irish Pride held by families who were afraid that they would be the source of gossip meant that young Irish girls who had sex outside of marriage were thrown in.

The families are most to blame! They are the ones who dumped their family members in there. Some people went against the norm, ignored the gossips and stood by their daughter/sister/niece, but they were few and far between.

These girls deserve justice, like other victims of the church and society at that time they need to get the closure they deserve!

Rob Northall

Children that were unmanageable in the Industrial Schools were also sent there to the Laundries my wife witnessed this!! Many where there by court order! As with the children in the Industrial School; Ranaways were always returned to their rightful owners by the Police!!