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Anyone know about Ally?

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  • 06-08-2010 9:45pm
    #1
    tyview
    Registered Users Posts: 210 ✭✭


    Hi I was just wondering if anyone knows anything about the group ALLY who placed unmarried girls with families during their pregnancy? I was just wondering where they were based, I'm presuming, in Dublin?


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    #2
    holly_johnson
    Registered Users Posts: 2,131 ✭✭✭holly_johnson


    Hi,

    Sorry for the delay in responding to your post.
    I think my bm may have been with a family through Ally when she was pregnant. I'll have to check and see.
    From what I can remember, she told me she stayed with a family in (I think) Sutton who had friends in Cork. My bm would write letters to her parents, send them to Cork and they were posted from there so her parents never suspected.

    I'm afraid I don't have any information about Ally themselves. What kind of info were you looking for from them?


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    #3
    MaryMagdalene
    Registered Users Posts: 121 ✭✭MaryMagdalene


    http://www.irishtimes.com/indepth/sisters/sowing-the-seeds.html

    http://www.rte.ie/tv/wouldyoubelieve/songformyson.html

    http://blog.danieldunne.com/2005/10/remembering-fr-fergal-oconnor.html


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    #4
    tyview
    Registered Users Posts: 210 ✭✭tyview


    Hi Mary and Holly,

    thanks for your replys. I don't really know what I wanted to find out specifically. I think it was more wanting to know what it was like from a birth mothers experience. I've heard all about the "laundry's" and mother and baby homes so I was just hoping that maybe the placements Ally did were more positive. I was imaging all sorts but since posting it I've exchanged letters with my BM and its all good so far. I'm presuming that living with the family she was with wasn't too bad but obviously I haven't mentioned it to her yet. I'm not sure if she knows I know about it anyway.


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    #5
    ma1read
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9 ✭ma1read


    Hi Tyview,

    I can't be sure that my mum was involved with ALLY but she was placed with a family in Dublin. They looked after her while she was pregnant. Went to appointments and things like that. She was treated very well and that aspect of the adoption wasn't a negative experience.

    I hope this helps,

    Mx


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    #6
    dramaqueen00
    Registered Users Posts: 4 ✭dramaqueen00


    Hi

    I am sure sure if this will help but I am a birth mother who went to Ally in 1978. They offered to send me to a family for the duration of my pregnancy. I believe Ally was run by the Dominicans. They also arranged the whole correspondance cover-up! Letters were posted to a third part and then posed home to friends and family!!

    I stayed with a lovely family in Cork, a young couple with a young child. I was made to feel very welcome and part of the family. They gave me great support and space to come to my decision to relinquish my son for adoption and I think of them very fondly.

    I was reunited with my son, now 31, last year and he was also anxious to know about where I had stayed during the pregnancy, if I had been well treated etc. He had seen The Magdalene Laundries film and was concerned that I had gone through a similar experience. Hope that was of help to you.


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    #7
    tyview
    Registered Users Posts: 210 ✭✭tyview


    Thanks dramaqueen, its kind of put my mind at rest. I'm actually meeting my birthmom tomorrow. I've been wanting this for so long and trying to prepare but I have to admit I am petrified!


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    #8
    dramaqueen00
    Registered Users Posts: 4 ✭dramaqueen00


    I am so happy for you and wish you all the best for your reunion. There is no way to prepare, all you can do is be yourself and have no doubt your birth mum is also terrified. It will be an emotional roller coaster for both of you and you can expect to feel emotionally and physically drained.
    You are in my thoughts and prayers and I really hope this is the start of a wonderful new journey for you both.


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    #9
    tyview
    Registered Users Posts: 210 ✭✭tyview


    dramaqueen00 wrote: »
    I am so happy for you and wish you all the best for your reunion. There is no way to prepare, all you can do is be yourself and have no doubt your birth mum is also terrified. It will be an emotional roller coaster for both of you and you can expect to feel emotionally and physically drained.
    You are in my thoughts and prayers and I really hope this is the start of a wonderful new journey for you both.
    Thanks dramaqueen. You certainly weren't wrong about being drained. I'm still feeling exhausted but it was a great day. We seemed to click pretty much straight away even though we both described ourselves as shy! Fingers crossed for the future.


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    #10
    dramaqueen00
    Registered Users Posts: 4 ✭dramaqueen00


    I am so happy that you have had a positive reunion with your birth mum. I have no doubt you will find yourself going through a whole roller coaster of emotions over the next few days. I wish you all the very best as you get to know each other. You are in my thoughts and prayers.


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