Oct
2
Friday, October 2, 2009
Madam,
Having listened over the past few days to Liveline on RTÉ Radio 1 dealing with the dreadful conditions those “fallen” women endured under these nuns, I am almost in tears.
You see, I was one of those babies. When I hear how my mother, may she rest in peace, and others were treated, I feel very angry with the type of society I was born and reared in.
Today this Government perpetuates this misery on these women by forcing them to seek documentation to prove they were slaves in these laundries. Changing the terminology from “employees” to “workers” makes very little difference.
One lady did admit she received remuneration in the form of a packet of mint drops and a holy picture. Does this absolve Minister for Education Batt O’Keeffe and the Government of all financial and moral responsibilities?
Today, this Government can hand out billions to bail out banks and their developer friends. They pay out millions to individuals in handshakes and ministerial expenses, yet when it comes to these poor unfortunate women, who were made work for nothing in terrible conditions for decades, they turn their backs on them.
Is there any justice in this society of ours?
Incidentally, I met my mother for the first time when I was 35 years of age . . . although it was no thanks to the nuns of the Sacred Heart Convent in Bessborough, Blackrock, Co Cork.
Yours etc,
LEO ARMSTRONG,
Letters to the Editor, Irish Times.
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14 Responses to “Redress for Magdalen laundry inmates”
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That is a brilliant letter, and we need more of them in order to wake the people out of their old brainwashing re these “fallen” women.
We all know fine well that it was only an evil excuse by the church and state to keep women as slaves and get free babies for their child trafficing business.
Paddy, when the Ryan Report came out, I imagined millions of Irish free people maching in every city and town,to show the world they were not in approval of this wickedness- but alas- collusion is all I see- as I sit and observe from across the water.
That’s right Irish people- to do nothing is to condone what your men and women of some Roman God has done to our brothers and sisters.
If Jesus arrived in Ireland- the Irish would crucify him again in a heartbeat, along with Mary Magdalene- his wife.
Why? Because they represent LOVE- and there is no money in Love.
Sorry Paddy, it makes me so angry to see irish people still turning a blind eye to abuse.
Catherine, I agree absolutely about the silence that has befallen the Irish nation since the publication of the Ryan Report (Report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse). Where are the so called leaders of the groups around this country that purport to represent ‘victims of abuse’. Have they all been bought off or has it finally dawned on them that they have no mandate whatever to speak on behalf of people like myself who were institutionalised and viciously abused as children and teenagers? Believe me I am every bit as angry as you are but I don’t know what to do. To say I feel betrayed, used and abused is nowhere near how I really feel. Let the so-called group leaders in the various counties across Ireland speak now. Seek the mandate they should have before claiming to speak on behalf of any group of people who suffered abuse and who continue to feel the pain of it to this very day.
They wouldn’t stop at crucifying Jesus they’d lock up his mother too.
What kind of action might we, who are horrorstruck at the lack of justice in this situation, take which would have an impact? I cannot promise to march in Dublin – I live in Mayo, (‘god help us’) – but if letters work, I’m willing to write and write and if a petition would work, could that be set up online? This situation screams ‘wrong’ and even if the country’s bankrupted itself, the amount of money it would take to make some token gesture of recompense would be minimal. It is the bare minimum requirement of a democratic state to treat its members with a modicum of respect. The state has failed these women once. Let it do right now. With an acknowledgment, I am sure many of these women might find peace. Without it, the wound deepens and festers.
Lucy
Are we now being informed that the Irish Government allowed the Religious Orders of Nuns to keep women and children in slavery for decades even after they had joined the EU. In 1973. Where they were kept behind locked doors in slave labour. Is this not classed as a prison , where they served a longer term then people that had committed murder. Were these women allowed to vote at any election, or were they even put on the electoral role. Where are the likes of Bob Geldof, Bono and their entourage at this time
May I add my sincere support to the “Slaves of the Magdeline Institutions; I extend my sorrow to Leo Armstrong….(a) because, it took me almost the same amount of years to FIND MY MOTHER; (b) even though my mum has been Found, (I don’t know her)-that is “state Sponsored interference” that permitted the abuse, the separation and other related wrongs to be done…to so many; the Larger picture to all of this…is that, a “family has been created”, they being, those that were incarcerated in the Magdelines- the Ferryhouse Mon Boys etc- by those that destroyed so many families; that, in it’s own right, is the right (of us) to confront the wrongs done; and no where do the experts (as they call themselves) have the right to express these hurts, your views/my views, etc, unless they (too) have suffered in like fashion;
Seems like they want to copy what is happening here in the States.
If someone was not sexually molested by one (or more) of the nuns/priests, then it doesn’t matter. They don’t count slave labor, torture, starvation, lack of love or guidance, etc., etc.
I wonder if a move to recall/fire the minister of “education” for his callous and ill timed remarks might have some affect on the rest of the idiots in government?
Hi Michael
Fianna Fail don’t do resignations – Batty is the enforcer or the torpedo man of this administration – he’s no fool either. So in that context his remark was calculated.
The Catholic Church is a State within a State. Batty OKeefe, like his predecessor Mary Hanfin, is an arch Catholic. Finna Fail and Fine Gael are practically the political wings of the Catholic Church.
Yes, these twisters of charity or mercy or whatever they purported to represent did get paid a £1 a week for each woman in the laundries (a substantial sum in 50’s Ireland) and extra monies for each child. It took an English journalist to unearth that valuable piece of information as Irish citizens are blocked at every turn by our so called govt. departments. What else are they hiding that has yet to be exposed. Those children who were born in these laundries should form a collective and go after the religious and the State for their evil child trafficking through the decades.
The Irish Catholic Gulag. Stalin has the name but the Pope escapes his blame. And people are still lining up and putting money on the plate to fund this organisation.
Paddy, May I suggest that you print my replies from the Dept. of Health regarding the funding for the Maggies? Edited of course? Many thanks.
Dear People,
I live in Holland. Two years ago I visited Ireland for the first time, and I fell in love with your country. The beautiful and rural landscape, the friendly, warm people we’ve met, the pubs, the streets, I loved it all.
About half a year ago I saw the movie `The Magdalene Sisters´ and I was shocked. Such a great country with such a horror history? I went on reading and reading and felt more and more hurt by the pain of all these poor women.
Of course I don´t have to do anything with these things, but I really would like to wish you all the blessings of the Lord in all your lifes and all the strength to go on with your lifes in a way that will satisfy yourself.
With love, from Holland,
Anne
Personally I think Catholic Nuns Priests and Brothers delivering what they claimed were the blessings of the lord is what caused the problem in the first place: