Magdalene Laundries News

News alert

In early June, NCWI president, Susan McKay, wrote to all women TDs, Senators, and Councilors urging them to support JFM's ongoing campaign to bring about (i) an apology from Church and State, and (ii) a distinct redress scheme for all survivors. As a result, Councilor Noreen Heston (Castlebar Town Council) and Councilor Deirdre Forde (Cork County Council) have tabled motions supporting JFM's ongoing campaign. These motions are to be discussed and voted upon the week of 26th July, and both call for forwarding copies of the resolution to all other local government councils throughout Ireland. JFM welcome this latest signal of support for its efforts, and anticipates many more motions of support from local government councils after the summer recess in September. The following is the wording of the motion:

"That [local name] Town Council calls on the Government and the Catholic Church to (a) issue formal apologies for the abuse inflicted on residents of Magdalene Laundries and (b) establish a distinct redress scheme for survivors. We further resolve that this motion be circulated to all local authorities."

Latest news

A visible memorial for Galway's Magdalene women
Editorial from professor James Smith, 30th July 2010

'I’ll chain myself to statue' vows angry playwright
Bernie Ní Fhlatharta, Galway City Tribune, 30th July 2010

Anger as council plans to remove Magdalene Laundry sculpture
John Fallon, Irish Independent, 28th July 2010

Slavery, Forced Labour and the Magdalene Laundries
Maeve O'Rourke, Guest blogpost, HumanRights.ie, 13th July 2010

Abuse files must be preserved
Professor James Smith, Letters, Irish Examiner, 12th July 2010

Women's council seeks justice for Magdalene survivors
Patsy McGarry, Irish Times, 12th July 2010

Giving a voice to those held hostage by past
Kevin Cullen, The Boston Globe, 11th July 2010

Kathleen Lynch TD supports Justice for Magdalenes
CorkPolitics.ie, 9th July 2010

State in denial over Magdalenes
Professor James Smith, Letters, Irish Times, 5th July 2010

Brady encourages Magdalene survivors in talks with church
Geneview Carberry, Irish Times, 25th June 2010

Magdalene women 'can't access records'
Marie O'Halloran, Irish Times, 25th June 2010

No state compensation for Magdelene abuse
Claire O'Sullivan, Irish Examiner, 26th June 2010

Magdalene group requests inquiry
Irish Times, 25th June 2010

Justice group demands laundries inquiry
Claire O'Sullivan, Irish Examiner, 24th June 2010

Magdalene 'workers' seek justice
Christine Allen, Cork Independent, 24th June 2010

Taoiseach receives demand for Magdalene redress
Patsy McGarry, Irish Times, 22nd June 2010

State still in denial over Magdalene scandal
Maeve O'Rourke (Human Rights Fellow, Harvard University), Letters, Irish Times, 17th June 2010

State still in denial over Magdalene scandal
Fintan O'Toole, Irish Times, 15th June 2010

Bethany residents remembered
Breaking News, Irish Times, 26th May 2010

Graves of Bethany children
Letter from Prof. James Smith, Irish Times, 25th May 2010

Turning punishment into instrument of love
James Mackey, Opinion piece, The Irish Times, 12th May 2010

Path of poet’s play sets her dancing
Patrick Meighan on Imelda Murphy's The Quane's Laundry, Nashua Telegraph, 10th May 2010

Cowen 'trying to deny implications of state's complicity over laundries'
Claire O'Sullivan, Irish Examiner, 29th April 2010

Magdalene victims' redress
Letter from Prof. James Smith, Irish Times, 19th April 2010

Searching for true identity
Letter from Joan Reidy, Irish Times, 16th April 2010

Neglect of archives shows contempt for citizens
Fintan O'Toole, Irish Times, 10th April 2010

Brady: Church wants to find 'just solution'
Claire O'Sullivan, Irish Examiner, 1st April 2010

Abuse survivors tell Cardinal Brady to resign
Times Online, 31st March 2010

Redress for Magdalene victims
Derek Leinster, Letters, Irish Times, 30th March 2010

Harney to raise question on laundries
Claire O'Sullivan, Irish Examiner, 26th March 2010

Request for Magdalene records to be released
Eithne Donnellan, Irish Times, 25th March 2010

Redress for Magdalene victims
James Smith, Letters, Irish Times, 25th March 2010

Redress for Magdalene survivors overdue
James Smith, Letters, Irish Independent, 25th March 2010

From Academic to Advocate
Sean Smith, The Boston College Chronicle, 17th March 2010

How a new Ireland was forged on the anvil of one woman's suffering
edited version of the introduction to A Woman to Blame: The Kerry Babies Case by Nell McCafferty, published by Cork University Press, reprinted in The Irish Times, 8th March 2010

Magdalene victims awaiting apology
Justice for Magdalenes Coordinating Committee letter, The Irish Times, 26th February 2010

Magdalene victims awaiting apology
Justice for Magdalenes Coordinating Committee letter, Belfast Telegraph, 26th February 2010

It's time the Pope came clean about the Magdalene Laundries
Sharon Owens, Belfast Telegraph, 24th February 2010

Why time is not on the side of the Magdalene victims
Niamh Connolly, The Sunday Business Post, 7th February 2010

Magdalene group says meeting with Department of Education helpful
Alison Healy, Irish Times, 3rd February 2010

Magdalene group meets with officials
Alison Healy, Irish Times: Breaking News, 2nd February 2010

Letter from Professor James Smith
Irish Times, 2nd February 2010

Magdalene survivors' group to meet Department officials
Irish Examiner, 2nd February 2010

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