Magdalene Laundries

I saw a film on television Tuesday evening about the Magdalene Laundries or the Magdalene Asylums as they were sometimes called. I cannot stop thinking about this film, which was based on fact.

They were institutions for so-called fallen women and young girls. As Catholic institutions, they were run by Catholic nuns. They were meant to be for women who had been prostitutes and young girls who had become pregnant without being married. The text that accompanied this film stated that the institutes had been named for St. Mary Magdalene, who according to Catholic tradition, repented her sins and became one of Jesus' closest followers.

The movement soon became distant from it's original aim which was to be a sort of rescue movement for these women and the institutions soon took on a prison-like regime. The women and girls who lived there, were locked in, and frequently beaten by the nuns for disobedience as they were deemed to be 'in need of penitence'. In order to enforce and maintain a monastic atmosphere, the inmates were required to observe strict silence for most of the day. In a place that defined belief their only hope was in each other. The film was very moving and for someone who, being very tired, was only going to watch the first few minutes, ended up rooted to the sofa and watched the whole thing.

As the brief widened, it extended beyond prostitution and unmarried mothers to developmentally-challenged women and abused girls. Sometimes, young girls considered to be too promiscuous and flirtatious were sometimes sent to the laundries/asylum for just those reasons.

When I lived in Monmouth, I remember having a conversation with an acquaintance of mine about the Magdalene Laundries, and she said there had been one not far from where we lived. We actually went to see the building, which was pretty grim, but I personally do not know if this was a Magdalene Laundry or something similar. The film stated that these laundries were mainly in Ireland.

These females were usually admitted to the institutions at the request of the family or of a priest. Without a family member to vouch for them on the outside, after a period of time, some women/girls would stay in these places for the rest of their lives.

It was compulsive viewing. If it is ever shown on television again, and it undoubtedly will be, it is a must to watch. It is a part of our history, not a history to be proud of, but history nevertheless.