The Irish language TV network, TG4, has aired the documentary "The Forgotten Maggies" for the first time on Irish television. The movie tells the heart wrenching stories from the lives of those women who survived the church-run Magdalene Laundries
"The Forgotten Maggies" was officially launched that the Galway Film Festival in 2009. It was aired also aired at the Cantor Film Center, in New York, where it met a standing ovation.
It was praised as a compelling, brave and honest piece of work. Subsequently to that, the Magdalene women who featured in the original documentary went on to meet officials at the Department of Justice in Ireland for the first time. This eventually set the ball rolling for everything else that followed in terms of their campaign and getting international recognition.
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------------------Since 2009 the documentary has been changed due to legal issues. Now it includes survivor's testimonies, from over seven Magdalene women and explores in depth the now infamous High Park exhumation where 155 Magdalene women were exhumed in 1993.
The documentary looks at shedding new light on the how and why innocent girls ended up in these institutions working against their will, some as young as 12-years-old. It challenges the Irish Government and questions the States role with regard these institutions.
“The Forgotten Maggies” is the only Irish made documentary on the subject matter and while people feel they know the stories of the Magdalene laundries nobody could be prepared for what these women have got to say and tell.
Each of these women were promised a better education and better employment opportunities. None of these women ever imagined they would be kept as prisoners, against their will, forced into slave labour, while the Religious Orders made a huge profit on the illegal work they carried out, all in the name of Charity. “The Forgotten Maggies” is a must see for anyone that wants to fully understand what these women have suffered and the role played by both Church and State.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.adrienrain | Jul 13, 2011, 12:48 PM EDT
Setting aside the obvious - that religion wields so much power that there is ample opportunity for abuse in every one of them - the RC church's emphasis on celibacy is unhealthy. Celibacy is as virtuous as constipation, but at least the constipated don't take it out on others.
Tropiholic | Jul 13, 2011, 12:31 PM EDT
Absolutely tragic. What a shameful disgrace!
MotherIrish | Jul 13, 2011, 10:43 AM EDT
It is a wonderment to me that the Roman Catholic church even exists between the priest scandals and things of this sort. Why would anyone want to belong? Where was the Christ in all of this?
IAPRINCESS | Jul 13, 2011, 10:39 AM EDT
This is a must-see for all those who think it is all a hoax. Far from that. Open your eyes and hearts.