Survivors of Ireland’s Magdalene Laundries have expressed their relief and gratitude over the Irish leader’s official state apology on Tuesday.
It has been two weeks since the release of the MacAleese report which outlined the State’s part in the horrors of the Magdalene Laundries and Enda Kenny has finally apologised for the Irish State.
His apology was greeted with much relief by Magdalene survivors, who feel that they can move on with their lives now and even praised the Taoiseach for his emotional speech where he stated: “The Magdalene women might have been told that they were washing away a wrong, or a sin, but we know now — and to our shame — they were only ever scrubbing away our nation’s shadow.”
The response to Enda Kenny’s speech was one of overwhelming relief and sadness - “I’ve never heard anything like it. Everybody in Ireland should be proud of our Taoiseach.” Marina Gambold told the Irish Times.
“He’s a wonderful man. I knew that he would do it. I’m happy now,” she said.
Read more: Irish leader Enda Kenny issues state apology to Magdalene Laundries survivors - VIDEO
Candles were lit in a vigil outside the gates of the Irish Parliament while the Taoiseach spoke about the compensation packages that have now been made available to the 800 women still alive who were residents of the Magdalene Laundries which will include counselling and health care services also.
The Irish Examiner reports of Kenny’s reference to a line from the song ‘Whispering Hope’ that had been sung to him by a Magdalene survivor. He used this line to profess his hope for the future saying: “A line from that song stays in my mind — ‘when the dark midnight is over, watch for the breaking of day’. Let me hope that this day and this debate heralds a new dawn for all those who feared that the dark midnight might never end.”
Speaking to RTE, Ireland’s national broadcaster, the Justice for the Magdalenes welcomed the apology and said that it “looks forward to the intent of the apology being made evident by the introduction of a system of redress that is prompt, open, fair, and transparent.”
The Taoiseach’s apology was hailed by all as a moving and heartfelt speech which will hopefully issue a new lease of life and healing for those who have survived the Magdalenes.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.FallsRNat | Feb 22, 2013, 10:01 AM EST
how about the inclusion of the Bethany House residents who were in the CoI equivalent, another missed opportunity of the 26 county state to redress the needs of all of the community by holding both institutions with the complicity of senior govt figures to account, unfortunately, it is reduced to a one sided apology, come on Kenny its supposed to be an inclusive society
Smyrnian | Feb 22, 2013, 06:41 AM EST
Seamus - you are right about that.,
seamus60 | Feb 22, 2013, 04:43 AM EST
Smyrnian. The majority will have the same story ( myself included. But when somethings wrong percentages don`t make it right. Neither of us may ever know just how close we came to becoming part of the victim minority. Mortimer74 so called Catholic bashers have every right to bask when such reasons are handed to them. Your attitude is what facilitated many of the past wrong doings. wrong doings that people live the rest of their lives with. You prefer to camofladge and diminish responsability with excuses like who formed these institutions. That is irrelevant to the victims. At least the state has been forced to admit the truth regardless of how ugly it is, My Catholic church leaders should do the same and start practicing what they preach.
Smyrnian | Feb 21, 2013, 08:53 PM EST
As I said before I spent a great many years in Catholic schools and was taught by priests, nuns and brothers from a variety of orders and I was an altar boy for 5 years and I never saw, heard or suspected anything bad. I did experience a disciplined and rigorous academic environment. They were the best years. Sorry Catholic haters.
Happyhippo | Feb 21, 2013, 03:21 PM EST
The Magdelene laundries were the equivalent of the religous police of their day,my own mother spent six months in one of them sometime during the late forties,and decided to go AWAL and hit the road by emigrating to the UK,got married and settled in London,she never would talk about the time spent there and if reminded of it always changed the subject,the memory of those times were just too painfull and for so many thousands of women who were to spend years in those slavehouses,she was a pretty strong woman and never lost her own religous faith even though she had every reason to.
Mortimer74 | Feb 21, 2013, 12:24 PM EST
“Catholic-bashers have embellished the truth about abuse in Catholic institutions. It's time to put the record straight” Another brutally honest piece on the whole saga by Brendan O'Neill in the UK's Telegraph. Can't post the link on IC, but it's worth Googling because the truth will set you free.
Mortimer74 | Feb 21, 2013, 12:21 PM EST
For more on the truth behind how the Magdalene laundries have been used as an anti-Catholic propaganda tool read the excellent article by Irish columnist Mary Ellen Synon. “Magdalene laundries: or how British-bred eugenics put Magdalene across the world” 05 February 2013
sorxia02144 | Feb 21, 2013, 11:31 AM EST
And what's going to happen to the people who ran and supported the Magdalene Laundries? Surely they deserve some sort of punishment.