Context

Magdalen Laundries

Origins and Purpose:

• Magdalen laundries were church-run facilities initially called "Magdalen asylums."
• They imprisoned and exploited women deemed "fallen" by societal standards, such as unmarried mothers, impoverished girls, or those considered too bold.
• The name comes from Mary Magdalene, a biblical figure viewed by Catholic tradition as a repentant prostitute, reinforcing the idea of the laundries as places of repentance.

History:

• Originated in Britain and spread to British colonies, including Ireland.
• The first Magdalen laundry in Ireland, run by the Anglican Church, opened in Dublin in 1767 for Protestant women.
• Catholic-run laundries followed, often supported by state grants.

Conditions and Abuse:

• Women in the laundries endured forced unpaid labour, neglect, and abuse.
• They often lived in squalor, exemplified by descriptions in the novel, such as "shoeless" inmates with "roughly cut" hair and untreated medical conditions.
• Babies born to unmarried mothers were often taken and adopted out, sometimes internationally, without the mothers' consent.
• A mass grave in Tuam, County Galway, containing over 800 babies and children, revealed the extreme cruelty of these institutions.

Reputation and Societal Complicity:

• Magdalen laundries often had "good reputations" and served institutions like restaurants, hospitals, and churches.
• The women's unpaid labour benefited the entire community, making many complicit in their suffering.
• In the novel, townspeople like Mrs. Kehoe accept the Church's authority and warn against questioning it.

The Role of the Catholic Church

• The Catholic Church dominated Irish life during the time of the novel, controlling education, healthcare, and social institutions.
• Fear of challenging the Church's authority discouraged people from opposing injustices.
• This dynamic is evident in Eileen's fear of angering the nuns and her insistence on staying silent.

Connection to the Novel

Furlong's Perspective:

• As the son of an unmarried mother, Furlong empathises with the girls' suffering and reflects on how his life could have been different without Mrs. Wilson's help.
• His discovery of Sarah Redmond in the convent highlights the system's inhumanity and forces him to make a moral choice.

Setting:

• The story is set in 1985, a time when the Catholic Church's influence was still strong but beginning to be questioned.
• This choice emphasises the lingering responsibility of modern generations for past abuses.

Keegan's Intent:

• The author critiques societal silence and complicity, questioning why so many did nothing while women and girls were mistreated.
• She deliberately avoids setting the story in a distant past, challenging readers to confront the Church's legacy and its ongoing impact.

Modern Legacy

• In 2022, the Irish government announced plans to build a National Centre for Research and Remembrance on the site of the last Magdalen laundry.
• The unsealing of documents aims to acknowledge and address the injustices suffered by the women interned in these institutions.