Lack of charity in meeting Magdalene survivors

The order ran a laundry in Limerick for generations and made vast profits out of child labour.

Limerick people over a certain age can well remember the processions of these young girls from the Clare Street convent to the city centre.

They were marched to and from the city like a gang of criminals and in many cases their only crime was to be orphaned.

They were consigned to work in the laundry for years until they reached legal adulthood and then they were cast out to society in general, ill-equipped to deal with the realities of life.

In recent years it has come to light that in many cases they were subject to physical and sexual abuse in these establishments, where they seemed to have no rights and were treated disgracefully.

The fact that the order now refuses to meet with any survivors speaks eloquently of the lack of Christian charity.

These religious orders should be ashamed of themselves.

Sean O’Neill

Republican Sinn Féin

Prospect

Limerick