Department of Justice invites Magdalene women to come together at event
The event is being organised by Dublin Honours Magdalenes (DHM), a voluntary group who have come together with entrepreneur Norah Casey to honour them. It will take place over two days in Dublin on June 5 and 6. Organisers said that for many of the women, this will be the first time that they will be able to speak freely to other women incarcerated in the laundries.
The event will also fulfil two key aspects of the Magdalene Restorative Justice Scheme: to bring together those women who wish to meet others who also spent time in the Magdalene Laundries; and to provide an opportunity for a listening exercise to gather views on how the Magdalene Laundries should be remembered by future generations.
Among those invited to the event are a group of women who were resident in training centres attached to or on the grounds of laundries.
These women worked in the laundries as children but had been refused access to redress by the department.
Following an investigation and scathing report by the Ombudsman, the Taoiseach last week confirmed that these women will now receive redress.
To date, almost 700 women who worked in the Magdalene Laundries have received redress.
Both the justice minister and Dublin City councillors have provided financial support to the event.
President Michael D Higgins will host a reception on June 5. That will be followed by a gala dinner at The Mansion House in Dublin.
The following morning the women will be invited to share their views on how the Magdalene Laundries might be memorialised facilitated by UCD Magdalene Oral History project.
