Ten Magdalen Laundries operated in the State by four Religious Orders were identified by Government ;-
Sisters of Our Lady of Charity of Refuge:
1. St Mary’s Refuge, High Park, Drumcondra, Dublin;
2. Monastery of Our Lady of Charity Sean McDermott Street
Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy:
1. Magdalen Asylum / Magdalen Home, Galway;
2. St Patrick’s Refuge, Crofton Road, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin;
Religious Sisters of Charity:
1. St Mary Magdalen’s, Floraville Road, Donnybrook, Dublin;
2. St Vincent’s, St Mary’s Road, Peacock Lane, Cork;
Sisters of the Good Shepherd:
1. St Mary’s, Cork Road, Waterford;
2. St Mary’s, New Ross, Wexford;
3. St Mary’s, Pennywell Road, Limerick;
4. St Mary’s, Sunday’s Well, Cork.
The Committee received a number of submissions requesting an extension of its mandate to include the following residential institutions with laundries attached:
- St Mary’s, Stanhope Street;
- Summerhill, Wexford;
- Bethany Home; and
- Newtownforbes Industrial School.
Sisters of Our Lady of Charity of Refuge:
1. St Mary’s Refuge, High Park, Drumcondra, Dublin;
2. Monastery of Our Lady of Charity Sean McDermott Street
Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy:
1. Magdalen Asylum / Magdalen Home, Galway;
2. St Patrick’s Refuge, Crofton Road, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin;
Religious Sisters of Charity:
1. St Mary Magdalen’s, Floraville Road, Donnybrook, Dublin;
2. St Vincent’s, St Mary’s Road, Peacock Lane, Cork;
Sisters of the Good Shepherd:
1. St Mary’s, Cork Road, Waterford;
2. St Mary’s, New Ross, Wexford;
3. St Mary’s, Pennywell Road, Limerick;
4. St Mary’s, Sunday’s Well, Cork.
The Committee received a number of submissions requesting an extension of its mandate to include the following residential institutions with laundries attached:
- St Mary’s, Stanhope Street;
- Summerhill, Wexford;
- Bethany Home; and
- Newtownforbes Industrial School.
The Sisters of Our Lady of Charity operated two Magdalen Laundries, both in Dublin.
1. St Mary’s Refuge, High Park, Drumcondra. A refuge termed “Mary Magdalen Asylum” was operational in Drumcondra from 1831. At the request of Fr Smith, noted above, a number of Sisters from the Congregation, then based in France, were invited to Dublin and became responsible for the operation of the institution in 1853 at Sacred Heart Home, Drumcondra Road. In 1856, the Order purchased High Park at Grace Park Road, Drumcondra and built St Mary’s Refuge. A number of other buildings were also located on the High Park site in addition to the Laundry and living quarters for the women who worked there. These consisted of a Convent, an Industrial School, a farm and for a number of years, a lodging house for paying guests known as St Michael’s. The capacity of the Magdalen Laundry at High Park varied over time, but did not exceed 250. For instance, the occupancy was 218 in 1922; 210 in 1932, 215 in 1942 and 200 in 1952. The Laundry ceased operations in 1991.
2. Monastery of Our Lady of Charity, Lower Sean McDermott Street ;- In 1821, a refuge was established at Mecklenburg Street (later re-named Railway Street, at the rear of Gloucester Street) by a layperson (Mrs Brigid Burke) for ‘troubled and homeless’ women. Over time, a four-member lay Committee became responsible for the institution and a Matron was employed to operate it. In or about 1860, the Committee purchased additional land to include a site on Gloucester Street (later re-named Sean McDermott Street). In 1873, Cardinal Cullen requested the Sisters of Mercy to take over the operation of the institution, then known as the Magdalen Retreat, which they did until late 1886. At that point, and with the approval of Archbishop Walsh, the Sisters of Mercy requested the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity to take over operation of the institution. The Sisters of Our Lady of Charity did so and became responsible for the institution in February 1887. There were no other institutions on site, other than the laundry, living quarters for the women who worked there, and the Convent. The capacity of the Magdalen Laundry at Sean McDermott Street was 150. Occupancy varied over time- it was 120 in 1922, 130 in 1932, 135 in 1942 and 140 in 1952. The Laundry ceased operations in 1996.
Sisters of Mercy;-
The Sisters of Mercy were founded in 1831 by Catherine McAuley, with a mission to particularly focus on the poor, sick and
disadvantaged. This work was carried out through the establishment of many distinct and independent Houses throughout the country. Each independent House had its own Reverend Mother and some had Branch or Daughter Houses. There was no relationship between the different Houses. In 1994, the Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy was founded, which united all Mercy Houses in Ireland and South Africa. The Sisters of Mercy operated two Magdalen Laundries in Ireland, one in Galway and one in Dun Laoghaire;-
1. Magdalene Home / Asylum, 47 Forster Street, Galway The Magdalen Laundry in Galway was founded in 1824 by a private person (Ms. Lynch) and was managed by a lay society known as the Association of Ladies of the Saint Magdalene Society. At the request of the founder, the Sisters of Mercy became responsible for the operation of the institution following her death in 1845. The Laundry and living quarters at Forster Street were separate from the Convent (motherhouse) in Galway. The living quarters included dormitories (at one point 3 dormitories), a kitchen, dining room, infirmary and recreation room. The site also included a Chapel and a farm (across the road).The capacity of the Magdalen Laundry in Galway was approximately 110 and the occupancy varied from 110 in 1951 73 in 1954 and 18 in 1984. The Laundry closed in October 1984.
2. St Patrick’s Refuge, Crofton Road, Dun Laoghaire. The Magdalen Laundry referred to as St Patrick’s Refuge, Dun Laoghaire, was founded in Bow Street, Dublin in 1790. It was moved to Crofton Road, Dun Laoghaire in 1880. The Laundry and living quarters for the women who worked there were located adjacent to and on the grounds of St Michael’s Hospital, Dun Laoghaire and St Michael’s Convent. St Patrick’s Refuge itself comprised a three storey building, including four large rooms for laundry, sleeping quarters on a higher floor, infirmary, refectory and kitchen. The Laundry and institution closed in January 1963. No Registers survive for the institution, but it is estimated that the occupancy at St Patrick’s Refuge was typically 50 women at any one time. There were approximately 20 women there at the time of its closure in 1963.
Religious Sisters of Charity
The Religious Sisters of Charity were officially established in 1816 by rescript from Pope Pius VII, following the previous work of founder Mary Aikenhead, as an Order of religious women dedicated to the service of the poor. In light of its particular charism, the Order was never enclosed, even at time of establishment, when no other convent in Ireland permitted Sisters to leave their enclosures.The Religious Sisters of Charity operated two Magdalene Laundries in the State, one in Donnybrook and one in Cork, as follows.
1. St Mary Magdalen’s (later named St Margaret’s), 1 Floraville Road, Donnybrook, Dublin 4 The Magdalen Laundry referred to as the Donnybrook Laundry was founded in 1796 by two laypersons (Mr Quarterman and Mrs Brigid Burke) as St Mary Magdalen’s Care Centre at Townsend Street, Dublin. Another lay person (Mrs Ryan) took over management of the institution from 1798 until her death in 1833. During that period and under the stewardship of Mrs Ryan, the Laundry was established. Archbishop Murray, at the time of Mrs Ryan’s death in 1833, requested the Religious Sisters of Charity to take over the operation of the institution, which they did. The institution re-located to Donnybrook Castle in 1837, purchased with a legacy from Mrs Ryan’s will. The institution was renamed St Mary Magdalen’s Asylum at this time. The capacity of the Magdalen Laundry in Donnybrook varied from 100 to 120 over much of the period of its operation. Occupancy also varied over time – 100 in 1922 and 1932, and 115 in 1942, 1951 and 1952. Capacity was only approximately 40 in the 1970s, but increased again to 100 after renovations. In 1992 the Laundry was sold to a private company which operated a commercial Laundry on the site until 2006. Two of the women who continued to live in the institution were employed by this company. An extract from the Ordnance Survey map for 1938, below, demonstrates the layout of the site. Additional maps of the site and its development are included at in the Appendices. The History of St Margaret’s, archive of the Religious Sisters of Charity
2. St Mary Magdalen’s, Peacock Lane, Cork;- The Magdalen Laundry referred to throughout this Report as “Peacock
Lane” was established by a lay person (Mr Nicholas Therry) in 1809. The Religious Sisters of Charity were invited to Cork and became responsible for its operation in 1845. The campus at Peacock Lane included a primary (national) school as well as the Laundry, living quarters for the women who lived there and the Convent. The capacity of the Magdalen Laundry at Peacock Lane was approximately 110 and the occupancy varied from 104 in the years 1922 and 1932 to approximately 80 in the 1970s. The capacity fell to 60 following refurbishments to the institution in 1986
Sisters of the Good Shepherd;-
The Sisters of the Good Shepherd were established in France in 1835 by Sr. Mary Euphrasia Pellentier. She had previously entered the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity and served as Superior at a community of that Congregation in Angers. From Angers, a number of new communities were founded. She ultimately requested permission of the Pope to establish a Generalate to link these communities, which was approved in 1835. The Sisters of the Good Shepherd was initially an enclosed Order. Until the Second Vatican Council 1963, the Sisters of the Congregation were prohibited from leaving the Convent enclosure other than with written permission in advance. The Sisters of the Good Shepherd operated four Magdalen Laundries within the territory of the State, one each in Waterford, New Ross, Limerick and Cork, as set out in more detail below. Magdalene Laundries were also run by the Order in Derry and Newry in Northern Ireland, but these institutions do not fall within the scope of the Committee’s work.
1. St Mary’s, Good Shepherd Laundry, Clare Street / Pennywell Road, Limerick;- The institution referred to as the Limerick Magdalene Laundry was established in 1826 by a priest and a lay person (Fr Fitzgibbon and Miss Joanna Reddan). Twelve years later in 1848, the Bishop of Limerick requested the Good Shepherd Sisters (then in France) to send sisters to take over the institution, which they agreed to do. The site at Clare Street / Pennywell Road included the Laundry, living quarters for the women who worked there, a Convent, an Industrial School and a Reformatory School for girls. The capacity of the Limerick Magdalene Laundry was approximately 120 and the occupancy varied from 100 to 120 until the 1960s, at which point it reduced to an average of about 60 women. By the 1980s the occupancy had further reduced to an average of about 40 women. The Laundry was operated on-site by the Congregation until 1982, at which point it was sold as a going concern to a private company.
2. St Mary’s, Good Shepherd Laundry, Cork Road, Waterford ;- An institution for homeless girls and women was established in Waterford by a priest (Rev. Timothy Dowley) in 1842 and later, run by Rev. John Crotty with the assistance of two lay Matrons. With the approval of Bishop O’Brien, a different priest (Rev. Crotty) requested the Good Shepherd Sisters to provide Sisters for the purpose of operating the institution. Initially, five Sisters travelled from France in 1858 to do so. Work on the building of a new Convent and associated buildings began in 1892 and was completed and occupied by 1894 The site included the Laundry, living quarters for the women who worked there, a Convent and an Industrial School. The capacity of the Laundry was approximately 120 and the occupancy varied from about 100 to 120 until the early 1960s, at which point it reduced to an average of about 60 women. By the 1980s the occupancy had further reduced to an average of about 40 women. The Laundry closed in 1982.
3. Good Shepherd Laundry, Irishtown, New Ross, Co. Wexford;-The institution referred to throughout this Report as the New Ross Magdalen Laundry was established as a refuge for women in 1860 with funding from two lay persons. The Good Shepherds, on request, sent Sisters to New Ross that year to assist in the operation of the institution. The campus at New Ross consisted of the Laundry, living quarters for the women who worked there, a Convent and an industrial school. The capacity of the Laundry was approximately 50 and the average occupancy was about the same until the early 1960s. At the time of its closure in 1967 the occupancy had reduced to approximately 20 women.
4. St Mary’s, Good Shepherd Laundry, Convent Avenue, Sunday’s Well, Cork;- The Magdalen Laundry at Convent Avenue, Cork, was established in 1870 by a Good Shepherd Sister from the New Ross Convent. She and three other Sisters established a temporary convent at a cottage supplied by Mr James Hegarty. A Convent and Magdalen Asylum were built that year. Two years later in 1872 the laundry was opened as a source of income for the asylum. The campus consisted of the Laundry, living quarters for the women who worked there, a Convent and an Industrial School. The capacity of the Laundry was approximately 120 and the occupancy varied from about 100 to 120 until the 1960s at which point it reduced to an average of about 60 women. At the time of its closure in 1977 the occupancy had further reduced to an average of about 40 women.
1. St Mary’s Refuge, High Park, Drumcondra. A refuge termed “Mary Magdalen Asylum” was operational in Drumcondra from 1831. At the request of Fr Smith, noted above, a number of Sisters from the Congregation, then based in France, were invited to Dublin and became responsible for the operation of the institution in 1853 at Sacred Heart Home, Drumcondra Road. In 1856, the Order purchased High Park at Grace Park Road, Drumcondra and built St Mary’s Refuge. A number of other buildings were also located on the High Park site in addition to the Laundry and living quarters for the women who worked there. These consisted of a Convent, an Industrial School, a farm and for a number of years, a lodging house for paying guests known as St Michael’s. The capacity of the Magdalen Laundry at High Park varied over time, but did not exceed 250. For instance, the occupancy was 218 in 1922; 210 in 1932, 215 in 1942 and 200 in 1952. The Laundry ceased operations in 1991.
2. Monastery of Our Lady of Charity, Lower Sean McDermott Street ;- In 1821, a refuge was established at Mecklenburg Street (later re-named Railway Street, at the rear of Gloucester Street) by a layperson (Mrs Brigid Burke) for ‘troubled and homeless’ women. Over time, a four-member lay Committee became responsible for the institution and a Matron was employed to operate it. In or about 1860, the Committee purchased additional land to include a site on Gloucester Street (later re-named Sean McDermott Street). In 1873, Cardinal Cullen requested the Sisters of Mercy to take over the operation of the institution, then known as the Magdalen Retreat, which they did until late 1886. At that point, and with the approval of Archbishop Walsh, the Sisters of Mercy requested the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity to take over operation of the institution. The Sisters of Our Lady of Charity did so and became responsible for the institution in February 1887. There were no other institutions on site, other than the laundry, living quarters for the women who worked there, and the Convent. The capacity of the Magdalen Laundry at Sean McDermott Street was 150. Occupancy varied over time- it was 120 in 1922, 130 in 1932, 135 in 1942 and 140 in 1952. The Laundry ceased operations in 1996.
Sisters of Mercy;-
The Sisters of Mercy were founded in 1831 by Catherine McAuley, with a mission to particularly focus on the poor, sick and
disadvantaged. This work was carried out through the establishment of many distinct and independent Houses throughout the country. Each independent House had its own Reverend Mother and some had Branch or Daughter Houses. There was no relationship between the different Houses. In 1994, the Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy was founded, which united all Mercy Houses in Ireland and South Africa. The Sisters of Mercy operated two Magdalen Laundries in Ireland, one in Galway and one in Dun Laoghaire;-
1. Magdalene Home / Asylum, 47 Forster Street, Galway The Magdalen Laundry in Galway was founded in 1824 by a private person (Ms. Lynch) and was managed by a lay society known as the Association of Ladies of the Saint Magdalene Society. At the request of the founder, the Sisters of Mercy became responsible for the operation of the institution following her death in 1845. The Laundry and living quarters at Forster Street were separate from the Convent (motherhouse) in Galway. The living quarters included dormitories (at one point 3 dormitories), a kitchen, dining room, infirmary and recreation room. The site also included a Chapel and a farm (across the road).The capacity of the Magdalen Laundry in Galway was approximately 110 and the occupancy varied from 110 in 1951 73 in 1954 and 18 in 1984. The Laundry closed in October 1984.
2. St Patrick’s Refuge, Crofton Road, Dun Laoghaire. The Magdalen Laundry referred to as St Patrick’s Refuge, Dun Laoghaire, was founded in Bow Street, Dublin in 1790. It was moved to Crofton Road, Dun Laoghaire in 1880. The Laundry and living quarters for the women who worked there were located adjacent to and on the grounds of St Michael’s Hospital, Dun Laoghaire and St Michael’s Convent. St Patrick’s Refuge itself comprised a three storey building, including four large rooms for laundry, sleeping quarters on a higher floor, infirmary, refectory and kitchen. The Laundry and institution closed in January 1963. No Registers survive for the institution, but it is estimated that the occupancy at St Patrick’s Refuge was typically 50 women at any one time. There were approximately 20 women there at the time of its closure in 1963.
Religious Sisters of Charity
The Religious Sisters of Charity were officially established in 1816 by rescript from Pope Pius VII, following the previous work of founder Mary Aikenhead, as an Order of religious women dedicated to the service of the poor. In light of its particular charism, the Order was never enclosed, even at time of establishment, when no other convent in Ireland permitted Sisters to leave their enclosures.The Religious Sisters of Charity operated two Magdalene Laundries in the State, one in Donnybrook and one in Cork, as follows.
1. St Mary Magdalen’s (later named St Margaret’s), 1 Floraville Road, Donnybrook, Dublin 4 The Magdalen Laundry referred to as the Donnybrook Laundry was founded in 1796 by two laypersons (Mr Quarterman and Mrs Brigid Burke) as St Mary Magdalen’s Care Centre at Townsend Street, Dublin. Another lay person (Mrs Ryan) took over management of the institution from 1798 until her death in 1833. During that period and under the stewardship of Mrs Ryan, the Laundry was established. Archbishop Murray, at the time of Mrs Ryan’s death in 1833, requested the Religious Sisters of Charity to take over the operation of the institution, which they did. The institution re-located to Donnybrook Castle in 1837, purchased with a legacy from Mrs Ryan’s will. The institution was renamed St Mary Magdalen’s Asylum at this time. The capacity of the Magdalen Laundry in Donnybrook varied from 100 to 120 over much of the period of its operation. Occupancy also varied over time – 100 in 1922 and 1932, and 115 in 1942, 1951 and 1952. Capacity was only approximately 40 in the 1970s, but increased again to 100 after renovations. In 1992 the Laundry was sold to a private company which operated a commercial Laundry on the site until 2006. Two of the women who continued to live in the institution were employed by this company. An extract from the Ordnance Survey map for 1938, below, demonstrates the layout of the site. Additional maps of the site and its development are included at in the Appendices. The History of St Margaret’s, archive of the Religious Sisters of Charity
2. St Mary Magdalen’s, Peacock Lane, Cork;- The Magdalen Laundry referred to throughout this Report as “Peacock
Lane” was established by a lay person (Mr Nicholas Therry) in 1809. The Religious Sisters of Charity were invited to Cork and became responsible for its operation in 1845. The campus at Peacock Lane included a primary (national) school as well as the Laundry, living quarters for the women who lived there and the Convent. The capacity of the Magdalen Laundry at Peacock Lane was approximately 110 and the occupancy varied from 104 in the years 1922 and 1932 to approximately 80 in the 1970s. The capacity fell to 60 following refurbishments to the institution in 1986
Sisters of the Good Shepherd;-
The Sisters of the Good Shepherd were established in France in 1835 by Sr. Mary Euphrasia Pellentier. She had previously entered the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity and served as Superior at a community of that Congregation in Angers. From Angers, a number of new communities were founded. She ultimately requested permission of the Pope to establish a Generalate to link these communities, which was approved in 1835. The Sisters of the Good Shepherd was initially an enclosed Order. Until the Second Vatican Council 1963, the Sisters of the Congregation were prohibited from leaving the Convent enclosure other than with written permission in advance. The Sisters of the Good Shepherd operated four Magdalen Laundries within the territory of the State, one each in Waterford, New Ross, Limerick and Cork, as set out in more detail below. Magdalene Laundries were also run by the Order in Derry and Newry in Northern Ireland, but these institutions do not fall within the scope of the Committee’s work.
1. St Mary’s, Good Shepherd Laundry, Clare Street / Pennywell Road, Limerick;- The institution referred to as the Limerick Magdalene Laundry was established in 1826 by a priest and a lay person (Fr Fitzgibbon and Miss Joanna Reddan). Twelve years later in 1848, the Bishop of Limerick requested the Good Shepherd Sisters (then in France) to send sisters to take over the institution, which they agreed to do. The site at Clare Street / Pennywell Road included the Laundry, living quarters for the women who worked there, a Convent, an Industrial School and a Reformatory School for girls. The capacity of the Limerick Magdalene Laundry was approximately 120 and the occupancy varied from 100 to 120 until the 1960s, at which point it reduced to an average of about 60 women. By the 1980s the occupancy had further reduced to an average of about 40 women. The Laundry was operated on-site by the Congregation until 1982, at which point it was sold as a going concern to a private company.
2. St Mary’s, Good Shepherd Laundry, Cork Road, Waterford ;- An institution for homeless girls and women was established in Waterford by a priest (Rev. Timothy Dowley) in 1842 and later, run by Rev. John Crotty with the assistance of two lay Matrons. With the approval of Bishop O’Brien, a different priest (Rev. Crotty) requested the Good Shepherd Sisters to provide Sisters for the purpose of operating the institution. Initially, five Sisters travelled from France in 1858 to do so. Work on the building of a new Convent and associated buildings began in 1892 and was completed and occupied by 1894 The site included the Laundry, living quarters for the women who worked there, a Convent and an Industrial School. The capacity of the Laundry was approximately 120 and the occupancy varied from about 100 to 120 until the early 1960s, at which point it reduced to an average of about 60 women. By the 1980s the occupancy had further reduced to an average of about 40 women. The Laundry closed in 1982.
3. Good Shepherd Laundry, Irishtown, New Ross, Co. Wexford;-The institution referred to throughout this Report as the New Ross Magdalen Laundry was established as a refuge for women in 1860 with funding from two lay persons. The Good Shepherds, on request, sent Sisters to New Ross that year to assist in the operation of the institution. The campus at New Ross consisted of the Laundry, living quarters for the women who worked there, a Convent and an industrial school. The capacity of the Laundry was approximately 50 and the average occupancy was about the same until the early 1960s. At the time of its closure in 1967 the occupancy had reduced to approximately 20 women.
4. St Mary’s, Good Shepherd Laundry, Convent Avenue, Sunday’s Well, Cork;- The Magdalen Laundry at Convent Avenue, Cork, was established in 1870 by a Good Shepherd Sister from the New Ross Convent. She and three other Sisters established a temporary convent at a cottage supplied by Mr James Hegarty. A Convent and Magdalen Asylum were built that year. Two years later in 1872 the laundry was opened as a source of income for the asylum. The campus consisted of the Laundry, living quarters for the women who worked there, a Convent and an Industrial School. The capacity of the Laundry was approximately 120 and the occupancy varied from about 100 to 120 until the 1960s at which point it reduced to an average of about 60 women. At the time of its closure in 1977 the occupancy had further reduced to an average of about 40 women.
- Tens of Thousands of Women passed through the Magdalene Laundries of Ireland
- http://jfmresearch.com/home/preserving-magdalene-history/high-park/
List of the Magdalene Laundries in Ireland
1. High Park Convent, Drumcondra Dublin
2. Sisters of Mercy Laundry, Galway
3. Bethany Home, Laundry Rathgar, Dublin. Closed in 1972. (Protestant-run)
4. Ballsbridge Terrace Laundry, Dublin. (Protestant-run)
5. Dun Laoghaire Magdalene Laundry Dublin
6. Donnybrook Laundry, Dublin
7. The Sisters of Our Lady of Charity on Sean MacDermott Street in Dublin;- Close 1996 Gloucester Street laundry (Gloucester Street Laundry)
8. Good Shepherd Laundry, Sunday Wells, Cork
9. Good Shepherd Laundry, Waterford City. Closed in 1996
10. Good Shepherd Laundry, New Ross, Wexford
11. Good Shepherd Laundry, Pennywell Road Limerick
12. St. Joseph’s Orphanage & Laundry Cavan Town.
13. The Ulster Magdalene Asylum, 1839 at Donegall Pass, Belfast, Northern Ireland. Closed 1966 (Protestant-run)
14. The Good Shepherd Laundry on Belfast's Ormeau Road. Closed 1977. Northern Ireland
15. The Presbyterian Church ran the Ulster Female Penitentiary & Laundry. Northern Ireland
16. Good Shepherd Laundry, Derry, Northern Ireland
17. Good Shepherd Laundry Newry, Northern Ireland. The Marian Vale Mother and Baby Home. The Good Shepherd’s Sisters ran 2 Laundries in Newry.
- http://jfmresearch.com/home/preserving-magdalene-history/high-park/
List of Industrial Schools in Ireland
Over the period from 1936 to 1970, a total of 170,000 children and young persons entered the gates of the Industrial Schools of Ireland. Of the 170,000 children;- Over 14,750 died from beatings, rape, neglect, which is murder in the Religious run Institutions of Ireland;- 60,000 were stolen and sold abroad;- another 57.250 died before their 25th. birthday because they couldn't cope with their abused childhood, from drink, from drugs, from mental illness and from suicide. 15,000 die from natural causes;- The 23,000 plus alive today are scattered in many countries. All were abandoned by both the Irish Catholic Church and the Irish State.
A figure of 170,000 children passing through the industrial schools between 1936 and 1970 is correct. Many of the statistics supplied in the Ryan Report were provided by Eoin O'Sullivan, Lecturer in Social Policy at Trinity College, Dublin. Eoin is author of "Child Welfare in Ireland, 1750-1995: A History of the Present" and co-authored "Suffer the little Children" with Mary Raftery the blurb for which states "Between 1868 and 1969, more than 100,000 Irish children were taken from their families by the state and placed in so-called industrial schools run by various orders of the Catholic Church".Over the period from 1936 to 1970, a total of 170,000 children and young persons entered the gates of the 127 or so industrial schools in Ireland. The Christian Brothers are on record as stating 20,000 children passed through the industrial schools under their management since 1922 and the Christian Brothers ran most of the boys institutions.
1. An Griana´n Training Centre, Grace Park Road, Dublin 9
2. Artane Industrial School for Senior Boys, Dublin 5
3. Baltimore Fishery School for Senior Boys, Baltimore, Co. Cork
4. Benada Abbey Industrial School for Girls, Ballymote, Co. Sligo
5. Carriglea Park Industrial School for Senior Boys, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin
6. Cottage Home, Tivoli Road, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin
7. Don Bosco House, Gardiner Street, Dublin 1
8. Family Group Home, Geevagh, Co. Sligo
9. Family Group Home, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal
10. Family Group Home, Wexford
11. Kirwan House, Ranelagh, Dublin 6
12. Madonna House, Blackrock, Co. Dublin
13. Madonna House, Merrion Road, Dublin 4
14. Martanna House Hostel, Grace Park Road, Dublin 9
15. Miss Carr’s Children’s Home, 5 Northbrook Road, Dublin 6
16. Mount Carmel Industrial School for Girls, Moate, Co. Westmeath
Nazareth House, Sligo
17. Orphanage Schools, Convent of Mercy, Kells, Co. Meath
18. Our Boy’s Home, 95 Monkstown Road, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin
19. Our Lady of Mercy Industrial School for Girls, Kinsale, Co. Cork
20. Our Lady of Succour Industrial School, Newtownforbes, Co. Longford
21. Our Lady’s Industrial School for Girls, Ennis, Co. Clare
22. Pembrook Alms (Nazareth House) Industrial School for Girls, Tralee, Co. Kerry
23. CPI Marino Special School, Bray, Co. Wicklow
24. Cork University Hospital School
25. Harcourt Street Hospital, Dublin 2
26. Holy Family School for Moderate Learning Disability, Charleville, Co. Cork
27. Our Lady of Good Counsel, Lota, Glanmire, Co. Cork
28. Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin
29. Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, Dublin 12
30 Sacred Heart Home, Drumcondra, Dublin 9
31. School of the Divine Child, Lavanagh, Ballintemple, Cork
32. School of the Holy Spirit, Seville Lodge, Kilkenny, Co. Kilkenny
33. Scoil Ard Mhuire, Lusk, Co Dublin
34. Scoil Eanna, School of the Angels, Montenotte, Cork
35. Scoil Triest, Lota, Glanmire, Co. Cork
36. St. Martin’s Orphanage, Waterford
37. St. Clare’s Orphanage, Harold’s Cross, Dublin 6
38. St. David’s, Lota, Glanmire, Co. Cork
39. St. Gabriel’s School, Curraheen Road, Cork
40. St. Joseph’s Orphanage, Tivoli Road, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin
41. St. Joseph’s Orphanage, Bundoran, Co. Donegal
42. St. Joseph’s Orthapaedic Hospital for Children, Coole, Co. Westmeath
43. St. Joseph’s School for the Visually Impaired, Drumcondra, Dublin 9
44. St. Kevin’s Reformatory, Glencree, Co. Wicklow
45. St. Martha’s Industrial School, Monaghan
46. St. Martha’s Industrial School, Merrion, Dublin 4
47. St. Mary’s Orthopaedic Hospital, Baldoyle, Dublin 13
48. St. Mary’s Orthopaedic Hospital, Cappagh, Dublin 11
49. St. Mary’s School for Visually Impaired Girls, Merrion, Dublin
50. St. Vincent’s Centre for Persons with Intellectual Disability, Lisnagry, Limerick
51. St. Vincent’s Orphanage, North William St, Dublin 9
52. St. Aidan’s Industrial School for Girls, Newross, Co. Wexford
53. St. Aloysius’ Industrial School for Girls, Clonakilty, Co. Cork
54. St. Ann’s Industrial School for Girls and Junior Boys, Renmore, Lenaboy, Co. Galway
55. St. Anne’s Industrial School for Girls, Booterstown, Co. Dublin
56. St. Anne’s Reformatory School for Girls, Kilmacud, Co. Dublin
57. St. Anne’s, Sean Ross Abbey, Roscrea, Co. Tipperary
58. St. Augustine’s Industrial School for Girls, Templemore, Co. Tipperary
59. St. Augustine’s, Obelisk Park, Carysfort Avenue, Blackrock, Co. Dublin
60. St. Bernadette’s, Bonnington, Montenotte, Cork
61. St. Bernard’s Industrial School for Girls, Fethard, Dundrum, Co. Tipperary
62. St. Bridgid’s Industrial School for Girls, Loughrea, Co. Galway
63. St. Cecilia’s, Cregg House, Sligo
64. St. Clare’s Orphanage, Harold’s Cross, Dublin 6
65. St. Coleman’s Industrial School for Girls, Cobh/Rushbrook, Co. Cork
66. St. Columba’s Industrial School for Girls, Westport, Co. Mayo
67. St. Conleth’s Reformatory School for Boys, Daingean, Co. Offaly
68. St. Dominick’s Industrial School for Girls, Waterford
69. St. Finbarr’s Industrial School for Girls, Sundays Well, Marymount, Cork
70. St. Francis Xavier’s Industrial School for Girls and Junior Boys, Ballaghadereen, Co Roscommon
71. St. Francis’ & St Mary of the Angels, Beaufort, Killarney, Co. Kerry
72. St. Francis’ Industrial School for Girls, Cashel, Co. Tipperary
73. St. George’s Industrial School for Girls, Limerick
74. St. John’s Industrial School for Girls, Birr, Co. Offaly
75. St. Joseph’s Industrial School for Boys, Passage West, Co. Cork
76. St. Joseph’s Industrial School for Boys, Tralee, Co. Kerry
77. St. Joseph’s Industrial School for Girls and Junior Boys, Ballinasloe, Co. Galway
78. St. Joseph’s Industrial School for Girls and Junior Boys, Clifden, Co. Galway
79. St. Joseph’s Industrial School for Girls and Junior Boys, Liosomoine, Killarney, Co. Kerry
80. St. Joseph’s Industrial School for Girls, Cavan
81. St. Joseph’s Industrial School for Girls, Dundalk, Co. Louth
82. St. Joseph’s Industrial School for Girls, Kilkenny
83. St. Joseph’s Industrial School for Girls, Mallow, Co. Cork
84. St. Joseph’s Industrial School for Girls, Summerhill, Athlone, Co. Westmeath
85. St. Joseph’s Industrial School for Girls, Whitehall, Drumcondra, Dublin 9
86. St. Joseph’s Industrial School for Senior Boys, Ferryhouse, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary
87. St. Joseph’s Industrial School for Senior Boys, Glin, Co. Limerick
88. St. Joseph’s Industrial School for Senior Boys, Greenmount, Cork
89. St. Joseph’s Industrial School for Senior Boys, Letterfrack, Co. Galway
90. St. Joseph’s Industrial School for Senior Boys, Salthill, Co. Galway
91. St. Joseph’s Orphanage, Tivoli Road, Dun Laoghaire
92. St. Joseph’s Reformatory School for Girls, Limerick
93. St. Joseph’s School for Hearing Impaired Boys, Cabra, Dublin 7
94. St. Joseph’s School for the Visually Handicapped, Drumcondra, Dublin 9
95. St. Kyran’s Industrial School for Junior Boys, Rathdrum, Co. Wicklow
96. St. Laurence’s Industrial School for Girls, Sligo
97. St. Laurence’s Industrial School, Finglas, Dublin 11
98. St. Martha’s Industrial School for Girls, Bundoran, Co. Donegal
99. St. Mary’s Industrial School, Lakelands, Sandymount, Dublin 4
100. St. Mary’s Orthopaedic Hospital, Baldoyle, Dublin 13
101. St. Mary’s Orthopaedic Hospital, Cappagh, Finglas, Dublin 11 Sch.
102. St. Mary’s School for Hearing Impaired Girls, Cabra, Dublin 7
103. St. Mary’s, Delvin, Co. Westmeath
104. St. Mary’s, Drumcar, Dunleer, Co. Louth
105. St. Mary’s, Rochestown, Cork
106. St. Michael’s Industrial School for Girls, Wexford
107. St. Michael’s Industrial School for Junior boys, Cappoquin, Co. Waterford
108. St. Michael’s, Glenmaroon, Chapelizod, Dublin 20
109. St. Mura’s Orphanage, Fahan, Co. Donegal
110. St. Patrick’s Industrial School for Boys, Upton, Cork
111. St. Patrick’s Industrial School for Junior Boys, Kilkenny
112. St. Paul’s Hospital, Beaumont, Dublin 9
113. St. Paul’s, Montenotte, Cork
114. St. Saviour’s Orphanage, Lr. Dominick Street, Dublin 1
115. St. Vincent’s Industrial School for Junior Boys, Drogheda, Co. Louth
116. St. Vincent’s Industrial School for Girls, Limerick
117. St. Vincent’s Industrial School, Goldenbridge, Inchicore, Dublin 8
118. St. Vincent’s Orphanage, Glasnevin, Dublin 9
119. St. Vincent’s, Navan Road, Dublin 7
120. Stewart’s Hospital, Palmerstown, Dublin 20
121. Tabor House, Dublin
122. Temple Street Hospital, Dublin 1
123. The Bird’s Nest Home, 19 York Road, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin
124. The Los Angeles Homes, Dublin
125. The O’Brien Institute, Malahide Road, Dublin
126. Trudder House, Newtownmountkennedy, Co. Wicklow
127. Warrenstown House, Corduff Road, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15
A figure of 170,000 children passing through the industrial schools between 1936 and 1970 is correct. Many of the statistics supplied in the Ryan Report were provided by Eoin O'Sullivan, Lecturer in Social Policy at Trinity College, Dublin. Eoin is author of "Child Welfare in Ireland, 1750-1995: A History of the Present" and co-authored "Suffer the little Children" with Mary Raftery the blurb for which states "Between 1868 and 1969, more than 100,000 Irish children were taken from their families by the state and placed in so-called industrial schools run by various orders of the Catholic Church".Over the period from 1936 to 1970, a total of 170,000 children and young persons entered the gates of the 127 or so industrial schools in Ireland. The Christian Brothers are on record as stating 20,000 children passed through the industrial schools under their management since 1922 and the Christian Brothers ran most of the boys institutions.
1. An Griana´n Training Centre, Grace Park Road, Dublin 9
2. Artane Industrial School for Senior Boys, Dublin 5
3. Baltimore Fishery School for Senior Boys, Baltimore, Co. Cork
4. Benada Abbey Industrial School for Girls, Ballymote, Co. Sligo
5. Carriglea Park Industrial School for Senior Boys, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin
6. Cottage Home, Tivoli Road, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin
7. Don Bosco House, Gardiner Street, Dublin 1
8. Family Group Home, Geevagh, Co. Sligo
9. Family Group Home, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal
10. Family Group Home, Wexford
11. Kirwan House, Ranelagh, Dublin 6
12. Madonna House, Blackrock, Co. Dublin
13. Madonna House, Merrion Road, Dublin 4
14. Martanna House Hostel, Grace Park Road, Dublin 9
15. Miss Carr’s Children’s Home, 5 Northbrook Road, Dublin 6
16. Mount Carmel Industrial School for Girls, Moate, Co. Westmeath
Nazareth House, Sligo
17. Orphanage Schools, Convent of Mercy, Kells, Co. Meath
18. Our Boy’s Home, 95 Monkstown Road, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin
19. Our Lady of Mercy Industrial School for Girls, Kinsale, Co. Cork
20. Our Lady of Succour Industrial School, Newtownforbes, Co. Longford
21. Our Lady’s Industrial School for Girls, Ennis, Co. Clare
22. Pembrook Alms (Nazareth House) Industrial School for Girls, Tralee, Co. Kerry
23. CPI Marino Special School, Bray, Co. Wicklow
24. Cork University Hospital School
25. Harcourt Street Hospital, Dublin 2
26. Holy Family School for Moderate Learning Disability, Charleville, Co. Cork
27. Our Lady of Good Counsel, Lota, Glanmire, Co. Cork
28. Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin
29. Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, Dublin 12
30 Sacred Heart Home, Drumcondra, Dublin 9
31. School of the Divine Child, Lavanagh, Ballintemple, Cork
32. School of the Holy Spirit, Seville Lodge, Kilkenny, Co. Kilkenny
33. Scoil Ard Mhuire, Lusk, Co Dublin
34. Scoil Eanna, School of the Angels, Montenotte, Cork
35. Scoil Triest, Lota, Glanmire, Co. Cork
36. St. Martin’s Orphanage, Waterford
37. St. Clare’s Orphanage, Harold’s Cross, Dublin 6
38. St. David’s, Lota, Glanmire, Co. Cork
39. St. Gabriel’s School, Curraheen Road, Cork
40. St. Joseph’s Orphanage, Tivoli Road, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin
41. St. Joseph’s Orphanage, Bundoran, Co. Donegal
42. St. Joseph’s Orthapaedic Hospital for Children, Coole, Co. Westmeath
43. St. Joseph’s School for the Visually Impaired, Drumcondra, Dublin 9
44. St. Kevin’s Reformatory, Glencree, Co. Wicklow
45. St. Martha’s Industrial School, Monaghan
46. St. Martha’s Industrial School, Merrion, Dublin 4
47. St. Mary’s Orthopaedic Hospital, Baldoyle, Dublin 13
48. St. Mary’s Orthopaedic Hospital, Cappagh, Dublin 11
49. St. Mary’s School for Visually Impaired Girls, Merrion, Dublin
50. St. Vincent’s Centre for Persons with Intellectual Disability, Lisnagry, Limerick
51. St. Vincent’s Orphanage, North William St, Dublin 9
52. St. Aidan’s Industrial School for Girls, Newross, Co. Wexford
53. St. Aloysius’ Industrial School for Girls, Clonakilty, Co. Cork
54. St. Ann’s Industrial School for Girls and Junior Boys, Renmore, Lenaboy, Co. Galway
55. St. Anne’s Industrial School for Girls, Booterstown, Co. Dublin
56. St. Anne’s Reformatory School for Girls, Kilmacud, Co. Dublin
57. St. Anne’s, Sean Ross Abbey, Roscrea, Co. Tipperary
58. St. Augustine’s Industrial School for Girls, Templemore, Co. Tipperary
59. St. Augustine’s, Obelisk Park, Carysfort Avenue, Blackrock, Co. Dublin
60. St. Bernadette’s, Bonnington, Montenotte, Cork
61. St. Bernard’s Industrial School for Girls, Fethard, Dundrum, Co. Tipperary
62. St. Bridgid’s Industrial School for Girls, Loughrea, Co. Galway
63. St. Cecilia’s, Cregg House, Sligo
64. St. Clare’s Orphanage, Harold’s Cross, Dublin 6
65. St. Coleman’s Industrial School for Girls, Cobh/Rushbrook, Co. Cork
66. St. Columba’s Industrial School for Girls, Westport, Co. Mayo
67. St. Conleth’s Reformatory School for Boys, Daingean, Co. Offaly
68. St. Dominick’s Industrial School for Girls, Waterford
69. St. Finbarr’s Industrial School for Girls, Sundays Well, Marymount, Cork
70. St. Francis Xavier’s Industrial School for Girls and Junior Boys, Ballaghadereen, Co Roscommon
71. St. Francis’ & St Mary of the Angels, Beaufort, Killarney, Co. Kerry
72. St. Francis’ Industrial School for Girls, Cashel, Co. Tipperary
73. St. George’s Industrial School for Girls, Limerick
74. St. John’s Industrial School for Girls, Birr, Co. Offaly
75. St. Joseph’s Industrial School for Boys, Passage West, Co. Cork
76. St. Joseph’s Industrial School for Boys, Tralee, Co. Kerry
77. St. Joseph’s Industrial School for Girls and Junior Boys, Ballinasloe, Co. Galway
78. St. Joseph’s Industrial School for Girls and Junior Boys, Clifden, Co. Galway
79. St. Joseph’s Industrial School for Girls and Junior Boys, Liosomoine, Killarney, Co. Kerry
80. St. Joseph’s Industrial School for Girls, Cavan
81. St. Joseph’s Industrial School for Girls, Dundalk, Co. Louth
82. St. Joseph’s Industrial School for Girls, Kilkenny
83. St. Joseph’s Industrial School for Girls, Mallow, Co. Cork
84. St. Joseph’s Industrial School for Girls, Summerhill, Athlone, Co. Westmeath
85. St. Joseph’s Industrial School for Girls, Whitehall, Drumcondra, Dublin 9
86. St. Joseph’s Industrial School for Senior Boys, Ferryhouse, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary
87. St. Joseph’s Industrial School for Senior Boys, Glin, Co. Limerick
88. St. Joseph’s Industrial School for Senior Boys, Greenmount, Cork
89. St. Joseph’s Industrial School for Senior Boys, Letterfrack, Co. Galway
90. St. Joseph’s Industrial School for Senior Boys, Salthill, Co. Galway
91. St. Joseph’s Orphanage, Tivoli Road, Dun Laoghaire
92. St. Joseph’s Reformatory School for Girls, Limerick
93. St. Joseph’s School for Hearing Impaired Boys, Cabra, Dublin 7
94. St. Joseph’s School for the Visually Handicapped, Drumcondra, Dublin 9
95. St. Kyran’s Industrial School for Junior Boys, Rathdrum, Co. Wicklow
96. St. Laurence’s Industrial School for Girls, Sligo
97. St. Laurence’s Industrial School, Finglas, Dublin 11
98. St. Martha’s Industrial School for Girls, Bundoran, Co. Donegal
99. St. Mary’s Industrial School, Lakelands, Sandymount, Dublin 4
100. St. Mary’s Orthopaedic Hospital, Baldoyle, Dublin 13
101. St. Mary’s Orthopaedic Hospital, Cappagh, Finglas, Dublin 11 Sch.
102. St. Mary’s School for Hearing Impaired Girls, Cabra, Dublin 7
103. St. Mary’s, Delvin, Co. Westmeath
104. St. Mary’s, Drumcar, Dunleer, Co. Louth
105. St. Mary’s, Rochestown, Cork
106. St. Michael’s Industrial School for Girls, Wexford
107. St. Michael’s Industrial School for Junior boys, Cappoquin, Co. Waterford
108. St. Michael’s, Glenmaroon, Chapelizod, Dublin 20
109. St. Mura’s Orphanage, Fahan, Co. Donegal
110. St. Patrick’s Industrial School for Boys, Upton, Cork
111. St. Patrick’s Industrial School for Junior Boys, Kilkenny
112. St. Paul’s Hospital, Beaumont, Dublin 9
113. St. Paul’s, Montenotte, Cork
114. St. Saviour’s Orphanage, Lr. Dominick Street, Dublin 1
115. St. Vincent’s Industrial School for Junior Boys, Drogheda, Co. Louth
116. St. Vincent’s Industrial School for Girls, Limerick
117. St. Vincent’s Industrial School, Goldenbridge, Inchicore, Dublin 8
118. St. Vincent’s Orphanage, Glasnevin, Dublin 9
119. St. Vincent’s, Navan Road, Dublin 7
120. Stewart’s Hospital, Palmerstown, Dublin 20
121. Tabor House, Dublin
122. Temple Street Hospital, Dublin 1
123. The Bird’s Nest Home, 19 York Road, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin
124. The Los Angeles Homes, Dublin
125. The O’Brien Institute, Malahide Road, Dublin
126. Trudder House, Newtownmountkennedy, Co. Wicklow
127. Warrenstown House, Corduff Road, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15
Thanks to Caranua -- History- Caranua- History
1868 Irish Industrial Schools Act
Industrial schools were established to care for ‘neglected, orphaned and abandoned children.’ They were run by religious orders, both Catholic and Protestant, and funded by the public.
1900 This was the peak of industrial schools with 8,000 children in 71 schools.
1908 The Children’s Act
This act, also known as the Children and Young Persons Act, was a piece of government legislation passed by the Liberal government as part of the British Liberal Party’s liberal reforms package. The Act was informally known as the Children’s Charter. It defined reformatories as responsible for feeding, clothing, housing and teaching young offenders and instigated annual visits by an Inspector of Reformatory and Industrial Schools.
‘The expression “industrial school” means a school for the industrial training of children, in which children are lodged, clothed and fed, as well as taught.’ (section 44 of the Children Act, 1908) This was used as a mission statement in many of the schools.
1924 The new state’s Department of Education noted that there were more children in industrial schools in the Irish Free State than in all of the United Kingdom.
1929 The Children’s Act was amended to allow destitute children to be sent to industrial schools, even if they hadn’t committed a crime.
1933 The statutory regulations governing industrial schools were updated and funding was increased.
1933 The Commission of Inquiry Into Widows’ and Orphans’ Pensions found only 350 of the children in industrial schools were orphans (5.3 % of the total)
1933 Industrial schools were abolished in the UK but not in Ireland.
1936 Cussen Commission’s Report into Reformatories and Industrial Schools The Cussen Report had reservations about the large number of children in care, the inadequate nature of their education, lack of local support and the stigma attached to the schools but the implementation of these recommendations by the Department of Education was inconsistent and intermittent.
1941 The Children Act increased State funding for industrial schools.
1943 St. Joseph’s Industrial School in Cavan, run by the Order of Poor Clares, burned to the ground, killing 35 girls and one elderly woman. The nuns were exonerated in the subsequent inquiry.
1944 The Resident Managers of Lenaboy and Cappoquin industrial schools, both Sisters of Mercy, were dismissed for negligence and misappropriating funds, despite Church resistance. P. Ó Muircheartaigh, the Inspector of Industrial and Reformatory Schools reported that “the children are not properly fed,” which was “a serious indictment of the system of industrial schools run by nuns-a state of affairs that shouldn’t be tolerated in a Christian community” where there was “semi-starvation and lack of proper care and attention.” There were no other changes to industrial schools.
1946 Fr. Flanagan, the founder of the Boystown schools for orphans and delinquents in the United States visited Irish industrial schools. He described them as ‘a national disgrace’, leading to a public debate in the Dáil and national media.
1969 The Artane Industrial School was closed.
1970 Reformatory and Industrial Schools System Report (The Kennedy Report) This report recommended: ‘The present institutional system of Residential Care should be abolished and be replaced by group homes which would approximate as closely as possible to the normal family unit. Children from the one family, and children of different ages and sex should be placed in such group homes.‘
1972 The Marlborough House, Dublin was closed down.
1974 The Letterfrack Industrial School, Co Galway was closed down.
1974 The Daingean Industrial School, Co Offaly was closed down.
1984 The Department of Health introduced fostering for children in care.
1991 The Child Care Act
This brought in considerable changes in relation to children in care. Until the main part of the Act was implemented in 1995, child care policy had been regulated by the 1908 Children Act. This Act focused on the child and the promotion of the child’s welfare. It also placed a specific duty on Health Boards (now the Health Service Executive) to identify children who were not receiving adequate care and protection and in promoting their welfare to provide child care and family support services. This Act underpinned the basic belief that the welfare of the child is of paramount importance.
1993 Madonna House Report
The Eastern health board and Garda Síochana began investigating allegations of sexual abuse and other misconduct made against a number of members of staff at Madonna House. One member of the team was convicted which led to The Sisters of Charity and the Department of Health appointing a team to do a review of Madonna House.
1995 Child Care Regulations (made under Part VI of Child Care Act 1991).
These regulations governed the placement by health boards of children in their care in residential centres. They applied to residential centres operated by voluntary bodies as well as those operated by the boards themselves. ‘The regulations are designed to ensure that children in residential care are visited, supervised and reviewed on a more systematic basis than before and that the changing needs of the children are not lost sight of.’
February 1996 Dear Daughter TV Documentary
A groundbreaking television documentary by Louis Lentin that was broadcast on RTÉ One. It dealt with the childhood experiences of Christine Buckley and others at the Goldenbridge orphanage in Dublin.
May 1996 The Madonna House Report published (abridged version)
The Sisters of Charity, who were responsible for the operation of the home, and the Department of Health decided to appoint a team to carry out a review of the operation of Madonna House. They announced it was to be phased out and was closed in 1995. The abridged version of this report was published in May 1996. The Office of the Attorney General advised not to publish the report in full in order to protect identities of certain parties.
1998 The Christian Brothers apology
The Christian Brothers in Ireland made a public apology to those who were physically or sexually abused in their care, taking out half page advertisements in newspapers to admit some people’s claims had been ignored.
‘We the Christian Brothers in Ireland wish to express our deep regret to anyone who suffered ill-treatment while in our care. And we say to you who have experienced physical or sexual abuse by a Christian Brother and to you who complained of abuse and were not listened to, we are deeply sorry.’
April 1999 States of Fear TV Documentary
The television documentary series by journalist Mary Raftery which detailed abuse suffered by children between the 1930s and 1970s in the state child care system of Ireland was broadcast on RTÉ One.
May 1999 An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern apology
The then Taoiseach, Mr Bertie Ahern, apologised on behalf of the government to the survivors of child abuse in industrial schools, acknowledging the responsibility of the Irish State in providing services for children and announced a package of measures to tackle such abuse. These included the establishment of a Commission to inquire into child abuse and the establishment of a €5 million professional counselling service for victims.
2000 The Child Abuse Act 2000
This act established a commission to investigate child abuse in institutions in the State under Justice Laffoy, and to enable persons to give evidence to committees of the Commission. (Also known as the Ryan Commission)
2002 Residential Redress Act
The Redress Board was set up under the Act in 2002 to make fair and reasonable awards to persons who, as children, were abused while residents in industrial schools, reformatories and other institutions subject to state regulation or inspection.
2002 Catholic Church agreed to pay €128 million
The catholic church agreed to pay €128 million which went into a special State fund for victims of abuse. In return, the State arranged that people seeking compensation from the Residential Institutions Redress Board were barred from suing the Church directly.
October 2002 Cardinal Secrets TV Documentary
A television documentary ‘Cardinal Secrets’ made by journalist Mary Raftery was broadcast as part of RTÉ’s PrimeTime series which contained accounts of children abused by Catholic priests serving in the Archdiocese of Dublin.
2004 The Commission of Investigation Act
This act mandated the establishment of a ‘Commission of Investigation, Dublin Archdiocese’ to examine the manner in which allegations of sexual abuse of children by priests over the period 1975 to 2004 were dealt with by Church and State authorities.
2006 Commission of Investigation into Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin (The Murphy Report)
An investigation into the handling of child sexual abuse cases in the Dublin diocese between 1975 and 2004 began.
20th May 2009 Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse Report (The Ryan Report)
The Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse Report was published. (Also known as the Ryan Report) This report found that ‘The system of large-scale institutionalisation was a response to a nineteenth century social problem, which was outdated and incapable of meeting the needs of individual children.The defects of the system were exacerbated by the way it was operated by the Congregations that owned and managed the schools. This failure led to the institutional abuse of children where their developmental, emotional and educational needs were not met.’
November 2009 Report by the Commission of Investigation into Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin (The Murphy Report)
The commission was initially to take 18 months but due to the volume of evidence it was extended. The report stated:‘The authorities in the Archdiocese of Dublin and the religious orders who were dealing with complaints of child sexual abuse were all very well educated people. Many had qualifications in canon law and quite a few also had qualifications in civil law. This makes their claims of ignorance very difficult to accept.’
‘The Commission is satisfied that Church law demanded serious penalties for clerics who abused children. In Dublin from the 1970s onwards this was ignored; the highest priority was the protection of the reputation of the institution and the reputation of priests. The moving around of offending clerics with little or no disclosure of their past is illustrative of this.’
2012 Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act
This Act was brought in to provide for the establishment of a body to support the needs of former residents to be known as RISFB and to define it’s functions and to provide for the making of contributions of certain persons. It was also to amend the Residential Redress Act 2002, the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse 2005 and related matters.
March 2013 The Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board
This was established under the provisions of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012.
October 2013 Caranua
1868 Irish Industrial Schools Act
Industrial schools were established to care for ‘neglected, orphaned and abandoned children.’ They were run by religious orders, both Catholic and Protestant, and funded by the public.
1900 This was the peak of industrial schools with 8,000 children in 71 schools.
1908 The Children’s Act
This act, also known as the Children and Young Persons Act, was a piece of government legislation passed by the Liberal government as part of the British Liberal Party’s liberal reforms package. The Act was informally known as the Children’s Charter. It defined reformatories as responsible for feeding, clothing, housing and teaching young offenders and instigated annual visits by an Inspector of Reformatory and Industrial Schools.
‘The expression “industrial school” means a school for the industrial training of children, in which children are lodged, clothed and fed, as well as taught.’ (section 44 of the Children Act, 1908) This was used as a mission statement in many of the schools.
1924 The new state’s Department of Education noted that there were more children in industrial schools in the Irish Free State than in all of the United Kingdom.
1929 The Children’s Act was amended to allow destitute children to be sent to industrial schools, even if they hadn’t committed a crime.
1933 The statutory regulations governing industrial schools were updated and funding was increased.
1933 The Commission of Inquiry Into Widows’ and Orphans’ Pensions found only 350 of the children in industrial schools were orphans (5.3 % of the total)
1933 Industrial schools were abolished in the UK but not in Ireland.
1936 Cussen Commission’s Report into Reformatories and Industrial Schools The Cussen Report had reservations about the large number of children in care, the inadequate nature of their education, lack of local support and the stigma attached to the schools but the implementation of these recommendations by the Department of Education was inconsistent and intermittent.
1941 The Children Act increased State funding for industrial schools.
1943 St. Joseph’s Industrial School in Cavan, run by the Order of Poor Clares, burned to the ground, killing 35 girls and one elderly woman. The nuns were exonerated in the subsequent inquiry.
1944 The Resident Managers of Lenaboy and Cappoquin industrial schools, both Sisters of Mercy, were dismissed for negligence and misappropriating funds, despite Church resistance. P. Ó Muircheartaigh, the Inspector of Industrial and Reformatory Schools reported that “the children are not properly fed,” which was “a serious indictment of the system of industrial schools run by nuns-a state of affairs that shouldn’t be tolerated in a Christian community” where there was “semi-starvation and lack of proper care and attention.” There were no other changes to industrial schools.
1946 Fr. Flanagan, the founder of the Boystown schools for orphans and delinquents in the United States visited Irish industrial schools. He described them as ‘a national disgrace’, leading to a public debate in the Dáil and national media.
1969 The Artane Industrial School was closed.
1970 Reformatory and Industrial Schools System Report (The Kennedy Report) This report recommended: ‘The present institutional system of Residential Care should be abolished and be replaced by group homes which would approximate as closely as possible to the normal family unit. Children from the one family, and children of different ages and sex should be placed in such group homes.‘
1972 The Marlborough House, Dublin was closed down.
1974 The Letterfrack Industrial School, Co Galway was closed down.
1974 The Daingean Industrial School, Co Offaly was closed down.
1984 The Department of Health introduced fostering for children in care.
1991 The Child Care Act
This brought in considerable changes in relation to children in care. Until the main part of the Act was implemented in 1995, child care policy had been regulated by the 1908 Children Act. This Act focused on the child and the promotion of the child’s welfare. It also placed a specific duty on Health Boards (now the Health Service Executive) to identify children who were not receiving adequate care and protection and in promoting their welfare to provide child care and family support services. This Act underpinned the basic belief that the welfare of the child is of paramount importance.
1993 Madonna House Report
The Eastern health board and Garda Síochana began investigating allegations of sexual abuse and other misconduct made against a number of members of staff at Madonna House. One member of the team was convicted which led to The Sisters of Charity and the Department of Health appointing a team to do a review of Madonna House.
1995 Child Care Regulations (made under Part VI of Child Care Act 1991).
These regulations governed the placement by health boards of children in their care in residential centres. They applied to residential centres operated by voluntary bodies as well as those operated by the boards themselves. ‘The regulations are designed to ensure that children in residential care are visited, supervised and reviewed on a more systematic basis than before and that the changing needs of the children are not lost sight of.’
February 1996 Dear Daughter TV Documentary
A groundbreaking television documentary by Louis Lentin that was broadcast on RTÉ One. It dealt with the childhood experiences of Christine Buckley and others at the Goldenbridge orphanage in Dublin.
May 1996 The Madonna House Report published (abridged version)
The Sisters of Charity, who were responsible for the operation of the home, and the Department of Health decided to appoint a team to carry out a review of the operation of Madonna House. They announced it was to be phased out and was closed in 1995. The abridged version of this report was published in May 1996. The Office of the Attorney General advised not to publish the report in full in order to protect identities of certain parties.
1998 The Christian Brothers apology
The Christian Brothers in Ireland made a public apology to those who were physically or sexually abused in their care, taking out half page advertisements in newspapers to admit some people’s claims had been ignored.
‘We the Christian Brothers in Ireland wish to express our deep regret to anyone who suffered ill-treatment while in our care. And we say to you who have experienced physical or sexual abuse by a Christian Brother and to you who complained of abuse and were not listened to, we are deeply sorry.’
April 1999 States of Fear TV Documentary
The television documentary series by journalist Mary Raftery which detailed abuse suffered by children between the 1930s and 1970s in the state child care system of Ireland was broadcast on RTÉ One.
May 1999 An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern apology
The then Taoiseach, Mr Bertie Ahern, apologised on behalf of the government to the survivors of child abuse in industrial schools, acknowledging the responsibility of the Irish State in providing services for children and announced a package of measures to tackle such abuse. These included the establishment of a Commission to inquire into child abuse and the establishment of a €5 million professional counselling service for victims.
2000 The Child Abuse Act 2000
This act established a commission to investigate child abuse in institutions in the State under Justice Laffoy, and to enable persons to give evidence to committees of the Commission. (Also known as the Ryan Commission)
2002 Residential Redress Act
The Redress Board was set up under the Act in 2002 to make fair and reasonable awards to persons who, as children, were abused while residents in industrial schools, reformatories and other institutions subject to state regulation or inspection.
2002 Catholic Church agreed to pay €128 million
The catholic church agreed to pay €128 million which went into a special State fund for victims of abuse. In return, the State arranged that people seeking compensation from the Residential Institutions Redress Board were barred from suing the Church directly.
October 2002 Cardinal Secrets TV Documentary
A television documentary ‘Cardinal Secrets’ made by journalist Mary Raftery was broadcast as part of RTÉ’s PrimeTime series which contained accounts of children abused by Catholic priests serving in the Archdiocese of Dublin.
2004 The Commission of Investigation Act
This act mandated the establishment of a ‘Commission of Investigation, Dublin Archdiocese’ to examine the manner in which allegations of sexual abuse of children by priests over the period 1975 to 2004 were dealt with by Church and State authorities.
2006 Commission of Investigation into Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin (The Murphy Report)
An investigation into the handling of child sexual abuse cases in the Dublin diocese between 1975 and 2004 began.
20th May 2009 Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse Report (The Ryan Report)
The Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse Report was published. (Also known as the Ryan Report) This report found that ‘The system of large-scale institutionalisation was a response to a nineteenth century social problem, which was outdated and incapable of meeting the needs of individual children.The defects of the system were exacerbated by the way it was operated by the Congregations that owned and managed the schools. This failure led to the institutional abuse of children where their developmental, emotional and educational needs were not met.’
November 2009 Report by the Commission of Investigation into Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin (The Murphy Report)
The commission was initially to take 18 months but due to the volume of evidence it was extended. The report stated:‘The authorities in the Archdiocese of Dublin and the religious orders who were dealing with complaints of child sexual abuse were all very well educated people. Many had qualifications in canon law and quite a few also had qualifications in civil law. This makes their claims of ignorance very difficult to accept.’
‘The Commission is satisfied that Church law demanded serious penalties for clerics who abused children. In Dublin from the 1970s onwards this was ignored; the highest priority was the protection of the reputation of the institution and the reputation of priests. The moving around of offending clerics with little or no disclosure of their past is illustrative of this.’
2012 Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act
This Act was brought in to provide for the establishment of a body to support the needs of former residents to be known as RISFB and to define it’s functions and to provide for the making of contributions of certain persons. It was also to amend the Residential Redress Act 2002, the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse 2005 and related matters.
March 2013 The Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board
This was established under the provisions of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012.
October 2013 Caranua
