Magdalene laundries
Introduction
Firstly this essay will examine the background of the Magdalen Laundries, when they started, and the reason behind them .This essay will then compare and contrast the nineteenth century asylums to the representation in the Magdalen Sisters film from 2002. It will compare the two centuries of asylums to see whether they were built for the purpose of profit , also it will look at whether the women entered and left the asylum of their own free will . Finally it will explore the day to day running of the Magdalen Asylums and how the asylums performed as a function for Irish society. The first Magdalen Laundry was set up in 1766. (Lulddy 2002,). At this time prostitution was a big problem in Ireland. It existed publicly on the streets and was a way of life for many women (Luddy 1997, 485).The purpose of the Magdalen Laundry was to rehabilitate prostitutes. It wasn’t till the 19th century that they became a more important part of Irish society. During this period the Magdalen laundries housed women from all parts of society these women were known as “fallen” women. The term relates to women who had lost their virginity outside of marriage regardless of it being voluntary or involuntary, women who had been left by their partner, unmarried mothers and women who were seen to be sexually playful would also be known as “ Fallen” women (McMarthy 2010) .They would be treated the same as prostitutes. According to (McCarthy2010,) women did not have to sell their body for profit to be considered a prostitute.
In the beginning both Protestant and Catholic institutes were mainly run by laywomen but by the 1830s the congregations of female religions took control of the catholic Magdalen Asylums. (M.Smith 2007). The religious run institutions continued to run until the 1990s, when the last Magdalene laundry in Dublin closed (http://www.thejournal.ie/magdalene-laundry.) While the majority of the lay protestant asylums ceased operation by the early
Firstly this essay will examine the background of the Magdalen Laundries, when they started, and the reason behind them .This essay will then compare and contrast the nineteenth century asylums to the representation in the Magdalen Sisters film from 2002. It will compare the two centuries of asylums to see whether they were built for the purpose of profit , also it will look at whether the women entered and left the asylum of their own free will . Finally it will explore the day to day running of the Magdalen Asylums and how the asylums performed as a function for Irish society. The first Magdalen Laundry was set up in 1766. (Lulddy 2002,). At this time prostitution was a big problem in Ireland. It existed publicly on the streets and was a way of life for many women (Luddy 1997, 485).The purpose of the Magdalen Laundry was to rehabilitate prostitutes. It wasn’t till the 19th century that they became a more important part of Irish society. During this period the Magdalen laundries housed women from all parts of society these women were known as “fallen” women. The term relates to women who had lost their virginity outside of marriage regardless of it being voluntary or involuntary, women who had been left by their partner, unmarried mothers and women who were seen to be sexually playful would also be known as “ Fallen” women (McMarthy 2010) .They would be treated the same as prostitutes. According to (McCarthy2010,) women did not have to sell their body for profit to be considered a prostitute.
In the beginning both Protestant and Catholic institutes were mainly run by laywomen but by the 1830s the congregations of female religions took control of the catholic Magdalen Asylums. (M.Smith 2007). The religious run institutions continued to run until the 1990s, when the last Magdalene laundry in Dublin closed (http://www.thejournal.ie/magdalene-laundry.) While the majority of the lay protestant asylums ceased operation by the early
Bibliography: Luddy,M.(19997) ‘Abandonded Women and Bad Charters’:Prositution in 19th Century Ireland,Women History Review. Luddy,M.(2002) ‘Magdalen Asylums 1765-1992: Introuduction’ in Bourke, A. (ed) Field Day Anthology of Irish Writing:Irish Women’sWriting and Tradititions,Cork: Cork University Press. McCarthy,R.L.(2010) Ireland’s Magdalen Laundries: An Analytical History,North Carolina:McFarland and Company. O’Donoghue.P (2013).The Journal, Gone for Good; The Last Magdelen Laundry to be Converted into Houses and Sold. Available at: http://www.thejournal.ie/magdalene-laundry-sean-mcdermott-street-924328-May2013/ [Accessed 10 November 2013] Raftery.M.O,Sullivan,E.(1999) ‘Suffer the Little Children’, The Inside Story of Irelands Industrial Schools, New Island. Smith,J.M.(2007) Ireland’s Magdalen Laundries and the Nation’s Architecture of Containment, Manchester: Manchester University Press.