"You have shown Irish citizens the value of working together, of harnessing the strength that lies behind a collective will to change things for the better. Your actions have demonstrated the transformative potential of challenging and changing long held attitudes and mind sets. Your courage shows that there are no inevitabilities in life that cannot be transformed by the justness of a cause and the strength of a conviction. I am pleased that the justice of your cause has led to the public acknowledgment of the enormous wrong that you suffered at the hands of this State."

President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins, 3 July 2013

MAGDALENE SURVIVORS TOGETHER

​Magdalene Survivors Together was formed in July 2009 by Steven O’ Riordan upon the highly successful release of his debut feature-length documentary “The Forgotten Maggies”.  During this time the Magdalene Survivors Together group were invited to meet with officials at the Department of Justice in Ireland. 

It was the first time officials from any Government Department invited Magdalene survivors to meet with them at a senior level. Here, the women outlined their stories in detail, giving evidence of state interaction with the Religious run institutions. They called on the state to issue a formal apology and provide compensation to the survivors of Ireland’s Magdalene Laundries. 

Between November 2009 and July 2011 the Magdalene Survivors Together group held further talks and discussions with Ministers in the Department of Health, Education and Environment. They continued to raise the plight of women’s stories and gained national and international attention.

Following these discussions, the group participated in presenting their stories and evidence of state involvement to a cross-party ad hoc committee co-ordinated by TDs and Senators, Tom Kitt, Michael Kennedy and Kathleen Lynch.

Throughout this period the Magdalene Survivors Together group grew in numbers, and as a result of their ongoing campaign, the momentum for a state apology also increased. They held marches across Ireland; they continued to write to political parties, NGO’s asking for their support. They also released a charity single “From a Distance” written by Grammy Award Winner Julie Gold, reworked by Irish music producer, John Reynolds. 

Artists such as Sinead O’ Connor, Daniel O’ Donnell, Moya Brennan, Brian Kennedy, Ann Scott, Charlie Landsborough, The Glasgow Gospel Choir, Lumiere and Patrick Sheehy all joined forces to support the women and their campaign.

By January 2010 the Magdalene Survivors Together group started working with one of Ireland's leading solicitor firms Frank Buttimer Solicitors. During this time they began gathering more survivor testimonies and continue to submit evidence of state involvement in Ireland’s Magdalene laundries.

In November 2010 the Irish Human Rights Commission published a 27-page report of the Human Rights Issues Arising about the ‘Magdalen Laundries’ in Ireland. 

​The Magdalene Survivors Together group started campaigning local councillors in Dublin to look at establishing a national monument/memorial to survivors of Ireland’s Magdalene laundries. They requested that the last remaining state-owned Magdalene laundry be preserved and developed as a museum to record and recount the legacy and stories of the women’s experiences.  

In April 2011, the United Nations Committee Against Torture (UNCAT) made several recommendations on the Magdalene Laundries issue. They called on the Irish Government to provide an independent, and thorough investigation into the allegations made by the survivors. They called on the state to ensure that survivors secure redress. 

By June 2011 the Irish government announced the establishment of an Inter-Departmental Committee on the Magdalene Laundries. Senator Martin McAleese Chaired.

That same month the Magdalene Survivors Together group met with Ministers Alan Shatter and Kathleen Lynch TDs. At this meeting, they presented both Ministers with first-hand accounts from survivors and evidence of state involvement with the Magdalene laundries.

The Magdalene Survivors Together group again called on the Minister and the Irish Government to apologies to survivors of Ireland’s Magdalene laundries.

By December 2011 the Magdalene Survivors Together group met with Senator McAleese to discuss the women’s stories and experiences of life in Magdalene laundries throughout Ireland. In total 25 stories were submitted for consideration. The group also presented evidence they had gathered showing state aid to these institutions.  

In July 2012, Special Rapporteur on Child Protection, Geoffrey Shannon published his Fifth Report, in which he called for ‘acknowledgement, redress and accountability‘ for survivors and characterised their treatment as ‘slavery‘.

In December 2012, The Magdalene Survivor Together group met with Senator McAleese for a second time to discuss further details on their submission and new evidence. Here the group called on an expansion of his remit to include two other institutions St Mary’s, Stanhope Street, Dublin and St Mary’s Summerhill, Co. Wexford.

On the 5 February 2013, the McAleese Report was published. It confirmed extensive State involvement with the Magdalene Laundries. In the Dáil on the same day, the Taoiseach refused to apologise to survivors. The Magdalene Survivors Together group held a major press conference where media from all over the world attended. The survivors called on the Taoiseach to formally apologise to all survivors without further delay.
 
On the 7 of February 2013, the Magdalene Survivors Together group made a formal request to meet with the Taoiseach and allow Magdalene survivors to explain why an apology should be forthcoming.
 
On the 11 of February 2013, members of the Magdalene Survivors Together group had a 3-hour meeting with both the Taoiseach, Enda Kenny and Tanaiste, Eamonn Gilmore at Government buildings. As a result the Taoiseach promised survivors that he would support the women’s call and issue a state apology without delay. The group also called on his office to include St Mary’s, Stanhope Street, Dublin and St Mary’s Summerhill in Wexford.
 
By Friday of the same week, the Magdalene Survivors Together group were invited to appear on Ireland’s longest running chat show, The Late Late Show. Here they outlined the details of their meeting with the Taoiseach and Tanaiste. 
 
On the 19 February 2013, Enda Kenny as promised issued an official State apology to the Magdalene women. He also included St Mary’s, Stanhope Street, Dublin in the apology.  
In the same statement, the Taoiseach also announced that he had asked Mr Justice John Quirke to make recommendations to government on a scheme for Magdalene Laundry survivors.
Between February and May 2013, the Magdalene Survivors Together group met with Judge Quirke three times. They presented survivor testimonies and called on him to ensure that survivors received health care assistance, compensation, legal security, pension rights and a dedicated unit for survivors to use.

​They also insisted on having a national memorial and museum built on the last Magdalene laundry site at Sean Mc Dermott Street, Dublin. They requested to meet with other survivors and have a day of celebration for them, their families and those who advocated for them. All these requests were provided for.
 
In June 2013 Steven met with senior members of the Department of Justice to look at including St Mary’s, Summerhill, Wexford into the redress scheme. After gathering and submitting survivor testimonies, this was granted.
 
By July 2013 the Magdalene Survivors Together group were invited to meet with the President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins at his residence in Aras Un Uachtran. Here they were formally acknowledged by him for the work they had done in helping to secure a state apology for survivors of Ireland’s Magdalene laundries.
 
To date, the Magdalene Survivor Together group has assisted 165 women.  
 

Members of the Magdalene Survivors Together group entering Dail Eireann, (Ireland's National Parliament) to hear An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny deliver the official state apology to survivors of Ireland's Magdalene Laundries.  

Magdalene Survivor Mary Smith speaking to the media after the historic state apology in 2013. 

Magdalene survivors emerging from Dail Éireann to world's media after hearing oficial state apology from An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny. 

State apology to survivors of Ireland's Magdalene Laundries.