The Magdalene Laundries of Ireland

In the 19th and 20th centuries, Magdalene laundries were institutions established by the Catholic Church to ‘take care’ of fallen women, prostitutes and orphaned girls. Over time, they became notorious for widespread torture of the inmates. It’s estimated that close to 30,000 women were forced to labor in these institutions. Many children (mostly infants) lost their lives here. One report discovered close to 9000 deaths in just 18 investigated institutions. While the last institution was shut in 1996, the Government of Ireland issued a formal apology in 2013.

Claire Keegan’s Booker-shortlisted novella “Small Things Like These”, is centered around this abhorrent practice. It is from the perspective of a working class coal worker – who himself was an orphan rescued by a benefactor – that the story unfolds. And Keegan makes it clear that most of these institutions thrived to a large extent due to the tacit acceptance by women, who saw these institutions as a necessity to maintain the existing moral codes.

This NYT profile of Keegan is a good introduction to her work.