New report concludes Derry Good Shepherd laundry a 'catch-all solution' for state, clergy and some families of women workers as independent probe is promised

The research was undertaken by Dr. Leanne McCormick, Professor Sean O’Connell, Dr. Olivia Dee and Dr. John Privilege from Ulster University and Queen’s University.

Their report which examines individual and collective experiences of the institutions between 1922 and 1990 and highlights the need for further examination of a number of important issues, including adoption and infant mortality rates runs to over 500 pages.

In their conclusions on the St. Mary’s Laundry and Refuge in Derry that operated from 1922 until its closure in November 1982 the authors state: "Their existence represented a catchall solution to a wide range of issues identified by the state, members of the Catholic clergy and, in some cases, family members of the girls and women who spent time in the St Mary’s homes in Belfast, Derry and Newry.

"They were home to women on probation, teenage victims of incest, alcoholic women without family support, women fleeing violent husbands, young women being punished, or ‘morally reformed’ following the birth of an illegitimate child, and teenage girls on the run from paramilitary rough justice.

"The wide spectrum of girls and women accepted into the St Mary’s homes was in keeping with the Good Shepherd Sisters principle that no one deemed to be in need should be turned away by the Order.

"However, any institution would struggle to deal adequately with such an array of complex human issues, let alone one where individual identity was removed and a regimented culture and monotonous work regime were the order of the day. This was particularly true for the period before the mid-1960s when few of the longerstanding Sisters had social work qualifications."

The report notes that in evidence to the Historical Abuse Inquiry (HIA) the Good Shepherd Sisters explained that their policy was to offer mentorship and support for girls and women in the St. Mary’s homes.

The authors state that this would have been undermined by 're-naming new arrivals, imposing silence at meal times and punishing infringements of their rules in a cruel and demeaning fashion as judged by the HIA.'

The report concludes that there was evidence of a 'more benign' regime from the late 1960s when the Good Shepherd sisters stopped renaming women and girls when they entered the laundry, when women started receiving modest amounts of ‘pocket money’ and were allowed to avail of some limited educational opportunities.

However, the authors cite the harrowing testimonies of women who worked in the institutions.

"It is clear from the available oral testimony that, broadly speaking, two perspectives on life in the laundries emerge. The first, expressed by the majority, raise obvious concerns about unpaid labour and question why some women remained within the confines of the St Mary’s homes for many decades.

"Women who experienced life in the laundries, such as ID and SC, described the fear they felt about their fate; they wondered if they were set to remain in the St Mary’s home for decades like some of the elderly women they encountered around them.

"Others who gave testimony (HT and PT) and expressed their concerns about how their family members (a mother or an aunt) had, in their view, disappeared into the laundry several decades earlier.

"They also articulated frustrations about what they believe are limited explanations from the Good Shepherd Sisters about why this happened and about the personal histories of these relatives. All the oral testimonies, to varying degrees, offer regret that the laundry regimes existed in the form in which they did.

"This ranges from the Good Shepherd Sisters’ remorse that, in their view, there was no economic alternative to girls and women working unpaid in the laundries, through to much more fundamental criticism of what others deem to have been a fundamentally exploitative practice.

"The evidence presented in the chapters on the St Mary’s homes indicates that concerns about the financial and economic model (and its implication in terms of social justice) operated in the Good Shepherd laundries have been debated since at least the 1890s. However, there is no evidence that the state in Northern Ireland gave sustained consideration to these matters even though it benefitted from their existence; particularly during World War Two," the report states.

Following the publication of the report this afternoon the Executive has promised an independent investigation.

First Minister Arlene Foster said: “This is an important day for women and children who were resident in Mother and Baby Homes and Magdalene Laundries.

“The report documents the experiences of survivors and crucially allows their voices to be heard, when they have been silenced for far too long. I want to pay tribute to all those women, and their now adult children, who provided their personal testimony for this research.

“It is with deep regret that I acknowledge the pain of those experiences and the hurt caused to women and girls who did nothing more than be pregnant outside of marriage, some of them because they were victims of criminal acts. It was shameful how so many of these women were treated. The accounts of cold and uncaring treatment are truly harrowing; and the separation of mothers from their children a terrible legacy.

“Many unanswered questions remain and we want to work with victims and survivors to ensure they are supported in the right way. In moving forward, we must recognise the sensitivity of these issues and respect the rights and wishes of each individual. But today we give a commitment to survivors, that you will be silenced no more.”

Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill said: “The research report into Mother and Baby homes and Magdalene Laundries is a difficult read, but an important step towards addressing the harm caused to survivors and the pain they have endured. It gives a sad and troubling insight into the lived experiences of the thousands of women and girls, and their now adult children, who suffered in these institutions.

“The harsh treatment of these women was cruel, unjust and inhumane. As a mummy, my heart breaks for the women and girls who did no wrong, whose rights were ignored and whose children were so cruelly taken from their arms. For those children who never knew their mothers, who for too long have been kept in the dark. They were failed on every level and we cannot allow them to be failed any longer.

“While we can never make up for what they have been through, we must do all we can to ensure that survivors’ voices are heard, to support them and where possible, give them answers, information and recognition. This research report is just the first step. We now need to move swiftly on with a further independent investigation. We recognise how sensitive this issue is and how raw the pain still felt by all who suffered. We must move forward carefully and respectfully and ensure that at all times the voices of those survivors and their now adult children are at the centre of this process. They will shape how it progresses.”

Health Minister Robin Swann said: “I welcome the publication of the report and commend the research teams for their diligent work in carrying out the research. It not only gives us a sorrowful insight into the experiences of the women who were resident in these institutions, but increases our understanding of the devastating impact their treatment had on the rest of their lives.

“As a society, all of us should strive to protect and care for those who are vulnerable. That is not what happened to women and girls in Mother and Baby Homes and Magdalene Laundries. They were stigmatised and cast into institutions where they often endured harrowing, emotionally-damaging experiences; their voices were silenced and their wishes ignored.

“In light of the findings of the research and the gaps it highlights, the Executive has agreed to undertake a further independent investigation into these institutions in partnership with survivors. This will be a further step towards meeting survivors’ needs.

“To any survivor, woman or child, who is experiencing trauma or emotional distress, help is available and I would urge you to reach out and get support if you need it.”

The research report has been published and is available at: https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/publication-research-report-mbhml