Mari Steed \(Verizon\)
11-26-2003, 09:22 AM
**Please feel free to cross-post and distribute freely to other
adoption-related lists**
Recently, the Magdalene Memorial Committee, begun by Patricia McDonnell in
Ireland in 1993, re-formed to bring focus back on the plight of Ireland's
Magdalene women. The committee now comprises several Magdalene survivors,
AdoptionIreland committee members Angela Murphy, Claire McGettrick and
myself (all Magdalene children), and journalists Mary Raftery (RTE) and P J
Coogan (Cork FM/Examiner), who have devoted themselves to the cause
After a brief and bittersweet memorial ceremony in 1996 to commemorate
graves found at the Dublin High Park Convent (run by the Sisters of
Charity), the Magdalenes were quickly forgotten by the public and left out
of an institutions redress scheme in 2000.
It was recently uncovered that of the original graves found at High Park,
exhumation orders were found lacking and other illegalities occurred
relative to the remains. And just this week, it was learned that a
developer purchased gravesite property at the Sunday's Well Convent in Cork,
ostensibly to construct a car park.
The Magdalene Memorial Committee has been working in conjunction with
Miramax (who released Peter Mullan's excellent film 'The Magdalene Sisters'
to wide critical acclaim) and adoption/parent rights groups AdoptionIreland
and the Natural Parents Network of Ireland, to increase public awareness of
the enslavement of these women in Ireland, and the numerous human rights
violations perpetrated against them. Among other indignities, many of these
women were forced to surrender children to adoption, often to the US
(including myself).
We have launched an online e-Card campaign, in support of the Irish
Magdalene women. If you have a moment, go to
http://www.adoptionireland.com/magdalene/gag_mag_postcard.html, enter your
name and email addy, select your country and either submit with
pre-formatted comments or type your own comments. This e-Card will be
automatically sent to An Taoiseach (Prime Minister) of Ireland, Bertie
Ahern.
These women deserve recognition and apology -- even in death they are not
permitted dignity. As many can't speak for themselves, please be their
voice and let Ireland know that here in the US, we don't tolerate slavery.
For more information, feel free to visit the following websites:
www.adoptionireland.com
www.magdalenelaundries.com
www.netreach.net/~steed/magdalen.html
or join our Yahoo! groups mailing list at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Justice_for_Magdalenes/
Thanks for your support,
Mari Steed
adoption-related lists**
Recently, the Magdalene Memorial Committee, begun by Patricia McDonnell in
Ireland in 1993, re-formed to bring focus back on the plight of Ireland's
Magdalene women. The committee now comprises several Magdalene survivors,
AdoptionIreland committee members Angela Murphy, Claire McGettrick and
myself (all Magdalene children), and journalists Mary Raftery (RTE) and P J
Coogan (Cork FM/Examiner), who have devoted themselves to the cause
After a brief and bittersweet memorial ceremony in 1996 to commemorate
graves found at the Dublin High Park Convent (run by the Sisters of
Charity), the Magdalenes were quickly forgotten by the public and left out
of an institutions redress scheme in 2000.
It was recently uncovered that of the original graves found at High Park,
exhumation orders were found lacking and other illegalities occurred
relative to the remains. And just this week, it was learned that a
developer purchased gravesite property at the Sunday's Well Convent in Cork,
ostensibly to construct a car park.
The Magdalene Memorial Committee has been working in conjunction with
Miramax (who released Peter Mullan's excellent film 'The Magdalene Sisters'
to wide critical acclaim) and adoption/parent rights groups AdoptionIreland
and the Natural Parents Network of Ireland, to increase public awareness of
the enslavement of these women in Ireland, and the numerous human rights
violations perpetrated against them. Among other indignities, many of these
women were forced to surrender children to adoption, often to the US
(including myself).
We have launched an online e-Card campaign, in support of the Irish
Magdalene women. If you have a moment, go to
http://www.adoptionireland.com/magdalene/gag_mag_postcard.html, enter your
name and email addy, select your country and either submit with
pre-formatted comments or type your own comments. This e-Card will be
automatically sent to An Taoiseach (Prime Minister) of Ireland, Bertie
Ahern.
These women deserve recognition and apology -- even in death they are not
permitted dignity. As many can't speak for themselves, please be their
voice and let Ireland know that here in the US, we don't tolerate slavery.
For more information, feel free to visit the following websites:
www.adoptionireland.com
www.magdalenelaundries.com
www.netreach.net/~steed/magdalen.html
or join our Yahoo! groups mailing list at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Justice_for_Magdalenes/
Thanks for your support,
Mari Steed
