16/09/2026
Thank you to my beautiful soul sister 🌹 for inviting me along to this deeply moving memorial for the women of the Galway Magdalene Laundry, organised by the Flowers for Magdalenes committee.
I’m sorry that I don’t have the names of the wonderful women who worked so hard to bring this beautiful remembrance together, but I want to acknowledge the love, care and courage that went into creating such a meaningful day.
To stand there & witness the Mayor of Galway and the President of Ireland, Catherine Connolly, as the names of the women who died in these institutions were spoken aloud, was incredibly powerful.
I don’t know much about Catherine Connolly or her politics, but I do know that she is heart led. A woman of Ireland, she spoke from the heart. There was no written speech, no distance between her words and her emotion. She spoke with humanity, and I felt every word.
It was a day filled with emotion, an unbearable sorrow filled my body. There were tears,beautiful songs, silence, remembrance and, most importantly, the women were named. They were acknowledged. They were remembered.
For so many years, their stories were hidden in silence. Today, their names were spoken into the open air.
To remember those who were forgotten.
To honour those whose voices were taken from them.
To hold space for the mothers, the babies, the daughters and all those whose lives were forever changed by these institutions.
I left with a very full heart, carrying both grief and gratitude.
May their names continue to be spoken.
May their stories continue to be heard.
May we never forget. 🌹🕊️🙏❤️💐
