A new online resource on Magdalene history has been launched for senior cycle students.
Researchers in the School of Humanities at Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) have developed 'Waterford Memories' for schools to help the next generation understand Ireland’s Magdalene heritage.
It was developed by Dr Jennifer O’Mahoney and Dr Kate McCarthy.
They developed a set of cultural and heritage-informed resources, focused on the social history, cultural and built heritage of Waterford’s former Magdalene Laundry and industrial school.
The 60-page pack includes best practice across multiple education structures: history, psychology, arts and digital humanities.
It also addresses important themes such as human rights and social change through a case study of Waterford’s Magdalene Laundry.
Dr O’Mahoney, who is currently involved in an EU project on institutional abuse, says: "Educational resources which focus on addressing real world societal challenges via combined historical and current affairs lenses are core to development of ethical and informed citizens of Ireland and Europe”.
“Engaging with the sites of Magdalene history has become increasingly pertinent as Irish citizens bear witness to the destruction of these physical memory sites across Ireland, as the sites are either demolished or repurposed for property development”.
Located at WIT, the Waterford Memories Project is an oral history driven project - which examines the narratives of those who lived and worked in the Magdalene Laundries and industrial schools in the south-east of Ireland.
Dr McCarthy, a lecturer in drama, adds that interviews and discussions with survivors highlighted “their desire to have their experiences recognised as part of the narrative of Irish history”.
The resource and activity pack responds to calls from survivors that school and university curricula should honour their experiences and include their histories.
Dr McCarthy explains: "Working directly with our students to explore the complexity of historical institutional abuse and how this is interlinked with broader universal themes such as prejudice, human rights, and societal responsibilities forms part of our educational ethos at the Waterford Memories Project and at WIT”.
It was developed in consultation with survivors, representatives from Justice for Magdalene Research (JFMR), educationalists, arts practitioners and WIT students.
The project has been funded by Creative Ireland Waterford, Waterford City and County Council, and WIT’s Research Connexions Fund.
