The Magdalenes and I
By Steven O'Riordan
On a calm, clear Tuesday night in February 2013, a long line of Irish women in their 60s, 70s and 80s stood side by side on the plinth outside Government buildings in Ireland. These women were survivors of the notorious Magdalene Laundries. On behalf of the State and its people, the leader of their country had apologised for all they had endured.
In the midst of that group of women stood a young man in his 20s named Steven O’Riordan. Steven isn’t the son of a Magdalene survivor. He isn’t a human rights activist. He is the ‘accidental’ campaigner who fought to have these women and their stories recognised.
The Magdalenes and I is the extraordinary story of how one young man met with and campaigned for 100s of Magdalene survivors. It reveals in shocking detail the trauma the women suffered with exclusive never heard before interviews given by survivors and their family members. It pieces together the highs and lows of what it was like for Steven and the women he met to expose the truth, fight for justice and triumph against all the odds.
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Latest episode
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Small Things Like These - Eileen Walsh Interview (Bonus Episode)
To mark the release of Cillian Murphy's new film Small Things Like These, Steven sat down with actress Eileen Walsh to discuss her role in the movie and the working relationship she has with Cillian. Eileen's career spans over 30 years, with her b… -
There's More To Come
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. -
The State Apology
On Tuesday, 19 February 2013, the Irish Government offered an unreserved apology to survivors of Ireland's Magdalene Laundries. Steven and the women he worked with led the charge to secure such an outcome. However, will Steven get the Stanhope Street… -
Meeting The President
On 3rd July 2013, Steven and the Magdalene women were invited to Áras an Uachtaráin to meet with the President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins; here, he acknowledged the work Steven and the women had done in securing a state apology. The President asks… -
The McAleese Report
On February 5, 2013, Senator Martin McAleese published his findings on State Interaction in Ireland's Magdalene Laundries. As Steven and the women prepare for the report's publication, the political reaction leaves the Magdalene survivors reeling. St… -
Magdalene Survivors Together
In Steven's pursuit of justice for the women in Ireland's Magdalene Laundries, he sets up the Magdalene Survivors Together group. A support network that brings the women closer and allows them to build friendships with each other. This group becomes … -
The State Investigates
As the Irish State agrees to investigate its role in the Magdalene Laundries, Steven prepares to meet the chairperson of that group, Martin McAleese, to outline his evidence of State interaction and submit the stories he gathered of the women to t… -
Marina’s Story
Wednesday 20th July 2011 The Forgotten Maggies airs on TG4 to a record breaking audience. The outpouring of support brings the women’s story to new heights. In the lead up to the broadcast Steven and Marina Gamdold appear on RTE’s Radio 1 Today wi… -
Mary Smith And The Charity Single
As Steven campaigns for a State applogy for survivors of Ireland’s Magdalene Laundries, the Irish broadcasting station TG4 agrees to air Steven’s documentary on Irish TV for the first time. Mary Smyth is now ready to tell her story! Soon after S… -
Grabbing the Headlines
The success of the Galway Film Festival draws enormous media attention to Steven and the Magdalene women. Other survivors start to come forward to tell their stories, marking a positive turning point in Steven's campaign to help give these women a vo…
