The convent where Philomena was sent was a “Magdalen Laundry,” one of many convents across Ireland where thousands of girls – pregnant out of wedlock or otherwise deemed morally wayward – were placed by the church or their families. At the laundries, the girls endured harsh, unpaid labor to make restitution for their sins. Steve Kroft reported on the Magdalen Laundries in 1999, only two years after the last one had closed and when the full story of the laundries was coming to light. "The women had been virtual prisoners," Steve reported. "Confined behind convent walls for perceived sins of the flesh, condemned to a life of servitude." Earlier this year, the Irish government released a report on the laundries. The report acknowledged, for the first time, that the state was directly involved in the laundries, having sent as many as one quarter of the women to these institutions -- most of them in their twenties, but at least one as young as age 9. "The chronicle … [Read more...] about “Philomena” and Ireland’s Magdalen Laundries
Ireland
Culture Is Shifting in Socially Conservative Ireland
Europe Culture Is Shifting in Socially Conservative Ireland Listen · 4:33 4:33 Toggle more options Download Embed Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/575168220/575168221" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player"> Transcript Facebook Twitter Flipboard Email Long considered among Europe's most socially conservative countries, Ireland is holding a referendum next year to legalize abortion. The vote follows another that legalized same-sex marriage. ARI SHAPIRO, HOST: Ireland used to be one of the most socially conservative nations in Europe. Lately that's been changing. In 2015, voters legalized same-sex marriage. During last year's election, the country voted in a gay, biracial prime minister. And this summer, the Catholic country will vote on whether to repeal one of the strictest abortion laws in the Western world. NPR's Frank Langfitt reports from Dublin; there … [Read more...] about Culture Is Shifting in Socially Conservative Ireland
Heaviest snow in decades batters Britain, Ireland
By Ceylan Yeginsu Published 1:41 pm, Thursday, March 1, 2018 Photo: ANDY BUCHANAN, AFP/Getty Images Image 1of/1 CaptionClose Image 1 of 1 A man sips coffee while holding a snowboard in Glasgow, Scotland. Europe has been locked in a Siberian weather pattern. A man sips coffee while holding a snowboard in Glasgow, Scotland. Europe has been locked in a Siberian weather pattern. Photo: ANDY BUCHANAN, AFP/Getty Images Heaviest snow in decades batters Britain, Ireland 1 / 1 Back to Gallery LONDON — Mediterranean beaches blanketed in white. Blizzards and “life threatening” conditions in normally snowless areas of Britain, where there is also a developing natural gas shortage. Motorists stranded overnight on a highway in Scotland. Since last Friday, Europe has been locked in a Siberian weather … [Read more...] about Heaviest snow in decades batters Britain, Ireland
St. Paul celebrates remake of John Ireland Blvd.
A new bicycle lane on John Ireland Blvd. that runs from Kellogg Blvd. to Summit Avenue is among the changes made this summer to improve safety for motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians. The new lane now extends bike lanes on Summit Avenue to Kellogg, something City Sustainable Transportation Engineer/Planner Reuben Collins said helps the city address "a gap in our bicycle network." Hundreds of bicyclists use the route each day to reach the Capitol area and downtown St. Paul, he said. In adding the new bike lane, one traffic lane was removed. John Ireland now is a single lane in each direction in the area instead of two each way. Counts indicated that there was not sufficient volume to retain two lanes in each direction, he said. Other improvements in the area include left turn bays at Kellogg Blvd., and Marshall and Dayton Avenues. This addition should help traffic flow especially during rush hour as motorists making left turns will now be out of the through lanes. Pedestrians also got … [Read more...] about St. Paul celebrates remake of John Ireland Blvd.
Rihanna making a scene over in Northern Ireland
She may be an international star, but Rihanna and her clothing had a farmer over in Northern Ireland hopping mad Tuesday, the New York Post reports. When Alan Graham saw what Rihanna was wearing to shoot a video in his cornfield Monday in Bangor, east of Belfast, he got mad, mad enough to drive his tractor over and give her a piece of his mind: "If someone wants to borrow my field and things become inappropriate, then I say, 'Enough is enough. You are not entitled to do that'." He added, "I requested that they stop filming and they did. I had a conversation with Rihanna and I hope she understands where I'm coming from. We shook hands." The Post reports the wardrobe choices in question were two bikinis -- one red, one American flag -- and unbuttoned jeans. And that was enough to grind traffic to a halt near the field. Rihanna apparently packed up for "filming at a secret location in Belfast," a location so secret that the Associated Press had moved at least 33 pictures Tuesday … [Read more...] about Rihanna making a scene over in Northern Ireland