Stolen (1hr47, 2023, Dir. Margo Harkin) tells the story of the Mother and Baby and County Care Homes in Ireland. ♀️❤️🔱
This special screening has been organised as a commemorative event by Renewing Roots, with funding from the Government of Ireland’s Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth Commemorative Grant Scheme.
Stolen
Stolen reveals how women who had the misfortune to fall pregnant ‘out of wedlock’ were treated in an Ireland that was heavily influenced by the Catholic Church. Over 80,000 unmarried mothers were incarcerated in mother and baby institutions, mainly run by Catholic nuns from 1922 to 1998. Most were cruelly separated from their babies after birth. Many of the children were adopted, within Ireland and abroad, rendered untraceable and unaware of their birth story. Others were fostered out by the state as cheap farm labour from the age of six, often in circumstances abysmally devoid of care and love. 9,000 infants died in these institutions from 1922 to 1998, a rate that, on occasion, was five times the national average infant mortality rate. Survivors expose the shocking details of their treatment in a scandal that sparked a government inquiry into the fate of unmarried women who fell pregnant in 20th century Ireland.
“In this moving, wholly authoritative work Margo Harkin has produced a definitive account of this shameful history”, Sunniva O’Flynn.
Stolen received a nomination, from the Irish Film and Television Academy (IFTA), for the 2024 George Morrison Feature Documentary Award. Recently, The Irish Times voted Margo’s films Hush-A-Bye Baby and Waveriders within Top 50 Irish Films Ever list.
What to expect
Visitors will be greeted by Fréa and Festival team members, before a screening of the film. Afterwards, there will be an interview with the film’s director — Margo Harkin — before a short Q&A with panellist Patricia Carey and the audience.
Renewing Roots
Part of Fréa, a partnership of Irish charities, Renewing Roots offers free, confidential support for former residents of Ireland’s institutions now living in the north of England. This event is organised by the Renewing Roots programme, in partnership with Liverpool Irish Festival. This screening is a commemorative event to honour former residents of Ireland’s Mother and Baby and County Care Homes, who have passed, and to celebrate and honour the strength of those still with us.
For more information visit: frea.org.uk Registered Charity: 1197939
Support Services
If you — or someone you know — is affected by our event or literature, please consider consulting one of the following services:
- Connect Counselling: An anonymous professional telephone counselling service for survivors of physical, emotional and sexual abuse. Freephone in the UK and Northern Ireland +44 (0) 800 477 477 77 connectcounselling.ie
- ICAP: ICAP is the only specialist British-based counselling and psychotherapy service that actively supports people from the Irish community. They help those facing a range of emotional issues, including depression, anxiety and stress. Helpline: +44 (0) 207 272 7906 icap.org.uk
- Irish Community Care and Fréa: Assisting with gaining access to the Irish Government’s payment scheme for mothers and children who were resident in specific institutions, they also offer some advice in accessing records and other aspects of the redress scheme. There is more information here: frea.org.uk/motherandbabyhomes
- Justice for Magdalenes Research: A resource for people affected by and interested in Ireland’s Magdelene Institutions, is accessible here: jfmreasearch.com
- Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation: To access the Irish Government’s report and additional information, visit gov.ie/en/collection/mbhcoi
- My Data Rights: A resource for people affected by the ‘historical’ human rights violations in Ireland. My Data Rights provides information for survivors of the Irish industrial and reformatory schools. They provide information about using GDPR protocols to gain access to personal information. The website contains downloadable guides and template letters for requesting personal data and for complaining to the Data Protection Commission if necessary. This is a project of the Human Rights Law Clinic at the Irish Centre for Human Rights, NUI Galway mydatarights.ie
- Samaritans, The: The Samaritans offer a non-judgmental listening service, whatever you are going through. Call free, 24-7 in the UK, on 116 123 samaritans.org
- Sexual Violence Support (Northwest): A service to help locate the relevant support services for those who have suffered sexual violence across the Northwest: sexualviolencesupport.co.uk
- Survivors Trust, The: The Survivors Trust has 120 member organisations based in the UK and Ireland which provide specialist support for women, men & children who have survived rape, sexual violence or childhood sexual abuse
- Tuam Home Survivors Network: Survivors helping survivors tuamhomesurvivors.com.
This information was tested and accessible on 4 Sept 2023. It is not an exhaustive list of services available. You are not alone. Make contact. You will be heard.
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