I count among my close friends, people whose mothers were "Maggies". I have taken an interest in learning more about the history of the Laundries, and about the equally harsh Mother & Baby Homes, which operated here in our City, and elsewhere. They were not nice places. It will be argued, and with some truth, that for some young women, it was the Home, or the streets; however, for countless others, there was an alternative, but their way was blocked — often by parents who had the means to provide, but not the will. The Church ruled with an iron fist, and a society dominated and dictated to by the habit and the collar, condemned innocent young women to be incarcerated, many for just a few weeks, it's true, but far more, for years on end. "Sex in A Cold Climate", produced by Steve Humphries, was one of the first, if not the very first, major television expose, of what went on behind those high walls. It was also shown at the Film Festival, in a special screening at the Triskel on Sunday afternoon. A powerful piece of work, it was followed by a panel and audience discussion. I was in the audience, and I can tell you that the hurt, and the anger, and the bitterness in that small cinema, if it is ever properly harnessed, will bring the Catholic Church, and the State which supported it financially, to their knees.

I can clearly see how Peter Mullan, who already had a reputation for thought provoking work, earlier in his career, would have been inspired. As I watched the Film, and earlier, the Documentary, and listened to the debate, I, as an Irishman, felt angry and ashamed. Angry that these terrible places of detention and slave labour were allowed to go unchecked in my Country until only a few years ago. Angrier still that a whole generation of young women, who had committed no crime, were incarcerated in these places by a cruel society, a society which also stole from them, not just their freedom and their dignity, but far too often, their flesh and blood; their beautiful, innocent babies; wanted and loved by their mothers, but signed away under duress, and given to strangers.

Ashamed also, that the Country in which this was happening, at the same time, called itself Christian. A thought struck me at the weekend. If a state in some far-flung continent were meting out this cruelty to its citizens, there would be protest marches and calls for "something to be done". Well, my friend, it happened here. It happened just a few miles, if even that, from where you are sitting now, reading this page. I don't know about you, but even thinking about it, makes my skin crawl. Oh, and while I'm at it, it might interest you to know that RTÉ has refused to show "Sex in A Cold Climate". Twice. With "Magdalene Sisters" in the cinema, I challenge them to show it now.

PJ Coogan, Inside Cork

Magdalene sisters opens nationwide 26th October 2002.