Christy Moore started in the music business in the mid-sixties, when his life as a bank clerk was interrupted by a bank strike, and he moved to England. There he became involved in the folk music scene at the time, and spent a few years playing pubs and clubs around the country.
His return to Ireland was marked by the album 'Prosperous', which proved to be a milestone in the rapprochement of Irish music to the popular mainstream. This album benefited from a collaboration of the leading talents of contemporary folk music, musicians such as Andy Irvine, Donal Lunny and Liam O'Flynn, and this one-off was to lead to the formation of Planxty, a band who were soon to be at the leading edge of the revival of Irish traditional music.
Over the following years the musical status of Planxty became legendary both in Ireland, Britain and throughout Europe. However in 1974 the band split up to pursue solo projects. It was during this period that Christy continued to explore new ground as a solo artist recording a number of solo albums including 'The Iron Behind the Velvet' (TARACD2002) which featured Andy Irvine and 'Live in Dublin' (TARACD2005) with Donal Lunny.
The original Planxty lineup of Christy, Andy, Liam and Donal then reformed in 1979. They recorded two further albums with Tara Records 'After the Break' (TARACD3001) and 'The Woman I Loved So Well' (TARACD3005). There were several additions and changes to their lineup most notably the addition of Matt Molloy, flautist from The Bothy Band, who later joined The Chieftains, and Bill Whelan.
In 1981 Planxty performed a Bill Whelan arrangement called 'Timedance' as the intermission piece for the Eurovision song contest, held that year in Ireland. Later it was released as a single and is now included on Bill's CD of 'The Seville Suite' (TARACD3030) released by Tara in 1992.
In the eighties Christy again teamed up with Donal Lunny to form Moving Hearts, another ambitious and innovative Irish band which sought to mix jazz into the folk-rock fusion. Ever the wanderer, Christy was soon breaking out on his own again, and it was in the eighties that he began to establish himself as one of Ireland's leading solo artists with a string of acclaimed albums and high profile tours.
In the mid-nineties Christy decided to take a break from the music for a few years. In the year 2000 Christy return to live performances with a series of Dublin concerts. Over the last few years he has released a number of solo projects including a television series, a live album and a 6 CD boxset.
Magdalen Laundries
Christy Moore Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just turned twenty-seven
When they sent her to the sisters
For the way men looked at her
Branded as a jezebel
She knew she was not bound for Heaven
She'd been cast in shame
Into the Magdalene laundries
Most girls went there pregnant
Some by their own fathers
Bridget got her belly
from the parish priest
They're trying to get things white as snow
All of those woe-begotten-daughters
In the steaming stains
Of the Magdalene laundries
Prostitutes and destitutes
And temptresses like Joni--
Fallen women--
Sentenced into dreamless drudgery ...
Why do they call this heartless place
Our Lady of Charity? Of charity!
These bloodless brides of Jesus
If they could just once glimpse their groom
They'd drop their stones concealed behind their rosaries
They wilt the grass they walk upon
They leech the light out of a room
They'd like to wash those girls down the drains
Of the Magdalene laundries
Peg O'Connell died today she was a cheeky girl
They just stuffed her in a hole!
Surely to God you'd think at least some bells should ring!
Joni thinks she'll die there too and that they'll tramp her into the dirt
Like some lame bulb that never will bloom
When the springtime comes.
Christy Moore's song "Magdalen Laundries" is a powerful, heartbreaking commentary on the Magdalene Laundries, which were Catholic institutions in Ireland and other countries where women who were deemed "fallen" or "impure" were sent to work as indentured servants, often for their entire lives. The song is an emotional account of the experiences of some of these women, as well as a condemnation of the religious and societal systems that created and perpetuated the laundries.
The first verse of the song introduces the character of Joni, a young, unmarried woman who was sent to the Magdalene Laundries because of the way men looked at her. This sets up the idea that the Magdalene Laundries were not just places for women who had committed certain sins or crimes, but for those who were seen as impure or undesirable in any way according to societal norms. Joni is branded as a jezebel, further emphasizing the shame that was attached to women in these circumstances.
The second verse expands on the experiences of the women in the laundries, specifically in terms of their sexuality and how it was used against them. Many of the women went there pregnant, often as a result of abuse by their own fathers or other male figures in their lives. Bridget's pregnancy is specifically attributed to the parish priest. The lines "They're trying to get things white as snow / All those woe-begotten daughters / In the steaming stains / Of the Magdalene laundries" illustrate both the physical labor the women were expected to perform (washing laundry) and the impossible task of trying to cleanse themselves of the societal judgement and punishment they faced.
The chorus of the song questions the hypocrisy of calling such a place "Our Lady of Charity," and the final verse brings up the tragic fact that many of the women who went to the laundries never left. Peg O'Connell, a "cheeky girl," is dead and buried anonymously, and Joni fears she will suffer the same fate. The closing image of the "lame bulb" that will never bloom further underscores the crushing despair that these women must have felt.
Line by Line Meaning
Joni was an unmarried girl
Joni was a girl who was not married.
Just turned twenty-seven
Joni had turned twenty-seven years old.
When they sent her to the sisters
When she was sent to the nuns.
For the way men looked at her
For the way men looked at her.
Branded as a jezebel
Branded or labeled as a jezebel, which is a promiscuous woman or one who is considered immoral.
She knew she was not bound for Heaven
She knew she was not going to Heaven.
She'd been cast in shame
She had been cast into shame.
Into the Magdalene laundries
Into the Magdalene laundries.
Most girls went there pregnant
Most girls went there while pregnant.
Some by their own fathers
Some were pregnant by their own fathers.
Bridget got her belly
Bridget became pregnant.
from the parish priest
From the priest in their parish.
They're trying to get things white as snow
The nuns were trying to wash things white like snow.
All of those woe-begotten-daughters
All of those unfortunate daughters.
In the steaming stains
In the hot and steamy stains.
Of the Magdalene laundries
Of the Magdalene laundries.
Prostitutes and destitutes
Prostitutes and destitute women.
And temptresses like Joni--
And women who were considered temptresses like Joni--.
Fallen women--
Women who had fallen from grace.
Sentenced into dreamless drudgery ...
Sentenced to dull and unchanging tasks.
Why do they call this heartless place
Why is this place called a heartless place.
Our Lady of Charity? Of charity!
Our Lady of Charity? Of charity!
These bloodless brides of Jesus
These nuns who are considered to be the brides of Jesus.
If they could just once glimpse their groom
If they could see Jesus, whom they consider their groom.
They'd drop their stones concealed behind their rosaries
They would let go of the stones they are hiding inside their rosaries.
They wilt the grass they walk upon
They make the grass they walk upon wither.
They leech the light out of a room
They remove the light out of the room they are in.
They'd like to wash those girls down the drains
They would like to wash those girls away or dispose of them.
Of the Magdalene laundries
Of the Magdalene laundries.
Peg O'Connell died today she was a cheeky girl
Peg O'Connell died today, and she was a sassy girl.
They just stuffed her in a hole!
They just buried her in a grave.
Surely to God you'd think at least some bells should ring!
You would think at least some bells would ring, wouldn't you?
Joni thinks she'll die there too and that they'll tramp her into the dirt
Joni believes she will die there too and that they will bury her dirt.
Like some lame bulb that never will bloom
Like a bulb that never blooms.
When the springtime comes.
When spring comes.
Contributed by Levi T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@jellyicecream3324
For my mother,
Battered and bruised
Dazed and confused
Souls taken whole.
By the men on the pulpit and tales they would tell
Of eternal damnation in a place called hell,
They said that's where they fell
That's where they fell
Their transparent prophecy's, their lithographs on the wall
They thought they knew it all
As they dragged us to the future.
Abandoned by the state and left in their faith
Handcuffed to devils for sure
Their dreams would be heard no more.
And babies taken from their mothers arms and it could never be the same,
Now Christy sings across their hearts "I'm still haunted by your name".
Battered and bruised
Dazed and confused
Souls taken whole.
But they were, weren't they, someone tangible, someone real
But I keep waking to this injustice and it all seems surreal.
For I can hear them scream, a child without a voice
I can see them fall, a child without a choice.
@allrise3056
As a former Roman Catholic Priest, this song wrecks me.
@DrJohn-rl9zg
My friend, my advice: go give the nuns on a bus a hug. They need it, as do you.
@DrJohn-rl9zg
Btw , i would give you a thousand thumbs up if I weren't so lazy.
@madelineschultz4968
We should all be ashamed that this happened
@user-wj5co6xb4x
Sending you a hug
@tonymurray814
This is poetry. This is truth. This is real life!!
@Mitzij9568
Beautiful Christy. Thank you. It needed saying. Been there and got the t-shirt. Found my daughter after 51 years. ❤️
@shortallliam3142
Pauline, my God bless you; I'm crying tears of sadness and anger at my country for what you had to endure. I'm so so, so sorry that the warped, f**ked up religious zealots forced you to go through that. You are such a strong woman, enough said.
@inspired1114
So sorry you went through this hell on earth, as far from Christ as possible 😥 Just read Claire Keegan's book Small Things Like These, written to pay tribute to you and all the wronged. May we all have the courage to right any wrongs we see. May your justice and victory be your reclaimed peace and happiness 💕💕💕
@paulduddy4621
Some of the things that happened in the country would break your heart ❤️