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.
The Magdalene Laundries
Christy Moore Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Joni was an unmarried girl
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
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 "The Magdalene Laundries" tells a story about the so-called Magdalene Laundries, which were institutions run by Catholic nuns in Ireland from the 18th to the late 20th centuries. Many young women who were deemed "fallen women" or "sinners" by Irish society and the church were sent to these places, where they were forced to work in the laundries without pay for long hours, often in terrible conditions. The song describes Joni, one of these women, who was sent to a Magdalene Laundry when she turned 27 because she was judged to be too promiscuous.
The lyrics are full of powerful and moving imagery that illustrates the horrendous conditions these women faced. The song mentions how the women were branded as Jezebels, and it highlights the fact that many of the girls who were sent to the laundries were pregnant or had been abused by priests or family members. The verse, "Prostitutes and destitutes/ And temptresses like Joni--/ Fallen women--/ Sentenced into dreamless drudgery ..." captures the feeling of hopelessness that these women must have felt as they were trapped in the laundries, with no way out.
The chorus of the song questions why the church would call these places "Our Lady of Charity" when they were anything but charitable. The lyrics say how these women were like "bloodless brides of Jesus" who were denied a chance to live their lives fully or pursue their dreams. The final lines are an acknowledgement that many of these women died in the laundries and were buried in unmarked graves, forgotten and disregarded by the society that shunned them.
Line by Line Meaning
Joni was an unmarried girl
Joni was a young woman who was not yet married
Just turned twenty-seven
She had recently celebrated her 27th birthday
When they sent her to the sisters
She was taken to a group of women known as 'the sisters'
For the way men looked at her
Because men looked at her in a certain way
Branded as a jezebel
She was labeled as a promiscuous woman
She knew she was not bound for Heaven
She believed she was not going to go to Heaven after she died
She'd been cast in shame
She was made to feel shameful
Into the Magdalene laundries
She was taken to a place called the Magdalene laundries
Most girls went there pregnant
A lot of other young women there were pregnant
Some by their own fathers
Some of the young women were pregnant from sexual abuse by their own fathers
Bridget got her belly
Bridget was pregnant
from the parish priest
She got pregnant by the priest of their church
They’re trying to get things white as snow
The women were made to do laundry in order to clean things
All of those woe-begotten-daughters
All of the young women there who had experienced misfortune
In the steaming stains
They were doing laundry and left with hot, stained clothing
Of the Magdalene laundries
This was all taking place in the Magdalene laundries
Prostitutes and destitutes
Other women who were there had been prostitutes or had no money
And temptresses like Joni--
There were also women who had been labeled like Joni
Fallen women--
These women had been deemed to be immoral
Sentenced into dreamless drudgery ...
They were forced into labor that was monotonous and lacked meaning
Why do they call this heartless place
Why is this place referred to as heartless
Our Lady of Charity? Of charity!
This place was given the ironic name of 'Our Lady of Charity'
These bloodless brides of Jesus
These women had dedicated themselves to Jesus and religion
If they could just once glimpse their groom
If they could see Jesus
They'd drop their stones concealed behind their rosaries
They would stop pretending to be pious
They wilt the grass they walk upon
They cause the area around them to become lifeless
They leech the light out of a room
They drain the happiness out of a room
They'd like to wash those girls down the drains
These women would like to get rid of the young women like Joni
Of the Magdalene laundries
They want to get rid of the young women who are still in the Magdalene laundries
Peg O'Connell died today she was a cheeky girl
A young woman named Peg O'Connell has died, she was known to be flirty and had a fun personality
They just stuffed her in a hole!
Her body was carelessly disposed of
Surely to God you'd think at least some bells should ring!
It would be reasonable to expect that there should at least be some kind of ceremony or funeral
Joni thinks she’ll die there too and that they'll tramp her into the dirt
Joni believes she will likely die in the Magdalene laundries and no one will care for her remains
Like some lame bulb that never will bloom
She fears she will never fulfill her potential
When the springtime comes.
When things are supposed to be refreshed and renewed
Contributed by Anna F. 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 ❤️