Dimensions
152 x 233 x 19mm
In 1950 Kathleen O'Malley and her two sisters were legally abducted from their mother. The attempted rape of eight-year-old Kathleen by a neighbour triggered their removal. Kathleen's mother successfully prosecuted the man, but it was her daughters who received a much harsher sentence when they were committed to Mount Carmel Industrial School in Moate, County Westmeath. It was run by the Sisters of Mercy order of nuns, who also ran the Magdalene Homes. Kathleen and her sisters were subjected to hard labour, floggings, near starvation and humiliation until they were permitted to leave when they reached the age of sixteen.
A turning point in Kathleen O'Malley's life came when she applied to become a magistrate and realised that she had to confront her hidden personal history and make it public.
'Childhood Interrupted' is a deeply moving and inspiring story of a young girl's resilience.
