A powerful new play written by a Derry survivor of a mother and baby institution is at the centre of an innovative creative heritage project taking place this autumn, aiming to dispel the shame and address the trauma faced by young women in a brutal system that forced young unmarried mothers to give up their babies.
The project, which will also involve a series of workshops, oral history recordings and a digital exhibition, has received a major grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
'The Marian Hotel' is a moving drama based on the real-life experiences of the writer, Caitriona Cunningham, who gave birth to her daughter in the Marianvale home in Newry.
Produced by Derry-based theatre company Sole Purpose, the play opens in September, coinciding with the sitting of an expert panel that is currently taking evidence from survivors ahead of a full public inquiry.
The production will tour venues in Derry, Letterkenny, Strabane, Newry and Belfast.
Sole Purpose Artistic Director Patricia Byrne said: “The play is a searing portrayal of a dark time in Irish history. The inquiry in the North of Ireland has just got underway after a three year delay and this play is a call to all those impacted to come forward and raise their voices so that they may never again be silenced and shamed for being human.
“Victims suffer ongoing trauma related to abuse in the institutions, reflecting the legacy of a deep culture of shame about unmarried mothers in Irish society. As a direct testimony from a survivor, this play can connect in a unique way and may help to encourage those impacted to come forward to give their testimony to the Inquiry.”
The play is set in 1979 against the backdrop of the Troubles and follows 19-year-old Kitty from Derry who goes into the home after becoming pregnant. She meets other young women in a similar situation and they form a bond coping with the strict regime and rigid discipline of the institution. It is packed full of humour in adversity, as they cope with the Spartan conditions, poor food and hard work in the laundry. The girls sarcastically label the institution ‘The Marian Hotel’.
Caitriona said: "I hope that audiences will get a sense of how things were for unmarried pregnant women, how 'given up’ for adoption should have been termed 'taken for adoption’. These institutions are part of our recent history, the effects they have had on our society still reverberate today.”
“I was one of the lucky ones. When I came out of Marianvale I got my daughter back at three months old and went on with my life. But I was very ashamed of having been through the system. I didn’t talk about it until recently but I always thought about the other women, especially around my daughter’s birthday.”
“Many women and their children were never reunited, for some it is too late but I hope that this play will help to open up discussions and that ultimately there will be no more shame,” she added.
A series of heritage outreach and engagement activities running alongside the tour aims to encourage people to come forward and share their experiences. With support from WAVE Trauma Centre, the project will create a space to explore and understand the important stories of the birth mothers, adopted children and families affected.
Stella Byrne, Head of Investment for The National Lottery Heritage Fund in Northern Ireland said: “Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, we are supporting Sole Purpose with an award of £58,000 towards The Marian Hotel: Memories from Northern Ireland Mother and Baby Homes Project.
“Activities such as the reminiscence workshops, with support from the Wave Trauma Centre, present the opportunity to preserve memories, gather authentic narratives and ensure that these hidden histories are recorded and archived as part of our social history.”
The Arts Council of Northern Ireland Commissioning Programme supported the development of the play. Lizzie Devlin, Community Arts Development Officer, commented, “The Arts Council of Northern Ireland is delighted to support Sole Purpose. National Lottery funding is a game changer for their important work which demonstrates the power of the arts in shining a light on and creating discussion around important societal issues. Well done to all involved.”
The play will be premiered in Newry Town Hall on September 20, with other venues including An Grianán Theatre, Letterkenny; The Playhouse, Derry; The Alley Theatre, Strabane and the Lyric Theatre, Belfast.
On selected dates the tour will include Q&A sessions with Professor Phil Scraton from the School of Law, Queen's University Belfast, a member of the Independent Panel set up to investigate the institutions and co-author of its report, Truth, Acknowledgement and Accountability.
Professor Scraton said: 'What happened in Mother and Baby Institutions and Magdalene Laundries has had a profound impact on mothers and their children. The Marian Hotel takes their story to a wide audience, revealing the silencing, shame and hurt inflicted on the lives of survivors and their loved ones.'
Heritage outreach activities taking place this autumn include creative writing ‘Reminiscence Workshops’, an Oral History archive involving one-on-one interviews with survivors, The Sunflower Project Exhibition featuring artwork produced by women impacted by the institutions. The work will be collected and presented to the public in a Digital Exhibition called ’The Marian Hotel: Memories from Northern Ireland Mother and Baby Homes’, launching in 2025.
It has been funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Arts Council of Northern Ireland Commissioning Programme, Foyle Foundation, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council. The Sunflower Project is funded by The Ideas Fund (a grant programme funded by Wellcome, run by the British Science Foundation).
Tour Dates:- 20th / 21st Sept - Newry Town Hall; 26th Sept - An Grianán Theatre, Letterkenny; 3rd - 5th Oct - The Playhouse, Derry; 14th Nov - Alley Theatre Strabane; 21st - 23rd - The Lyric Theatre Belfast.
Wellbeing support available throughout for those affected by the issues in the play.
Q&As with Phil Scraton: Fri 20th Sept – Newry Town Hall; Sat 5th Oct – The Playhouse, Derry – Derry; Fri 22nd Nov – The Lyric Theatre.
For more information and how to book tickets for The Marian Hotel go to: www.solepurpose.org