On Sunday 23^rd November, Justice for Magdalenes Research (JFMR) became aware that recent screenings of the Testimony documentary in the UK and Ireland are missing an onscreen caption providing essential context regarding a letter, relayed via voice-over, that includes a firsthand account from a Nun who witnessed severe physical abuse at a Magdalene institution. This letter was sent to a Bishop of the relevant diocese.

The missing caption, which appeared during the film’s world premiere at the Dublin International Film Festival on 28th February 2025, explains that:

1. the letter had been found by Professor Jim Smith in the archive of the Galway Diocese,
2. the McAleese Committee was informed about its existence, and
3. Jim was later instructed by solicitors acting for the Diocese to destroy all material in his possession on grounds of data protection concerns.

The letter’s explanation via onscreen caption is central to JFMR’s criticisms (i) of the McAleese Committee’s process and Report, and (ii) of the State’s continuing insistence based on that Report that there is ‘no factual evidence to support allegations of systematic torture or ill-treatment of a criminal nature in these institutions’.

The State’s denial of Magdalene abuses is an on-going issue for survivors. Both the letter and its suppression by Church and State offer crucial corroboration of the women’s testimonies regarding the nature of their experiences in Magdalene Laundries and the secrecy that pervades the Church/State establishment’s response.

Since its foundation in 2003, the work of Justice for Magdalenes (JFM, now JFMR) has been guided by two central principles that define our core ethos: first, all our efforts prioritise the interests of survivors and affected people, and second, we uphold the principle of ‘do no harm’. In line with that ethos, we are compelled to address this significant omission from the version of Testimony that has screened since 21st November.

JFMR understands that the Testimony team is currently working to resolve this matter.

Notes:

• A screenshot of the caption as it should appear in the documentary, and as it appeared at the world premiere of Testimony screened at the Dublin International Film Festival on 28th February 2025, is provided below.

• A full account of JFMR’s campaign, our criticisms of the State’s response to Magdalene abuses, and the myriad unresolved justice issues can be found in our book, Ireland and the Magdalene Laundries: A Campaign for Justice, as well as our other publications, available here: https://jfmresearch.com/book-table/.