Regina Coeli Hostel

hi anne and george… i am behind you
mother was also born into one of these homes and from what i hve heard about the conditions and treatment of the women she would ve been better on the street. thts not to say tht things hvnt changed over the yrs. thank god tht they hve. these poor women were given refuge to hve their babies then punished for wanting to keep them and to reside in these homes. i ve been trying to get records of my mother and grandmother from their time spent here but all to no avail. so if you hve any information on where i could get these i would be very gratefull…

44 years ago, my mother, 3 sisters, my brother and I, were taken to «The Chay-​li», as we had nowhere to live, having gone to Dublin from England, in search of my father, whom we had lost contact with. The nuns running the hostel at the time, were horrible, nasty, vindictive, physically abusive and cruel. As I was twelve, they at first refused to take me in, suggesting I book into «The Morning Star» hostel next door, on my own!!! A 12 year old, on his own in a foreign country!!! Eventually, social workers and my mother were able to change their minds, and we moved into the hostel. It was a very tough life living at the hostel, being English, we had trouble every day with the other residents, and me, being twelve, was chased daily by the nuns who, when they caught up with me, would beat me with a cane. Once, I was chased around the dining room by a nun, lashing out with a cane, because I didn’t like the sausages, they were Irish and I had not tasted peppery sausages before! I could go on, but won’t, as very soon I am taking my wife to Dublin to show her around, and the hostel is on our agenda. *PLEASE NOTE* My experience WAS 44 years ago and I am sure things will have improved.