Inniu agus Inné

history, society, culture, documentary · EN

Shame. Stigma. Redemption. The walls of Ballinasloe Library in Co. Galway have heard it all. Once a Convent, then St Joseph’s Reformatory School- the first girls’ reformatory in Connacht- and later a state-funded industrial school ran by the Sisters of Mercy, it shaped the lives of hundreds of children until its closure in 1968. Today, the building echoes with the bustle of community, learning, and life; but the past hasn’t gone anywhere. This podcast opens the doors to a story that has been pushed to the margins. Through voices of survivors, locals, and library staff members, you’ll hear stories that span two centuries and how this building has been reclaimed from somewhere marked by shame to something hopeful. Librarian Abbie McGowan, examines the story of a building and the people associated with it.