Voices that won’t be silenced: In conversation with Dr. Maeve O’Rourke and Dr. Mary Harney of the CLANN Project
The Human Rights PodcastShow Notes
This episode offers an unflinching and deeply insightful exploration of one of Ireland’s darkest chapters—its 20th-century system of “Mother and Baby Homes” and related institutions, and the wider regime of enforced family separation. Joining us are Dr. Maeve O’Rourke and Dr. Mary Harney of the CLANN Project, a renowned survivor-led initiative that continues in its tenacity to challenge the Irish Government’s ongoing failure to uphold the human rights of those affected.
Listeners will hear how, despite overwhelming evidence of gross human rights violations, the Irish State continues to deny survivors’ rights to truth, justice, access to information, and meaningful reparation. A decade after the establishment of the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation (MBHCOI) in 2015—and years after the State’s official apology in 2021—the government’s response remains gravely inadequate and in clear violation of international human rights law.
The CLANN Project has played a central role in documenting evidence of gross human rights violations and exposing the deeply flawed processes that led to the Commission’s wrongful conclusions that effectively contradicted its own evidence and the reports that came from survivor testimony.
We also discuss the Government’s Mother and Baby Institution Payment Scheme (MBIPS), a redress payment scheme that finally opened in 2024, and yet excludes tens of thousands of survivors through arbitrary and unjust eligibility rules. The CLANN campaign continues to advocate for the scheme to be expanded in line with human rights law. (More information at llmclann.com.)
Beyond redress, our conversation explores CLANN’s broader work—supported by the Human Rights Law Clinic at the Irish Centre for Human Rights, University of Galway—including campaigns for legislative reform, access to identity and birth information, record-keeping in compliance with EU law, memorialisation, and public education ensuring that these injustices are never forgotten. We consider how movement lawyering, survivor-led advocacy, and international legal mechanisms have been mobilised to challenge ongoing State violations.
https://openheartcitydublin.ie/seanmcdermottstreet/
https://www.universityofgalway.ie/irish-centre-human-rights/humanrightslawclinic/
The podcast was produced by Lisa Murray and Kirsten Larson. Intro Music: 'Smarties Intro -FMA Podcast Suggestions' by Birds for Scale (Attribution - ShareAlike 4.0 international License). Outro Music 'Smarties Outro -FMA Podcast Suggestions' by Birds for Scale (Attribution - ShareAlike 4.0 international License).
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