RTÉ to air award-winning documentary TESTIMONY

Film follows the courageous fight for justice by survivors of Ireland’s Magdalene Laundries & Mother and Baby Homes  

TESTIMONY airs Wednesday 22 July at 9.35pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player

TESTIMONY is a powerful feature-length documentary that tells a story of an extraordinary group of women, supported by the activist organisation Justice for Magdalenes (JFM), whose battle to hold the Irish government accountable for the abuses of the Magdalene Laundries, Mother and Baby Home institutions and forced family separation, takes them all the way to the United Nations.

The multi-award-winning documentary, airing on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player on Wednesday 22 July at 9.35pm, includes incredible moving testimony from survivors of both the Ireland’s Magdalene Laundries and Mother and Baby Homes, from those who were young women when they were sent to these institutions to those who were born there.

Central to the narrative is Justice For Magdalenes tireless campaign for justice. Their efforts gain momentum following exhumations at High Park, where mass graves revealed the indignities suffered by Magdalene women even in death. The fight reaches its pinnacle when survivors, with JFM’s support, deliver their testimony to the UN Committee Against Torture. Their accounts of forced labour, incarceration, and abuse compels the UN to demand comprehensive investigations and reparations.

Amidst this struggle, TESTIMONY finds hope and resilience. The “Dublin Honours Magdalenes” event provides survivors with long-overdue recognition, offering a moment of healing as they share their stories and reclaim their narratives.

Producer Rachel Lysaght from Underground Films said: “Through unflinching honesty, TESTIMONY raises urgent questions about justice and accountability. It demands access to records, transparency, and the right for survivors to pursue legal action against church and state institutions. Ultimately, the film is a tribute to their resilience, a rallying cry for justice, and a stark reminder of the cost of silence. Above all, TESTIMONY is a call to action, urging society to reckon with its complicity and ensure such abuses are never repeated.”

TESTIMONY is directed by Aoife Kelleher and produced by Underground Films in co-production with Rocliffe Productions. The film was made with the support of RTÉ, Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland, ARTE G.E.I.E, Coimisiún na Meán and the UK Global Screen Fund.

Watch TESTIMONY on Wednesday 22 July at 9.35pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player. 

ENDS 

Sarah Neville, RTÉ Communications