45. He Is Mine and I Have No Other - Rebecca O'Conner

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CONTENT WARNINGS APPLY, see below!

In this episode, Aífe and Ciara review and discuss He is Mine and I Have No Other by Rebecca O'Conner, editor of The Moth literary magazine. Published in 2018 by Canongate, this book explores generational trauma, institutional abuse in 20th century Ireland, the agony of adolescence, and the sheer rainy-ness of county Cavan. 

Murky! dreary! Rain and damp all the time! Like trying to swim through bog water! 

Discussion points include: 

  • the mortifying ordeal of buying many many goats; 
  • The benefits of not existing in the 90s; 
  • avoiding pneumonia and also sexual shame; 
  • Ciara as the ghost of Young Adult literature past; 
  • How you can be sad even though you have a dog? 
  • our Podcast Wide Anti-Abuse Stance TM.


Content Warnings:  The Cavan Orphanage Fire of 1943; child abuse; child neglect; child death; institutional abuse and institutional neglect, specifically at the hands of state and church run institutions in 20thc Ireland; misogyny; murder; intimate partner violence; forcible separation of families; generational trauma; violent death. 

READINGS: 

The article about The Mortifying Ordeal of Being Known: https://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/06/15/i-know-what-you-think-of-me/

More about the Cavan Orphanage Fire: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cavan_Orphanage_fire

The most recent report into Mother and Baby Homes (2020): https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/d4b3d-final-report-of-the-commission-of-investigation-into-mother-and-baby-homes/

NUI Galway has done an oral histroy project about one of the Mother and Baby homes, this is a compershenive collection of stories from surviviours and historical documents from the Tuam Mother and Baby Home: http://www.nuigalway.ie/tuam-oral-history/
http://www.nuigalway.ie/tuam-oral-history/podcasts/

If you need support due to the topics raised in this episode or for any reason free call Samaritans Ireland on 116 123 or Text YMH to 50808 to avail of their Messaging Support Service. 

If you are outside Ireland support is always available and can be found by searching local mental health supports. 

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