Echoes from the Past
Echoes from the Past helps listeners to imagine what it was like to be a child in one of Ireland’s Industrial Schools.
Listen to the experiences of former residents of Goldenbridge institution for girls as they describe their loneliness and the cruelty of the regime they endured.
The audio can be experienced in two ways: It is designed as a mobile walking tour app of Goldenbridge area in west Dublin (free to download from the Google Play Store and the iTunes Store). The tour is location-triggered, so the audio will automatically play as you reach each location in Goldenbridge. The tour begins at Drimnagh Luas stop.
Alternatively if you don't have access to Goldenbridge, you can click on the location points on the map below. This creates a YouTube popup that plays audio memories of Goldenbridge.
Background
Goldenbridge was the common name of St Vincent’s Industrial School (1880-1983), a residential complex for girls and young boys, belonging to the Sisters of Mercy order of nuns. This audio guide to Goldenbridge contains fifteen tracks, which give users historical background and insight into the experiences of residents.
How we created the audio experience
The audio was recorded using a team of five professional actors who gave voice to the testimonies. There is one male voice who narrates the tracks, and four female voices that represent the many female survivors who gave their statements to the Commission.
The script was compiled by Maeve Casserly, and was taken verbatim from the Ryan Report. Composer and sound designer Tom Lane recorded the audio and created the sound and music for the app. Programming was undertaken by Cork-based app developer Mick O’Brien. The voice recording artists on the audio are Mark FitzGerald, Karen Ardiff, Hilda Fay, Úna Kavanagh and Deirdre Molloy.
If you have been affected in any way by the subject matter of this project you can contact Connect counselling directly by clicking here or contact One in Four by clicking here.