The Monto's ruthless madams: 'If your face was cut, nobody would want you at the price you were looking for'

Between the 1860s and 1925, Monto served as Dublin's notorious red-light district, situated between O'Connell Street and Connolly station. This area became home to thousands of women, many of whom became influential madams. While these women offered essential income opportunities, their roles also led to significant trauma for other women. The madams' legacies reveal a complex interplay of empowerment, exploitation, and survival in a tumultuous socio-economic landscape, highlighting the dual nature of their contributions to Dublin's history and the broader sex trade.

Between the 1860s and 1925, Dublin's north inner city was home to Monto, a notorious red-light district where numerous women became madams, profiting from their control over the sex trade.

The legacy of Monto's madams is multifaceted; they provided opportunities for some women to escape poverty while simultaneously subjecting others to trauma and exploitation.

Read at Independent