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Video: Irish child abuse victim tells shocking rape story on live television
Thursday, 28 May 2009
A former mayor has said the Irish government did not have "the foggiest" understanding of the pain felt by the victims of child abuse.
Michael O’Brien, 72, from Clonmel in Co Tipperary, said during RTÉ’s Questions and Answers that Ireland's constitution should be changed to freeze the funds of the religious orders.
Mr O'Brien was separated from his seven brothers, sisters and cousins when they were placed in separate church-run residences in the 1940s. He suffered repeated rapes and beatings from age 8 onward in an industrial school run by the Rosminian order in the town of Clonmel.
Mr O'Brien denounced government minister Noel Dempsey, detailing the perversions and terror he endured as a boy and demanding a constitutional crackdown on church wealth.
"Don't say you can't change it! You are the government of this state. You run this state. So, for God's sake, stop mealy-mouthing because I am sick of it!" he shouted.
Mr O’Brien served as a councillor for the party in Tipperary and was elected mayor of Clonmel in 1993.
Transcript
“Mr Chairman, I am surprised at the Minister now. First of all Minister you made a bags of it in the beginning by changing the judges. You made a complete bags of it at that time because I went to the Laffoy Commission and ye had seven barristers there questioning me, telling me that I was telling lies when I told them that I got raped of a Saturday, got an merciful beating after it and he then came along the following morning and put Holy Communion in my mouth.
"You don’t know what happened there. You haven’t the foggiest. You’re talking through your hat there, and you are talking to a Fianna Fáil man, and a former councillor and a former mayor that worked tooth and nail for the party that you are talking about now. You didn’t do it right. You got it wrong. Admit it and apologise for doing that because you don’t know what I feel inside me. You don’t know the hurt I have.
"You said it was non-adversarial. My God, seven barristers throwing questions at us non-stop. I attempted to commit suicide, [turning to his wife] there’s the woman who saved me from committing suicide on my way down from Dublin after spending five days at the commission.
"They brought a man over from Rome – 90 odd years of age – to tell me I was telling lies and that I wasn’t beaten for an hour non-stop by two of them from head to toe without a shred of cloth on my body. My God, Minister.
[To Fine Gael TD Leo Varadkar]
"Can I speak to you and ask your leader to stop making a political football out of this. You hurt us when you do that. You tear the shreds from inside our body. For God’s sake, try and give us some peace, try and give us some peace, and not continue hurting us.
[To his wife]
"That woman will tell you how many times I jump out of bed at night with the sweat pumping out of me because I see these fellows at the end of the bed with their fingers pulling me into the room to rape me, to bugger me and to beat the shite out of me.
"That’s the way it is, and sometime, you know what, I listen to the leader of Fianna Fáil. I even listened to the apology. It was mealy-mouthed but at least it was an apology. The Rosminians said in the report that they were easy on us. The first day I went there, the first day I went to the Rosminians in my home which is Ferryhouse in Clonmel, the only home I know, he said you’re in it for the money. We didn’t want money. We wanted someone to stand up and say ‘yes these fellows were buggered, these people were robbed’.
"Little girls, my sister, a month old when she was put into an institution, eight of us from the one family were dragged by the ISPCC cruelty man, put into two cars and brought to the court in Clonmel. We were left standing there without food or anything and the fellow in the long black frock and white collar came along and he put us into a scut-truck and landed us below with 200 other boys. Two nights later I was raped.
"How can anyone, you’re talking about the Constitution, these people would gladly say yes to a Constitution to freeze the funds of the religious orders. This State, this country of ours will say yes to that Constitution if you have to change it.
"Don’t say you can’t change it. You are the Government of this State. You run this State. So, for God’s sake, stop mealy-mouthing because I am sick of it. You are turning me away from voting Fianna Fáil, which I have done from the day I could vote.
"You know me Minister and you have met me on several occasions, so you know what I am like. Remember Wexford?”
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does anyone know where this colossal of a man can be contacted as ive so much in common with him, just listening to him saying what he said has gave me the strenght, and hopefully his courage can finally put me own demons to rest,is there anyway i could get in contact with him providing it was too. regards
Posted by kenneth | 30.05.09, 11:29 GMT
The Republic of Ireland needs the SEPERATION of CHUCH & STATE. When the church cannot comply with civil law as well as it"s own church law, some thing is WRONG big time. Sunday, all catholics in Ireland should go to church, but not go inside so that the priest must say mass outside with the people who are PROSESTING this violation of civil law & church law by the religious of the church. Stand as a group and SPEAK OUT by your actions.
Posted by phl | 29.05.09, 20:27 GMT
This video made me cry, too. I am very shocked and very upset that this could have happened in "The Land of Saints and Scholars." It cant be called that any longer. Probably most of the people who did these terrible things to people like this wonderful, brave man are now suffering the Hell Fire they deserve, but this doesnt lessen the hurt of vistims like this.
My heart goes out to them, and my prayers are with them.
Posted by Neal | 29.05.09, 17:01 GMT
My heart goes out to all those victims and I hope they are given all the help (and compensation) they need to come to terms with what happened and endeavour to move on.
How will Southern Ireland ever recover from this?
Posted by mick-ey | 29.05.09, 09:42 GMT
I am 73 years old & have PTSD from Vietnam.At sme time started dreams about sexual abuse from a priest and a nun.My life has been hell since 200l when this all came out.I was abused when in the 7th& 8th grade and Freshman. I barely made it out of grade school and high school. Never did understand why that was happening. My future plans went up in smoke.
Posted by John McKinley | 29.05.09, 01:12 GMT
i am glad i watched this heartwrenching video to see that yes indeed ireland does have some heroes. mr. obrien i shall never forget your testimony. i wont pass any comment for there is nothing left for me to say about any of these orders. you said it all for all of the world. god bless and keep you.
Posted by billy | 29.05.09, 00:04 GMT
Remember what Jesus says in the bible about people who harm children:
"whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea." (Matthew 18:6, KJV)
Posted by Jungle Jim | 28.05.09, 23:45 GMT
abuse is relevant in every part of society from the aristocracy down to the paupers in the street but you cannot blame the innoncent hard working men and women of any walk in life for to get revenge. paedopliles find ways of getting into places and building trust before the abuse starts. these sick and evil people will just find somewhere else to ply there evil vice. I pray that god will forgive them and the people they put through hell can forgive these evil people.
Posted by joef | 28.05.09, 20:52 GMT
This made me cry too. How can anybody do this to children? This man is amazing. He is so eloquent despite the horror of what happened to him. Why can't the authorities, political and religious, accept what happened and allow the victims the dignity of justice? The truth is, it wasn't the Rosminians who were being 'easy' on the children. It's the rest of us who are being easy on them.
Posted by Julian Gilbert | 28.05.09, 19:00 GMT
My compliments for this brave and honest man. As a Dane living in a Scandinavian (Protestant) country this is unbelievable - considering its was not happening in the 19th Cent.
I simply can't understand why the Irish people vote for political parties who traditionally supported (supports?) the Irish Catholic Church in its dreadfull wrongdoings...
Posted by Tommy Christensen | 28.05.09, 16:30 GMT
What an eloquent statement from the poor gentleman who experienced such horrendous abuse. He represents so many thousands! Thank goodness he has expressed his thoughts and feelings for the whole world to witness. Thank goodness those who were once the abused children have a way to express what happened. Of course, there are still so many who are probably still being abused. This must all be stopped NOW.
Posted by jsutton | 28.05.09, 15:53 GMT
I no longer consider myself a Roman Catholic despite my experience of the wonderful nuns who educated me throughout school. In this terrible abomination the good just does not compensate for the evil. The church I was raised in has sickened me and I want no more to do with it.
Posted by wendy | 28.05.09, 15:24 GMT
Truly heart wrenching. I cried watching this. What a brave and decent man. The ignorant fools in power should listen to the people or the people need to rise up.
Posted by Karen Stevenson | 28.05.09, 14:49 GMT