Letters to the Editor Irish Times 4th January 2010
Madam,
The scale of the crimes against children and against humanity committed by priests and other members of the religious orders over many decades is now a matter of historical record. Thanks to the extraordinary dedication to finding out the truth by journalists such as Mary Raftery and the courage of Colm O’Gorman and many others the lies and deceit we have as a society been fed for so long continues to be exposed. Most offensive and hurtful of all was their inhuman disregard for the children and young people whose lives they destroyed forever.
Those who suffered don’t need to and probably won’t read Chapter 19 of the Murphy report (Opinion, December 18th), nor did they read the Report on the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse. They know what happened. It happened to them.
I have heard it said by well- meaning people that the “victims can now hold their heads up high”, they have been vindicated. It’s not that easy. Lives have been destroyed, spouses, partners and children compelled to live daily with the impact of recurring nightmares of rape, sodomy and assault inflicted on their loved ones over and over.
I have seen men and women now in their 60s and 70s suffer such mental anguish that they have never been able to work and hold few friends dear. They are just living out their days, waiting “for the time to come” when the nightmares will be over for good. They are not even angry any more, just beaten and defeated by the sheer weight of the pain, the hurt and the humiliation they suffer every day.
Many live out lost and desperate lives in the cities of London, Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool. They came to these cities hoping to forget their past and start new lives. Some did, but they were very few.
They have a right to justice and to be compensated by the Catholic Church. They and the Garda and other State institutions should be compelled to tell the whole truth. We must not let those who still suffer feel abandoned. The burden of fighting for justice and for reparation must not fall on them but it must fall on the rest of us in Irish society today.
It is the legacy of our parents and grandparents who stood by and let it happen, but mostly it is the legacy of a corrupt and amoral Catholic hierarchy where the child and young person who suffered was of no consequence.
This was no Hidden Ireland, nuns, priests, teachers, doctors, dentists, politicians school inspectors and the all other pillars of our society knew.
We, all of us in Irish society wherever we live, have a moral duty to remember all who suffered and to fight for justice for them and for their long-suffering, hurting families. For those who emigrated from Mother Ireland, thoughts of the country bring only pain, memories of violent deprived and depraved childhoods, where their parents were powerless and poor – the power of the Church always ensured they were unable and prevented from coming to the aid of their children.
I see those who suffered every day in the streets of London and I rage inside against the injustice, the unbearable cruelty and sexual violence inflicted on so many innocent Irish citizens. It destroyed not just their childhoods but their entire lives. It cannot be right that those who committed such degrading crimes and those working in state institutions that colluded in the cover-up of these crimes should go unpunished.
I have reflected a lot on Pope Benedict’s calls for a renewal of the Catholic Church in Ireland, and more and more I believe that is not the path to justice and truth.
We should instead dedicate our lives in pursuit of justice for those the Irish State and the Catholic Church failed to cherish. The pursuit of truth, rather than self- seeking internalised renewal of dubious spiritual benefit, is the only kind of renewal that has any relevance to Irish society today.
Cllr SALLY MULREADY,
Founder,
Irish Women Survivors Support
Network,
Camden Square,
London, England.
Paddy
Through you can I say thank you to everyone who has expressed condolences following my mothers death on Friday. I appreciate their words very much.
Sally
Sally, so sorry to hear of your sad loss. I do hope you keep strong, and take comfort in the support you deserve and receive here. Can identify with your loss, but our mum’s are at peace now, and still watching out for us.
Jimmy
Hi Sally,sorry to hear of the lost of your Mum my sincere condolence’s.May she rest in peace.
Now that I’m better informed about the situation with regards to survivors and their stolen funds, I wish to take back all that I have said on this blog!!!…
I find it sickening that I could have been misled into thinking otherwise…
Dear Sally, I’m truly sorry to hear of the loss of your mother my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family at this very sad time.
May she rest in peace. Kay
Hello Sally Iam sincerly sorry for your loss. Iknow you cared for her.It cant be easy for you . Iwish her peace. and i wish you strengt. take care of yourself
Kay. On a different but very sad point. Those of us who read this website will I’m sure join me in extending our condolences to Sally Mulready and her family on the very recent death of her mother. May she rest in peace. Paddy
Good letter Sally, just a bit surprised you didn’t include yourself as a Survivor, you speak of them and those and not we and us, (slightly patronising dont you think) also I feel missing from this very well written letter is a missed opportunity to oppose the unjust ‘Trust Fund’ I agree completely with Sean Morrison’s comment that all funded groups be disbanded and believe all monies being held should be paid directly to ‘Survivors’ and families
nothing personal meant in this comment Sally just my observation and opinion!
Best Regards Kay
The letter has been published in The Irish Times, David. Paddy.
Another brilliantly written letter by Sally Mulready. I hope the Irish Times do publish it as the letter speaks volumes of how survivors feel.
The government will protect the owners of the land . the catholic church. thay have become very rich by selling eternal life. with the help of sucessive governments. its worked for generations,
By the way if I do not get Justice the Catholic Church and Irish Government representatives will be banned from Asia! My Campaign!
Oh! Does not mean that justice has being served in Redress for those charged. It will be! How can I help Walshes First? What will bring a smile to his face to music? Seven, Tied, Raped to Elvis. My Uncle and Cousins Cried in Grief he Cried in Suffering and Pain to a man that though he plagerised material brought a great respect and unfderstanding and lost music to us and to their he plagerised a break trough so their Music could be seen and kept to them and us. They are doing to me what they did to you. Abuse responfd your abuser or crazy! Thank you paddy for your strenght and Site. Druid Malachy propheted the end of the Church Now!
How do you Angels Survive this War of Tormentors?
The one Field of Justice left out of Redress was the Fact it was not only the Clerical Orders and Governemtn and Inspecters but the Dioses and Archdioses all had Curates etc opresent as well as independent inspectors from the Church and they have never being included for their Negligent Responabilty! Battle Field Earth!
In God We Trust! For Justice We Stand. Paddy can you place an Article from me Exposeing the Mourphy Report as Corrupt which it is. If exposed we can at least see some Hiearachy Responable see justice! Even if it is not for Redress. It will be for all of us Brothers and Sisters in Arms.
You do not know How Angry I truely Am.
Cruciform Walsh, Peel the Skin off to nerve end Level. Just like they peeled the Skin of our Druidesses they called witches for their Nun’s. Walsh and spray him with capiscum the Hottest let him have hell!
Celts are Back! We rise to the Cries of the Childer’s of Erie!
I would like to expose this on your Site but then as you are aware how dangerious this is. How do you protect your children when the Government and Church give you No Choice but to Stand for Justice. How! How! How!
Rose, I am sure you have told by lawyers that there is no such thing as Justice. The only thing the Catholic cult criminals understand is money. Money is their god. power over the sheeple is their god.
We supposedly elect the government and they are our servants, yet the system is more JUST US than justice.
I salute Paddy Doyle and other survivors for bringing the truth to light.
How easy is it for those with no experience of rape and torture to suggest that victims can hold their heads high.
Victims can hold their heads high or low, but that does not take away the unseen pain within.
Who is going to speak out and say it loud and clear that victims are still being blamed for the crimes of their abusers? simply because the government etc find that easier than accepting responsibility for the rape and torture of innocent children who were called disposable children simply because they were poor or orphaned etc.?
Criminal law is there to protect criminals after all.
Sally, I hope your letter is read by the Irish orders and clergy who carried out these most serious crimes. Not that I believe for a moment that it will reveal for them something new but maybe just maybe they will for a split second experience anguish not because they feel moral indignation, rather the anguish of a person who may be revealed by name as a criminal. The sheer thought of these victims of clerical terror beginning to speak must now and then haunt them. No doubt they glean “The God Squad” to see if their name is mentioned. You never know Sally some victims might choose to speak before going quietly in to the night.
It is truly inspiring to read the words of someone who really cares & really knows first hand the long term impact of childhood abuse, thank you.
It is despairing for survivors that it has taken so long for people to accept that children suffered institutional abuse & from society as well who rejected them when they finally escaped care. Children’s services placed children in these institutions without regard for their safety & well being. A good parent would not hesitate to keep their child safe at all costs.
The state must act & finally take responsibilities & actively work to assist the reparation process of these people.
Cllr Mulready,
That is a very good letter, I never met you nor heard of you because I am of the male species. My residencies far from the shores of the cities in England that you mention and again that may because I haven’t heard of you, however I trust that you suffered at the hands of the Nuns. Our friends on the Paddy Doyle site are looking out for both species ladies and gentlemen and it would have been nice to see you mention the compensation that all are so deserving be directed to each of us including your good self and to call for the disbandment of approximately 10 groups who are presently squabbling amongst themselves at the trough, NO MORE FUNDS, Cllr Sally, and I am very sure that all the members of your survivors group would applaud that suggestion also, please let us on Paddy’s site and shame of Ireland know what all your members say to that NO MORE FUNDS suggestion.
Thank you Sally.
Sean Morrison,CII. ACFE. EX. GLIN INMATE Co Limerick
Well said Sally. but will we ever see ‘proper justice’ in our lifetime? When if ever will the government begin to listen. Are they even capable of speaking the truth. When will they begin to serve the people of this nation and quit pandering to the Vatican and their sidekicks.?