The Irish Times – Monday, January 11, 2010
An order of nuns which lost out on a €40 million windfall when it was refused planning permission for a prime site in Galway is concerned that the land will be rezoned for recreational use. The Sisters of Mercy had hoped to build 126 homes on a 12-acre at Taylor’s Hill but the plan was refused by An Bord Pleanála (Irish Planning Authority) following objections by residents.
The proposed site, surrounded by some of the most expensive houses in Galway, is a short distance from Salthill and from the city centre. Galway City Council last year passed a motion calling for the land to rezoned and developed into an amenity park, including a children’s memorial park.
Catherine Connolly, a councillor, proposed the move, stating that the land should be handed over to the city as retribution for years of abuse of children by religious orders.
Well done “Catherine Connolly, a councillor, proposed the move, stating that the land should be handed over to the city as retribution for years of abuse of children by religious orders”.
You see’ they have lost the power they had for so many years. Can you imagine anyone standing up to them even 10 years ago.
You and I worked and slaved for that land /money why should they profit.
It was not so long ago they were crying poverty.
Keep up your good work councillor.
What is the latest on this Paddy.
How is your arm now?
Kathleen O’Malley..
.
Baby Boys sentenced by the Court and detained away from their families in Industrial Hell Holes suffered shocking abuse mainly out in the Countryside and if that isn’t bad enough on reaching 10 years old transported to places like Artane to be raped. flogged, starved. Those children should be given a MILLION in COMPENSATION each. Same goes for young girls sentenced to detention in Criminal courts thus giving them criminal records as no more than babies to Hell hole places like Goldenbridge
Reply to a message of support sent to Cllr. Connolly:
Thank you very much for taking the trouble to contact me..
I actually didn’t see the piece in the Irish Times …but they must have picked it up from the local papers
By way of background some time back I placed a motion on the Galway City Council Agenda asking for the City Council to call on the Mercy Order to give over the site at Taylor’s HIll in Galway as a gift to the city to be used as a special memorial park.. The Motion was passed unanimously ….and the result communicated to the NunsI
Following up on this I was informed by the City Manager that a meeting had taken place between the Nuns and himself/officials in relation to land zoning etc and also that the result of our motion was conveyed to them
Just last night at the City Council meeting I raised this matter again as in the meantime Councillors were circulated with a four and a half page letter not from the Nuns but from W.K.Nowlan& Associates, Chartered Surveyors & Management Consultants dated the 4th Januarty 2010 and at the bottom cc to Sr Elizabeth Manning -so presumably on behalf of the Mercy Order
This very long letter refers to a meeting held with John Vaudin of W.K. Nowlan & Associates on the City Manager on the 30th November 2009 and the fact that the result of the Motion was conveyed to him –
The letter then goes on to very clearly warn the City Manager that any attempt by the City Councillors to rezone the lands in Question as recreational and amenity would be unlawful and that he should advise the City Councillors accordingly..
It is one of the most appalling letters I have read…and to add insult to injury fails utterly to deal with our request ..that the Mercy Nuns hand over the lands as a gift …
I will be responding publicy to this letter in due course and in the meantime I have asked the City Manager to get a response from the Nuns themselves
If necessary I will also start a signature petition
Once again thank you for your interest and my contact number is 087 9600364 and also I have a Web Site and Blogg site where you can see some of the press releases in this regard….up to date at Christmas but not since..due to holidays/illness etc
http://www.catherineconnolly.ie
http://catherineconnolly.blogspot.come
Best Regards
Councillor Catherine Connolly
Dear Paddy
I follow with great interest here we go again the clergy still in denial of their wickedness they inflicted on innocent children throughout the years I have said many times it is time they were stripped of their assets and once again the Vatican remains silent the again Pope Benedict would like it all to be relegated to the annals of history mistake Still feel this is the tip of the iceberg and their is still a lot more to be exposed I think the Ireland should have a day and show solidarity with what has happened to thousands of Irish people I called it the Irish Holocaust what a shame on the Catholic church
Gabrielle North
At last a person with back bone and stature.These orders are surly buisness minded and mammon is their god. Good on you councillor Connelly, Remember their wealth is stolen from children, thousands of children who went through their gulags in that area. Make them hand over the land to where it rightly belongs, the tax payers whom they embezzeled over decades.Their greatest fear is that we will remember what happened there during Irelands “Long Night” and loosing their wealth which they worship.
JUST WHAT WE NEED?
Yet another survivor group has come forward and approached Paddy Doyle looking for his support, reputation, and integrity to lend weight to their organisation. It is headed by Kevin Flannagan. This latest one is called Religious Abuse Truth. There Are A few simple question linked to the last word of their name:
1] When were you founded and why?
2] How many members do you represent and how can you contact them or they contact you?
2] Does the government and media know of your existence?
3] Are other groups aware that your organisation exists?
4] How would you address the bill of rights recently posted on Paddy’s site
5] How would you answer Kathleen O’ Malley recent concerns with regard to finances?
6] Are you or do you intend to be a Charity Registered company?
7) Are you willing to be wholly transparent to members and non-members alike?
8] Who are your board members and where have you got funding from?
Please Kevin, do not be offended by these questions for if they are not important to you they certainly are to us. By not responding promptly does raise more than a few red flags, and if your response is through a lawyer or spokesperson then that is no response at all.
Genghis Khan said more than once: “One group on its own is never enough to unite and give strength to represent its people, but many groups coming together is unbreakable”
He had not met Noel Barry or the alphabet soup of group names that did come together before or after him or indeed Genghis. Except for requests to the Freedom Of Information act for the financial dealings of these groups, we know little about them, and when we do it is often too late. There will be many more postings of these group’s actions and words on Paddy’s site, along with their public avowed statements and requisite shedding of crocodile tears for those they had claimed to represent. These postings will not carry any judgement by Paddy Doyle except in a private forum, but it will carry judgement by people from the institutions in a public one. Transparency is our only support for truth itself. Other than all of the above, I sincerely wish you well.
Barry Clifford email:bgclifford@iol.ie
Many people who have posted comments here and who have sent emails to me have asked that I forward the comments to Councillor Connelly. I’ve done that and if I receive a reply of the councillor, I will of course let you know of it’s content.
Best wishes,
Paddy.
Hi Paddy my heart bleeds for them I don’t think 40 million should go in the kitty for abuse victims and then be split up and each victim receive a cheque so they can at last have a life! Well done Catherine Connelly a real woman at last. Where are the nuns finding all this money? Still on the backs of us children who were in these hell holes. They should all sell up and defrock. Try living our lives for a change instead of being protected by Canon Law and the church which is dropping on its feet ,all over Ireland. Do nuns get a pension? Do they pay tax and stamps? An easy life with no problems apart from now that their sins are seen at last. Holy my arse .
I’ve sent my email of support to Councillor Connolly.
The Sisters of Mercy are certainly merciless when it comes to chasing profits on their ill gotten gains. Now much land is the Catholic Church Limited sitting on?
Hear! Hear! I second that FXR. I’ve e-mailed Councillor Connelly.
Open your wallet Barry and don’t be shy!
Trying to figure out the best way to do it. Bear with me.
Well’ I am flabbergasted, “talk about just desserts”.
Well done, Councillor Catherine Connolly. Lets hope the Taxpayers of Galway enjoy this Amenity Park. Perhaps a “Plaque” should be erected and worded “Thanking The Survivors of Child Abuse”for Providing this Amenities Park with all of their Slave Labour.
The Sisters of Mercy claimed years ago that they had no money.
Kathleen O’Malley.
I’m sure the nuns are heartbroken … if they only had a heart!
Paddy, have you thought any more on that ‘headings’ issue?
This is a beautiful site but alas the history is horrendous as with all religious run institutions of the past. We now have our representatives clearly calling for these religious to be stripped of their assets and it’s long overdue! Hear hear for the councillor!
Paddy, what say you that we pass round a collection bowl for those poor nuns with a few requirements and beliefs for doing so.
1] that you were in one of their prisons or knew someone that was
2]That you believe nuns do not tell a lie
3]that the nuns are all virgins
Either of the above is okay and your donation must be made out to: the sisters of charity, mercy, and poverty, otherwise what’s the point. There is a catch; they must prove it!
I think councillor Catherine Connolly deserves a few emails of support.
This is her email address:
cconnolly@cllr.galwaycity.ie
http://www.galwaycity.ie/AllServices/YourCouncil/CouncilMembers/GalwayCityWest/
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
If that doesn’t bring a tear to a glass eye, I don’t know what will!