Personal Stories/Opinions
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Father Flanagan - response to Daire Keogh
Dear Dr. Keogh.
Re: Your Letter on Paddy Doyle's Site
Surely the whole point of YOUR ARTICLE in the Irish Times was that
Father [Flanagan] was mainly concerned with the penal system.
FROM THE DAIL ARCHIVES:
Dáil Éireann - Volume 102 - 23 July, 1946
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Criticism of Prisons.
Mr. Seán Brady asked the Minister for Justice whether his attention
has been drawn to criticisms of the prison and Borstal systems in this
country reported to have been made by Monsignor Flanagan during his
recent visit and published in the Irish newspapers, and to similar
criticisms made on his return to the United States which were
published in the New York Press on the 17th July, 1946; and whether he
has any statement to make.
Mr. Boland: My attention has been drawn to the criticisms referred to.
During his recent stay in this country Monsignor Flanagan did not see
and did not ask to see any of the prisons or the Borstal institutions.
I am surprised that in these circumstances an ecclesiastic of his
standing should have [1135] thought it proper to describe in such
offensive and intemperate language conditions about which he has no
firsthand knowledge.
Mr. Flanagan: Is the Minister aware of the fact that Monsignor
Flanagan did not make these statements without very good foundation
and very good reason for them?
Mr. S. Brady: Will the Minister say if his attention has been drawn to
a statement made by Monsignor Flanagan and published in the American
Press, that physical punishment, including the cat o' nine tails, the
rod, and the fist, is used in reform schools both here and in Northern
Ireland?
Mr. Boland: I have a cutting from a paper which contains a statement
to that effect. I was not disposed to take any notice of what
Monsignor Flanagan said while he was in this country, because his
statements were so exaggerated that I did not think people would
attach any importance to them. When, however, on his return to America
he continues to make use of statements of this kind, I feel it is time
that somebody should reply——
Mr. Dillon: On a point of order——
Mr. Boland: I am answering the statement which has been made.
Mr. Dillon: On a point of order, is it in order for a Minister of our
Government to reply in Parliament to a statement attributed to a
citizen of the United States in an American paper without taking the
prudent precaution of confirming that the newspaper has correctly
reported the citizen?
An Ceann Comhairle Frank Fahy: That is not a point of order.
Mr. Boland: All I have got to say is that these schools are under the
management of religious Orders, who are self-effacing people, and who
do not require any commendation from me. I have no doubt from the type
of statements made by the Monsignor when he was in this country that
the report which I have seen represents what he did say when he landed
on the other side.
........................................
It's very obvious from THAT exchange above that Father WAS speaking
about the child detention system in Ireland and Father WAS WHISTLE
BLOWING on the religious orders management of these institutions.
Just read the last sentence in the last paragraph: "I have no doubt
from the type of statements mady by the Monsignor when he was in this
country that the report which I have seen represents what he did say
when he landed on the other side."
I expect now that you will be writing your history of the Christian
Brothers based on ...... what kind of documentation ? What was
written in the Newspapers about the Order? The Private Papers of the
Order? ....... ?
If you are looking for praise for the Christian Brothers efforts in
Artane from Father you wont find it. Please stop trying to denigrate
a good and Christian man to support the religious management of
Artane.
Best Regards to you.
Andrew
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