By Niall Murray, Education Correspondent
Thursday, December 29, 2011

DETAILS of the planned €500,000 memorial to victims of institutional child abuse will be announced next summer more than three years after it was proposed.
However, the location has yet to be confirmed and the expected date for completion is not yet available as it depends on the design.

The May 2009 report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse, chaired by Mr Justice Sean Ryan, recommended that a permanent memorial be erected. It is to include the wording of the 1999 apology by then Taoiseach Bertie Ahern on behalf of the State for the suffering of those who were abused while in its care.

The committee to oversee the erection of the memorial was announced by then education minister Batt O’Keeffe in October 2009. The Office of Public Works (OPW) was asked to commission and deliver it with a €500,000 budget set aside.

The committee launched a design competition last July after consulting interested parties and survivor groups on the location and nature of the memorial.

A shortlist of six competitors has now been selected by an international jury of:

* Marta Santos Pais, special representative of the UN secretary-general on violence against children.

* Brian O’Doherty, sculptor and film-maker based in New York.

* Pat Cooney, OPW principal architect, and

* Vivienne Roche, co-founder of the National Sculpture Factory, Cork.

The Department of Education said yesterday that the committee expects to announce the competition winner next June.

The memorial committee is chaired by former OPW chairman Sean Benton. The other members are: Bernadette Fahy and Paddy Doyle representing survivors of abuse, Seán Ó Laoire of the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland, Monica Corcoran of the Arts Council and former Cork county architect Billy Houlihan.

The child abuse commission’s costs could reach €100 million after the finalisation of all legal costs of third parties which were represented in its investigations and hearings. The final bill to the State of compensating those abused while in institutional care as children is set to top €1.1 billion, with almost 13,500 awards made to the end of 2010.

 

88 Responses to “Details of memorial to abuse victims due”

  1. robert says:

    by the way i just tried to contact the right of place and the web comments page still has trouble and all i have typed has gone waste of blasted time

  2. robert says:

    Wel well I just found a little space where i could try and gain the confidence to produce my art, something I have loved with a passion even as a child but was never encouraged infact my art and drawings were confiscated and destroyed.

    I have asked the right of place and the vec of the right of place for financial support to help me try and work as an artist so many times, i was REFUSED.

    I just asked again as a vacancy for a space has arrived in a building in my remote area where there is nothing for education.
    I said it is only 50euro including the use of electricity and heating a week, as you know it is only 500 or less a year for me to gain my confidence as an artist.
    I approached the same again and said I have received nothing yet to support my art could I please get this support I really really need as I am bouncing off the walls out here.
    The right of place guy of the VEC SAID NO I CANNOT HELP YOU.
    I PHONED MR. QUINNS EDUCATIONAL OFFICE AGAIN I WAS TOLD NO.

    DOES ANYONE OUT THERE KNOW OF ANY SUPPORT FOR WITNESSES OF CHILD ABUSE,?

    AS WHAT RUBBISH WE HAVE BEEN DEALT WITH THE PRISONERS OF IRELAND HAVE FAR BETTER DEALS THAN US WITNESSES YES IT IS SO TRUE,
    THEY HAVE SO MUCH TO OUR SO LITTLE, HERE IS THE PROOF AS TO THE ARTS. IT IS A DOWN RIGHT INSULT.
    SORRY PADDY ABOUT THE CAPITALS

    But I am just expressing the hurt on how we are going through as we relive our horrid past of our childhood.
    I have nothing against prisoners but hey even as child prisoners we had less.
    I get the country has no money robert thrown in my face by groups and family support centers. then I read this. Please take the time to read this link it is not long

    Visual artists in prisons scheme
    Closing date: 31/12/2012

    Maximum awarded: €2400

    Artform & practices: Visual arts

    Applicant type: Individual artist

    Collaborative application possible? Yes

    External agency: Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform

    External agency web address:

    Contact: Veronica Hoen

    Position: Coordinator, Visual Artists in Prisons Scheme

    Telephone: + 353 87 954 8178

    Email: vmhoen@ipsedu.ie

    Operated by Prison Education Service

    This scheme is co-funded by the Arts Council and the Department of Justice, Equality and Reform and administered by the Prison Education Service. Please note that this award may be subject to different conditions and criteria than the awards directly administered by the Arts Council. Requests for information or application forms should be directed to the Prison Education Service.

    Description

    This scheme provides financial support to selected visual artists to conduct workshops over a period of 10 days in the education units in any of the Republic’s prisons. The maximum awarded per workshop is €2,400. A panel of interested and suitably qualified artists is currently being compiled. Interested individuals should contact the coordinator. Inclusion on the panel does not guarantee work.

    Deadline

    None. Applications are accepted throughout the academic year.

    Contact details

    Veronica Hoen,

    Coordinator, Visual Artists in Prisons Scheme

    Mobile: + 353 87 954 8178

    Email: vmhoen@ipsedu.ie

    OUCH OUCH OUCH AND WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF EDUCATION FUNDING AS WELL. IN A MONTH
    No warning by the press or media as of yet and the sataury fund is to be swallowed up by the funds so we have to pay for our own funds the dictating government set up.

  3. myself says:

    A Memorial ? ok as long as Christine West) Mrs Buckley keeps out of it .so far everything has been only all about Her. Has anyone in the Irish Government bothered to check and go through the books with the list of names that those groups claim Huge Funding for . They have been handed over Millions >what have they spent the Millions on ,it must be down to every Pen, Stamp, The Lot.all names on their lists must be checked out.or are the Irish Government willing to keep throwing Millions at The Aislinn . God Knows haw many Real Reformatory Survivors live in Dublin. count 1-to -10???

  4. Well monica i only read on here about the teddy bears otherwise i wouldnt know about that either.

  5. Thats a big problem for us who were there at the same time as her . Christine talks about a relation between her and XS the head nun. But the head nun did not care enough to pay attention to any of us . In fact most of the time she looked straight through us. And taking injured kids to doctors was out of her scope. She beat us all but in perfect control. the bruises were under our skirts. as for boiling water on her well we would have known about it . and i am sure we all know that skin doesent split when beaten. try it on a chicken it wont split but the bones would break. XS would never have made a mistake. as for the memorial well what about a cross with a small child nailed to it. it could be a boy or girl. or we could wait for Chrissies death and have her turned into a mummy. That way she could keep herself in the public eye. that way future generations would believe that she was the only child in goldenbridge.

  6. robert says:

    You see PAULINE they were not qualified nor trained nor experienced in such matters why ? the government either wanted to save money or over looked the truth they should have had professional people who are highly skilled in these matters especially since it is a hugh cultural disaster.
    If she cares anything at all she would step down of her box as so all who were up on those boxes, and give the witnesses their voices also. Let survivors speak, as Paddy always said nothing about us without us or to that effect.
    Mrs Buckley should turn around and refuse to accept the freedom of the City of Dublin and say all survivors ( after all there are less than 14000 now as some are passing away or left the isle) should have the exact same rights as her.
    As for washing of the feet, I wash my own if they are dirty.
    She is so stuck on her own story even when she claims to be representing others.
    But guess what how can she? she has no idea on how others are suffering.
    The very reason I say the Government and Church are denying the needs of the many.
    She has no right to say she represents us all she is not Qualified nor Experienced nor trained nor had a police background check to claim such a responsibility. She cannot handle it as the reason she goes on about herself every time.

  7. Monica says:

    Pauline

    was that the Teddy Bear party at the RDS you are talking about with Pat Kenny?

  8. I have read the link. its really very dodgy that its her co worker who is applying.As for the dovotion she shows well its in her close circle of Fellow puppets.I think her kids have done fine. thay dont seem neglected. thay were at the foot washing . and proberly the cakecutting ect.And we who did leave goldenbridge at a time when the outside school wasent for the inmates are left out of everything even the teddybear ceromany.All we get is to watch vidios of christine. i signed on at the aisleen centre at the beginning but all i have heard from them was help to write my attestation. but i thought i would prefer doing that myself.

  9. robert says:

    I am not going to bring down personal people who are under the name of survivors but I will say this as it is the most honest truth there is.
    these leaders of so called groups are being used as pawns on the government chessboard who are playing this game of chess with the religious.
    The sad point is every single person who suffered the hells of this country should have the freedom of what ever City they live in to make it fair.
    Mrs Buckley and others who call themselves group leaders have had all the cream in publicity a F….N ISULT TO ALL OTHER WITNESSES OF ABUSE.
    We have had NOTHING at all strikes me these are the FAVORITES, the PETS of both Government and religious.
    Mrs Buckley please turn this down as ALL WITNESSES DESERVE SOMETHING OTHER THAN THE SHITE THEY HAVE BEEN DEALT.
    I WILL ALSO SAY THIS THESE GROUPS SAVED THE GOVERNMENT AND RELIGIOUS A FORTUNE ON PRIVATE AGREEMENTS SO I CAN ONLY SEE HER ACCEPTING IT AS IF SHE WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO SUFFERED AS IT WAS ONLY HER STORY SHE SEEMS TO TELL ALL THE TIME.
    Sorry about the capitals but when one reads this ill-treatment one gets annoyed. Thank you Monica for posting this link

  10. robert says:

    To Catherine, Pauline and Paul and you Monica thank you all for your words and wish you all the very best of the New Year
    Well Paul that computer has well gone as it was years ago when I was in the right of place.
    Here is something else to remind you about the Right of Place under Mr barry,
    When I had to go into rehab left the house where they forced us to live together or else we have to leave the B&b i was ordered to pay the rent, he even hung up on my counsellor who tried to help explain my situation. Yet we were in large credit on the bills we saved a lot of money each week.
    when I left rehab and moved into a room in a shared house near the rehab i approached Mr. Barry once again and asked if i could move into the new apartment block as it was self contained, he said come and see me. I did and he showed me the room down stairs and asked what do you think?
    I said great i will have it.
    After given notice to the land lord and on the day of the moving in Mr Barry approached me and said I am sorry Robert but I cannot let you move in because the committee decided against it but i did not i was for it he said.
    they are only for repatriation and the council have a choice of three also for the homeless that was the deal he said.
    So for a long time i had to move back into the B&b in the tiny room with all my belongings I had to climb over to get in every day.
    Eventually I got the tiny little room on the top floor opposite his large office.
    this is where I had handed him that cd.
    it does not stop there either.
    when i returned from seeing my son in england the lady in the B&b ((considering it was a long time later two years or so)) she the lady was so excited for me she said it has been arranged for me to go and see an apartment in Mahon co Cork I was delighted, guess what ? the person who recently arrived AND worked in the reception for Mr Barry was taking me ONLY to find he was applying also for the same house GUESS WHO GOT IT? NOT ME THAT WAS FOR SURE I KNEW THIS AS HE EXPLAINED IN THE CAR ON THE WAY.

  11. robert says:

    Paddy as you well have shown just by your website where no group would even dare to approach as instead of seeing it just makes survivors views known they seem to either take offence or feel they may have to be defensive because the only person in the so called new right of place that has worked very hard is a young lady by the name of Ann Marie the rest but for a couple of survivors are working on job titlement sorry ( invented word) meaning they work only according to their ego as the ” boss” the chairman in this case who will not get his hands dirty so to speak, I have found nothing but “Egocentrism” ( i had to type this to find the expressionism) and the explanation is so spot on as it has run through these groups like a disease, rotten through to the very core.
    At least the young lady Ann Marie is trying sometimes doing an overload, just because some think they are just so professional they do not see it fit to even visit survivors as they so called us. He being a barrister or solicitor.
    These EGOCENTRICS have been the reason so many views have been expressed on your site Paddy as you know, if they were any good at all they would have had the best of the bar ( court room ) but just maybe there is an other reason ” they are working for some one else other than survivors ( interesting thought eh?)
    Sorry Paddy and Monica but here goes
    THERE ARE NO SUCH THING AS SURVIVOR GROUPS BUT GOVERNMENT AND RELIGIOUS SUPPORTERS CLAIMING TO REPRESENT WITNESS THEY CALL SURVIVORS TO PREVENT ANY OUT BURST OF TRUTH TO THE PUBLIC EYE.
    My case regarding the c.d. is a great example of such treatment.
    Mr Barry once interrupted a conversation I once had with others in the kitchen of the right of place when we were talking about how many prison run schools we were in, would you actually believe he said over us and i quote near as possible ” you cannot make various claims just because you were in more than one school it is just a one claim” that he agreed this with the government and religious himself (( HOW DOWN RIGHT ARROGANT))
    But you get my point this kind of support leads only but one way and it is not ours.
    Most survivors I have met were from the streets or on the welfare or prisons, hospitals for suffering through their lives, in other words desperate and lacked any kind of awareness of what was going on, being told off for such minor things they LIVED IN FEAR the right of place THE DO AS YOUR TOLD OR ELSE!…..
    if i were to build a monument now i would build a SOLID STEEL DOOR 10ins THICK and title it CLOSED MEETING

  12. Monica says:

    http://www.londonirishcentre.org/index.php/about/location/

    Nothing on this website either Paddy about any memorial and I’m aware they get a huge grant from the Irish Governement each year so I read in the newspapers, but they don’t always report everything
    correctly

  13. Paddy says:

    Can it possibly be that my website is the only one that carried information about the Memorial? I might even give myself a clap on the back or get a swelled head! Paddy.

  14. Monica says:

    http://www.irishsurvivorsuk.org.uk/?page_id=11

    Nothing on this website either

  15. Monica says:

    and further furthermore, I’ve just checked Alliance Support group and they also have nothing up about on their website. Now if the rest of the Group Leaders who attended this meeting about the Memorial had a website I could check , but they don’t. So guess you out there without a life-jacket. Start swimming lads!.

  16. Monica says:

    and furthermore. Considering the economy in Ireland today, wouldn’t you think the art community would have stayed up day and night to do a submission and get it in, even if they didn’t get picked, at least they would have tried and had that satisfaction. I’m also wondering why they only picked 6 to go to the next stage and not ten as they had that maximum. The submissions I’d say must have been really bad bad, if they could only pick six. I think there needs to be more transparently. I’ve checked ROPSC webpage and there is no discussion on that, come to think of it there is nothing about the memorial on that website, not even the announcement after Christmas in the papers that a part decision had been made and six were going forward.

  17. Monica says:

    FYI
    The submissions for the Memorial had a grand total of 32. I would like to say that personally I am very dissapointed with this number. Considering the great Art community in Ireland only 32 were bothered to send in their submissions. I’m also not sure how many of these submissions were IRISH and how many came from abroad. The usual for this kind of Memorial and amount of money (ie 500K or 1/2 Million Euro) would be in the hundreds if not over a thousand and all we got was 32 Submissions

  18. Thanks monica. also which right of place has it . as you say its his so doesnt that make them responsable.there has to be a trace somewhere.

  19. I meant to write file because there were different ideas but i wrote life . please excuse me. there are some people who could find it in a cumputer. thay are experts. i am glad that you are still here Robert.have you changed computers since then!!!. happy new year to all .

  20. Paul Nolan says:

    Hi.Robert.
    Its sad to read the idiots at ROP lost your art work cd.
    If it was produced on a computer and you still have access to it, you may be able to recover it in the memory. It may take someone with a good knowledge of computers. Must be worth a try.
    Regards.
    Paul

  21. Robert wishing you all the best hope 2012 brings you health and happiness.Maybe the Right Of Place will find your CD.

  22. robert says:

    Thank you very much Paddy for your time replying I appriciate it very much, well i ask them on many occasions for the cd they said they could not find it.
    the new right of place said the same i actually asked them too three different times to give them time to try and find it but they cannot find it.
    but i do remember Noel Barry making a statement that the monument was not to be a one sided affair or something to those words.
    yet none of my work was it was done in extremely good taste please read the ideas i posted earlier in this site.
    thank you Pauline you are a wonderful person regards ROBERT
    I say one thing about capitals it took a negetive brain to decide this was shouting as then there are only two things shouting and whispering what about all the other HUMAN RESPONSES AND REACTIONS SUCH AS STRESS AND HURT AND SO ON.
    thank you Paddy again respectfully robert

  23. Robert its awful that your work has been lost. it cant have left by itself so perhaps if one of the michaels could help find it. i dident know either that big letters meant that we were shouting. You know Robert we are many who are still learning. sometimes when people are very familier with things thay forget that thay learned too. dont leave Robert . I for onr have learned a lot about the witnesses still in Ireland. By the way i like that word for us as thats what we were for years in those places. we saw things no children should see.and you know you havent hurt anyones eardrums.I would have had the impression thats it was easier for them but your postings have kept me informed. i still think about all the empty houses you mentioned. so robert i hope you can get respect for you .

  24. Paddy says:

    Robert, I’ve sent you the links to the advertisement for submissions for a memorial to ‘Victims of Abuse”. If you scroll down the right hand of the index page of my website you’ll see a section with a heading Memorial Competition. Underneath that are at least four links pointing to the requests for submissions from artists and other interested parties to make submissions for the competition.

    I repeat for the last time: Everyone of the groups claiming to represent ‘Victims of Abuse” were invited to meet with the Memorial Committee and to put forward the views of their ‘members’. I can’t say with certainty that every one of these groups turned up but I can say with certainty that all groups were invited.

    I don’t doubt that your CD was a great piece of work. The sadness of it is that you didn’t have some copies that could have been entered into the Memorial Competition. What have Right of Place to say about the loss of your CD?

    Paddy.

  25. robert says:

    if the groups are being paid then why have they not sent applications to the so called members they are supposed to have?

    i say it again Paddy for the last time before i finally go i presented my art cd that took months and just happened to go missing years ago the reason for my distrust that we would even get a look in. that cd should have found its place at those who chose the sellected artists and a application should have been sent because if the Right Of Place then was doing what it got paid for i may at least have had something to go by but no IT JUST WENT MISSING. if i cannot trust the groups to represnt me then why would i want to go to anyone else?
    i have no complaints about your web site i am just extremely hurt.
    what about the rest of the stuff i wrote on here?
    yes your site is good for views i have no problem but the decent thing about my writing CAPITALS should have been mentioned years ago since it was obvious i was upset about the lack of respect by all government church and so called groups.
    this is where may aims were, no at people On here but i am sorry that this has covered up the hurt i was expressing and i am still without that cd.
    never mind i will have to live with it regards robert
    i just thought i would have a look at the expected answer you gave sorry to all if anyone was offended.
    HOW CAN I POSSIBLY DO ANY PRESENTATION TO A COMMITTEE WITHOUT MY HARD WORK OF DESIGNS THAT TOOK MONTHS, THESE WERE SUPERIMPOSED PHOTOGRAPHS WHERE I VIRTUALLY BUILT THE SCULPTURES FOR ALL TO SEE BUT SINCE THIS HAS NO INTEREST OR RESPECT THEN WHAT ON THIS EARTH IS THE POINT?
    YES YOUR SITE IS GREAT MARVELOUS WONDERFUL BRILLIANT AND EVERYTHING ELSE BUT SO WAS MY CD BY THOSE WHO SEEN THE HARD WORK I DID FROM MY HEART AS YOU PADDY PRODUCED THIS WEBPAGE.
    I HAVE NO MORE TO SAY BUT WISH YOU AND ALL THE VERY BEST FOR THE NEW YEAR RESPECTFULLY YOURS ROBERT

  26. Monica says:

    Robert says in one of his postings that he gave his life to the right of place group so perhaps they were presented. if not why not . no decision has been made yet .

    Pauline
    Right of Place would Not have been able to present or submit Robert’s art work to the Memorial. It’s his copyright, his artwork. That would be breaking the law. A decision has been made and there were 6 submissions which will go to the second stage of the competition. The OPW received a total of 32 Submission for the memorial which when all things considered is a very small persentage of the Irish art world indeed the art world period. Robert should make his complaint to the department of education as he has that right.

  27. Paddy says:

    Robert, in no way was my comment about ‘netetiquette’ and writing in capital letters meant to be offensive. It’s obvious from what you’ve written that you were offended. Without going into great detail ‘net etiquette’ is a word that came into use when the Internet became more and more available. It was, for want of better phraseology a set of rules for everyone using the Internet.

    Just for your information: Every group that claimed to represent ‘survivors of abuse’ were invited to come and meet the Memorial Committee. Many, if not all did make their presentations to the Committee. I should also point out that an advertisement for the Memorial appeared in all local and national newspapers as well as being posted on many websites including this one. The link to that advertisement is still there and can be viewed http://www.paddydoyle.com/advertisement-for-a-memorial-to-survivors-of-institutional-abuse/ and here http://www.education.ie/servlet/blobservlet/riru_design_commission_of_memorial_ad_2011.pdf also http://www.education.ie/servlet/blobservlet/riru_expression_of_interest_memorial_comp_2011.pdf It can never be said that this website did not advertise the competition for a memorial to people who were abused while in the care of religious orders or the State

  28. robert says:

    pps
    paddy what the heck does this mean according to ‘netetiquette ? and who are they to decide? who ever knew this? or who they are.
    it would have been kinder to to ask me personally why i write in large letters, even sent me an email as you have my email at hand.
    as for who ever decided it to be shouting well that is just a mere point of view invented since computers by which i am learning to use proper.
    hurt anger and upsetment of being ignored by those who think but never listen, who make decisions and never ask, as to agree with someone to make your point is rather hurtful and condemning.
    it would have been nice to have been advised A VERY long time ago why wait till NOW with this person?
    but thank you how ever for this site the problem is
    NO ONE HAS ANSWERED THE STRESSFUL COMMENTS WHO HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO SUPPORT THE USUAL I GUESS.
    WE CANT MAKE TOO MUCH NOISE CAN WE…
    THANKS PADDY HAVE A GREAT NEW YEAR WITH PEOPLE LIKE MONICA WHO BY THE WAY NEVER WROTE A WORD OF SUPPORT ON ANY OF MY COMMENTS OF THE HURT EXPRESSED.

  29. robert says:

    PS
    MONICA PLEASE READ ( IF YOU HAVE NOT BEFORE YOUR ARROGANT COMMENTS)
    I HAVE MENTIONED A FEW YEARS BACK ON THIS SITE OF PADDY’S

    I PRESENTED A CD THAT TOOK ME MONTHS OF HARD WORK TO THE RIGHT OF PLACE A MR. NOEL C BARRY, HE CLAIMED FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER THAT HE WAS THINKING OF A MEMORIAL AS I PRESENTED IT BACK THEN FUNNY THAT, HE NEVER MENTIONED IT BEFORE THE CD.
    I WAS ONLY HOPING HE COULD GET ME FINANCES TO PRODUCE IT.

    IT WAS MISS -PLACED AND NEVR FOUND, I WAS DOING THIS OFF MY OWN BACK FOR PEOPLE I KNOW WHO DIED IN THE SCHOOLS AND LONG LOST
    FRIENDS I SHARED THE HORRID EXPERIENCES WITH IN THOSE PRISONS FIVE ALL TOLD. MAYBE IT WOULD HELP OTHERS TOO I THOUGHT AT THE TIME.
    500,000 EURO? I JUST WANTED THE MATERIALS AND SOME VOLUNTEERS TO HELP ME DO IT. THE IDEA CAME FROM THE HEART.
    SO FORGIVE ME FOR MY IGNORANCE’S I GUESS I WAS NOT BROUGHT UP PROPER.
    ONCE AGAIN MY FRIENDS HERE I BOW OUT AND THANK YOU ALL FOR LISTENING TO MY HURT.
    I MUST MOVE ON AS I HAVE OTHER PROBLEMS I MUST TAKE CAR OF.
    THANKING YOU ALL RESPECTFULLY AND SINCERELY ROBERT

  30. robert says:

    I DO NOT BUY PROPAGANDA AS I READ ON LIES ALL THE TIME, I SENSE THERE IS SOMETHING ELSE BEHIND YOUR WORDS MONICA OTHER THAN MY TYPING SKILLS.
    I HAVE ENOUGH PROBLEMS ON MY PLATE OTHER THAN BEING AT A COMPUTER.
    THE QUESTION SHOULD HAVE BEEN DID ANY GROUP SEND A AN APPLICATION TO ME? ANSWER TO THIS IS NO NO NO.
    DID I GO TO THEIR MEETINGS? WELL IF I EVEN WANTED TO I COULD NOT AFFORD TO.
    AS I CANNOT EVEN AFFORD TO GOT TO BLOODY HOSPITAL FOR SERIOUS PROBLEMS
    SINCE I GOT ONLY HUNDREDS OF PAPERS FULL RUBBISH I HAD NO CLUE ABOUT SENT OUT TO EVERYONE WITH THE PREVIOUS RIGHT OF PLACE OF FIGURES AND STUFF EVEN THEY HAD NO CLUE ABOUT.
    I GUESS I HAD ENOUGH ON HERE NOW.
    I THANK EVERYONE ELSE FOR BEING VERY UNDERSTANDING AND WILL NEVER BE POSTING COMMENTS AGAIN SORRY IF I OFFENED ANYONE ELSE.
    WHAT IS THE POINT BYE ALL HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A GREAT LIFE AND TO THOSE INCLUDING PADDY WHO HAVE BEEN SO KIND A GREAT BIG THANK YOU.
    IT IS TIME NOW TO GET ON WITH MY OWN PROBLEMS. BYE ALL HOPE YOU ALL GET THE BEST OF THE REST OF THIS LIFE.

  31. robert says:

    MONICA IN CASE YOU DO NOT REALIZE YET I AM NOT RUDE I WRIE BECAUSE AS A SURVIVOR I HAVE BEEN LET DOWN BY EVERYONE AND HAVE NOT BEEN HEARD IF MY LARGE TYPE OFFENDS YOU THEN YOU HAVE THE PROBLEM IT IS TYPE NOTHING MORE YOU ARE THE ONLY PERSON WHO CAN PICK UP ON THIS LITTLE THING COMPARED TO ALL THE PAIN THAT IS GOING ON HERE.
    I NEVER KNEW IT WAS AN OFFENSE TO TYPE IN LARGE LETTERS MAYBE I CANNOT READ SMALL TYPE PROPERLY.

    GROUPS KNOW WHO I AM AND ICOULD HAVE BEEN INFORMED BY THEM IF THEY WERE DOING THEIR JOBS PROPERLY AS THEY CLAIM THEY REPRESENT US, THEN I MAY HAVE HAD AN OPTION TO PUT SOMETHING FORWARD.
    SO NO I DID NOT.
    SO MONICA IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY SAT IT TO THOSE WHO CLAIM AND GET PAID TO REPRESENT SURVIVORS, I HAVE HAD NOTHING ELSE BUT THOUSAND OF PAPERS WITH FIGURES AND DOCUMENTS THAT ARE FAR TOO MANY OF USELESS INFORMATION THAT JAMMED MY LETTERBOX FROM THE PREVIOUS RIGHT OF PLACE AS ANY ONE WHO HAS RECEIVED THEM WOULD KNOW.
    IF MY TYPING IS ALL YOU HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THEN YOU WOULD NOT HAVE A CLUE WHAT SURVIVORS ARE GOING THROUGH.
    YES I ANGRY I HAVE A RIGHT TO BE AS THIS SITE IS ALL I HAVE TO EXPRESS MY FEELINGS.
    IT IS MY HUMAN RIGHT TO TYPE HOW I SEE FIT SO BACK OFF.

  32. Paddy says:

    May I also bring the above response to the attention of Robert and others who are concerned about the Memorial. Paddy.

  33. Paddy says:

    What I can say emphatically Pauline is that every group that claimed to represent ‘survivors of abuse’ were invited to come and meet the Memorial Committee. Many, if not all did make their presentations to the Committee. I should also point out that an advertisement for the Memorial appeared in all local and national newspapers as well as being posted on many websites including this one. The link to that advertisement is still there and can be viewed http://www.paddydoyle.com/advertisement-for-a-memorial-to-survivors-of-institutional-abuse/ and here http://www.education.ie/servlet/blobservlet/riru_design_commission_of_memorial_ad_2011.pdf also http://www.education.ie/servlet/blobservlet/riru_expression_of_interest_memorial_comp_2011.pdf It can never be said that this website did not advertise the competition for a memorial to people who were abused while in the care of religious orders or the State

  34. Robert says in one of his postings that he gave his life to the right of place group so perhaps they were presented. if not why not . no decision has been made yet .

  35. Paddy says:

    Monica, thank you for bringing this matter to the attention of our contributors, I had intended to do so but it’s one of those things that I never got around to doing. Writing in CAPITAL LETTERS is indeed seen as shouting at people according to ‘netetiquette ‘. I also agree that it does make it harder to read comments. Best wishes. Paddy.

  36. Monica says:

    Robert

    Just wondering did you put a submisson into the Memorial people? If you did not then I can’t see how you can complain now about it. It was in the papers and on this site.

    we are not here we do not exist we are HISTORY.
    WHY IS THERE NO SURVIVORS INVOLVED? I AM A QUALIFIED ARTIST THE ONLY THING I HAD LEFT TO EXIST IN THIS WORLD, I LOVE MY ART IT IS ME IT IS BLOOD RUNNING THROUGH MY VAINS.
    IF THIS GOES AHEAD THEN THERE WAS NO JUSTICE AT ALL BUT LIVING PROOF OF HOW THOSE IN CONTROL HAVE AN EGO IN THEIR COVERING UP OF CHILD ABUSE.
    JUST GIVE ME THE MATERIALS AND SOME HELPERS VOLUNTARY OF COURSE WHO WOULD DO A GRAND JOB. WE SHOULD SEE THIS MONUMENT THAT IS DESIGNED BY PEOPLE WHO NEVER HAD A CLUE OR EXPERIENCED THE ART THEY MAKE.
    THE CRITIC JOHN BERGER “WAYS OF SEEING ” COMES TO MIND ITS THE WAY THE TRUTH IS SEEN.

  37. Monica says:

    Robert

    Writing in capitals on the internet is regarded at quite rude and it is known as shouting. It’s very difficult to read your full posting and therefore were there is anything of importance in your posting people will miss it. May I suggest you go to the standard type for the thread.

  38. James Moy says:

    If the erection of a memorial will be a permnanent reminder of Irelands Government and the various Religious Institutions, that failed the Thousands of Irish Boys and Girls so badly, goes ahead, i sincerily hope it serves as a permanent embarrassment to those who merit it.

    However a more fitting memorial would be to see the Government and the Catholic Church get their heads together and address the entire sad situation of the Survivors all over the world with the proper Redress they are entitled to. The Redress they were short changed at the RIRB.

    Every person , male and female,and their dependents, who are Survivors of Irelands Magdalene Laundrys , Institutions and Gulags , deserve to have the opportunity to call closure on their sad lives , and be in a position to provide some comfort for themselves and their familys.
    This is just my feeling and opinion on the matter,but i beleive i am not alone with these views , the broader picture seems to be put on the back burner, in favor of this memorial item.

    I just wish the Survivors opinions were given as much attention as this memorial is attracting, a memorial that is NOT going to ease the the sad plight that many thousands throughout the world are still experiencing , thanks to their unhappy and sad start in their Childhoods.

    Jimmy

  39. Des says:

    Hi Seanie,
    Well done you I wish the best to you in the future

  40. Mary says:

    Should only the “chosen”few decide for the rest of us? We don’t even know who they are, apart from Paddy. We who live outside Ireland haven’t even been asked. If it hadn’t been for Paddy’s site, I wouldn’t have got any information at all.
    Robert seems like a good representant for us. Why hasen’t he been asked? Mary.

  41. We have always been what XS. the head nun of g b said. a money spinner . we can be sick or alone. in need of help or not it hasent changed. what could change our lives in in fact being dished out to people who are not in any need at all.thay devide things up between thier closest friends in the money buisness. this memoral isint for the state wards its for outward apperences.

  42. Paddy says:

    Advertisements were placed in all papers and on the Internet. Group leaders saying the represented ‘survivors’ met with the Memorial Committee and expressed the views of their members. Paddy.

  43. robert says:

    AS A TITLED SURVIVOR, “WITNESS OF ABUSE” AND AS A QUALIFIED ARTIST I WAS NOT APPROACHED AS YOU WERE, A MEMORIAL MEANS A BURIAL AS YOU WELL KNOW OF WHAT HAS PAST DO YOU PERSONALLY QUALIFY TO SAY WE ARE ALL IN THE PAST? ARE YOU GOING TO BURY LIVE SURVIVORS ?
    DO YOU BELIEVE WE HAVE SUFFERED ENOUGH?
    WE ARE ALIVE TODAY OK OLDER BUT ALIVE WHY A MEMORIAL ALL IT MEANS IS THE GOVERNMENT AND CHURCH ABUSE CHILDREN AND NOW ARE KILLING THEM OFF IN A MEMORIAL

  44. robert says:

    EVERY HONEST PERSON OR CRITIC WOULD KNOW FROM ANY DECENT UNIVERSITY YOU DO NOT PRODUCE A WORK OF ART IF YOU HAVE NO EXPERIENCE IN. IT WILL BE AS COLD AS ANY CARELESS ACT. IT WILL NOT HOLD THE MEANING TO WHICH IT IS PORTRAYED, WHAT CAN A COLD COMMISSION OF SUCH A CAUSE REPRESENT? THE ARTIST CAN NOT POSSIBLE CLAIM ANY RIGHTS TO THIS MEMORIAL IT WILL BECOME SIMPLY A BAD ART A WASTE OF TAX PAYERS MONEY, WHERE IN ONE HAND WE HAVE THE GOVERNMENT GRABBING 500 MILLION PLUS SAYING IT WILL PAY THEIR 50% OF TAX PAYERS MONEY, HERE THEY ARE SPENDING IT ON A PILE OF JUNK.
    I WILL ENDEAVOR TO SLATE THIS MONUMENT AS I KNOW WELL HOW TO DO I WILL CONFRONT THE ART CRITICS ON THEIR INTELLECTUAL RESPONSE AS MOST DECENT SCULPTORS WELL KNOW THE WORK IS ONLY AS GOOD AS THE HEART IN IT.
    OTHER WISE IT JUST REPRESENTS THE PERSON WHO COMMISSIONED AND PAID FOR IT NOT THE SOLE PURPOSE.
    THIS WORK WILL HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH SURVIVORS AS MR. QUINN MENTIONED IN THE VIDEO AGAIN IT WILL REPRESENT THE LATER PART OF HIS SPEECH, WE THE GOVERNMENT MUST TAKE TAKE TAKE AND TAKE AND TAKE AGAIN THEREFORE THIS MONUMENT WILL BE TITLED THE GREATEST COVERUP OF IRISH POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS PROPAGANDA THE EXAMPLE OF BAD TASTE AND VERY BAD ART PAID FOR BY THE SLYEST GOVERNMENT IN EUROPE. A GOVERNMENT NOT TO BE TRUSTED AS IT CARES FOR ITS OWN SUCCESS RATHER THAN THE IRISH PEOPLE WHO SUFFERED BY THEIR VERY HANDS.
    STAND DOWN NOW I SAY TO YOU ARTISTS DO NOT INSULT US WITNESSES OF ABUSE WHO ARE ALSO FELLOW ARTISTS BY TAKING ON THIS ASSIGNMENT, PLEASE DO NOT RUIN THE IRSH ART FOUNDATION AS THIS IS NOT ART BUT SHEER HYPE.
    YOU WILL ONLY SATISFY THE HEARTLESS GOVERNMENT WHO WANTS TO LOOK GOOD AND CLEAN IN THE PUBLIC VIEW FOR WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO SO SO SO MANY CHILDREN. IF YOU THINK YOU CAN LIVE BY THIS THEN GO AHEAD BUT YOU WILL BE SIGNING THE SAME DOTTED LINE OF THOSE WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR SUCH DISTURBING ABUSE.
    IT IS FILTHY MONEY.

  45. Lack of education lack of any kind of care. what can an outside artist know about that . well its as usual . the church is busy redemsoning themselves and the government will go ahead no matter what we say . And the newspapers will be there and take photos. so whats new. the main body of witnesses outside ireland proberly wont be invited anyway

  46. Seanie says:

    Hi Des,
    There are 14000 sad stories just like yours and the damage is evident to the Church and the Government, I have trouble just hearing of abuse to any child to this day, the memories hurt. I spent quality time ? in the fortys and fifties being educated up to fourteen in religion in St. Josephs, Glin. Like most, after being released at 16 distanced myself as far as possible from IT. I am writing a memoir for my family as I never discussed IT, with them, not even with my wife of 55 years until 2000. It is good therapthy to talk about the past and my way is writing about IT, we are all Damaged Goods. I had no real education and set about self education as soon as I reached England three month’s later and spent my life catching up after several spells in several colleges I finally was accepted into University at age 56, I paid for all, no Fund helped pay for 40 years of expences. I have been in touch with the HSE and asked them not to establish a Trust Fund and also as to what they intend to do about all us living (like foreigners) in the USA, Canada, Australia etc. They informed me that they would let me know as soon as possible, I am not holding my breath, as Paddy advised me. I am coming up to 77 and keep in touch with a few fellow inmates, not many of us left now though.
    Memories: if you wet the bed, a beating first, then you carry the mattress on your head and walk around the yard in the rain most often until told to put it back on the cot or bed, after trying to run away your head was shaved bald with a scissors and you had to looked at the ground all the time, dental treatment ha ha pulling your teeth out without freezing and spitting blood into the bucket by the chair, Jim Kavanagh, was screaming with pain and was kicking like mad and the bucket of blood went flying, blood everywhere, just a couple of fond memories Des, I was diagnosed with PTSD any wonder why.
    Again Des, A very Happy and Prosperous New Year to you and all, Listen to Robert and write to the press as much as possible, I have said that repeatedly in the past.
    Seanie, still in the desert.

  47. robert says:

    WHAT????? THE FLAMING CHEEK OF IT , WHO THE HELL IS ALLOWING THIS TO HAPPEN, ??? NO NO NO THEY HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA OF ANYTHING.
    AGAIN AND AGAIN THE GOVERNMENT AND RELIGIOUS ARE INSULTING WITNESSES OF THEIR CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY.
    THESE PEOPLE WHO HAVE NO EXPERIENCES HAVE TO STEP DOWN AND BE REPLACED BY THOSE WHO ARE QUALIFIED AND EXPERIENCED WITH NO GOVERNMENT OR RELIGIOUS INTERFERENCE.

  48. Paddy says:

    Just to clarify Mary. The leaders of ALL groups claiming to represent “Survivors of Abuse” were invited to meet with the Memorial committee. Most did avail of this opportunity and expressed their views to the committee on behalf of the people they represented on what they felt an appropriate Memorial should be. I trust this clears the matter for you. Happy New Year.
    Paddy.

  49. robert says:

    PLEASE KEEP WRITING TO THE PAPERS AS WE MAY GET HEARD IF ALL DO THE SAME

  50. robert says:

    I HAVE JUST SENT SOME VIEWS OF TO THE IRISH INDEPENDENT NEWS PAPER WELL I HAVE SENT MANY BEFORE TO IRISH PAPERS BUT HEARD NOTHING FROM THEM LETS HOPE WE CAN HAVE SOME NEWS THIS TIME FOLKS

  51. robert says:

    TO THOSE WHO COMMENTED ON MY LETTERS SO TO SPEAK I MUST FIRST SAY I AM OVERWHELMED THANK YOU SO MUCH.
    BUT WE NEED TO GET OUR VOICES IN ONE DIRECTION AND THAT BEING AT THE GOVERNMENT OF IRELAND WHO ARE USING OUR NAMES AS “SURVIVORS” NO NO NO TO THEM
    WE ARE ALL “(((WITNESSES)))”
    OF THE ABUSE CARRIED OUT IN THESE TORTURE CHAMBERS.
    WE ON HERE HAVE TO PROMOTE THIS TITLE FROM OUR POINT OF VIEW TO GET ANYWHERE AT ALL. IT SEPARATES US FROM THE GROUPS FOR A START.

    WE NEED THAT 500 MILLION EURO BACK IT WAS NOT TAX PAID MONEY BUT MONEY DONATED BY THE PEOPLE FOR THE PEOPLE THEY THE CHURCH CLAIMED TO REPRESENT.
    THIS WAS NOT TAX MONEY THE GOVERNMENT HAS NO RIGHT TO IT.
    THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS 50% GUILTY AS THEY THEMSELVES ADMITTED IN THE DAIL.
    THE MONUMENT HAS TO BE STOPPED AS IT DOES NOT REPRESENT THE CAUSE AT ALL.
    WE HAVE ARTISTS WHO ARE VERY TALENTED QUALIFIED ARTISTS AND ARE SURVIVORS OF THE HOLOCAUST OF ABUSE.
    WE MUST ASK MR. QUINN WHY HE WENT FROM USING OUR NAMES AS “SURVIVORS” AND OUR CHILDREN OUR CHILDREN’S CHILDREN TO THE ONSLAUGHT OF HIS SPEECH IN THE VIDEO (( I PROVIDED HERE)) THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD TAKE THIS TAKE THAT TAKE IT ALL FROM THE CHURCH AS THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT IS HAPPENING SINCE HE BECAME EDUCATIONAL MINISTER SINCE THEN.

    NOW HE IS DUMPING HIS EDUCATION FUND, COUNSELING FUND FAMILY TRACING FUND ONTO THE INVENTED STATUARY FUND OF ONLY 110 MILLION EURO AFTER ROBBING US OF THE CHURCH 600 MILLION CONTRIBUTIONS.
    AGAIN I SAY IT IT IS NOT TAX PAYERS MONEY.
    DOES THIS MEAN NOW THE GOVERNMENT CAN DICTATE HOW CHARITIES CAN SPEND THEIR MONEY DONATED BY THE PEOPLE OF IRELAND?

    WE MUST ASK FOR HIS RESIGNATION ON THE LIES HE PUT FORWARD IN THIS SPEECH WHERE EVEN CHILDREN NEVER QUALIFIED FOR ANY FUNDS.

    WE NEED THOSE ANSWERS LADIES AND GENTS ON THE QUESTIONS I PUT FORWARD PLUS ANY MORE YOU MAY HAVE YOURSELVES,

    SO ASK THOSE ALL YOU KNOW WHO CLAIM TO REPRESENT US. WRITE THE LETTERS TO THE GOVERNMENT THE CHURCH AND ALL GROUPS TILL WE ALL FIND THE TRUTH.

    FINALLY PADDY THANK YOU FOR YOUR OPEN SITE TO ONE AND ALL , NOTICE THERE ARE NO GOVERNMENT, RELIGIOUS OR GROUPS ANSWERING ANY VIEWS PLACED HERE BEFORE THEM TO READ, IT DOES NOT SURPRISE ME ONE BIT BECAUSE THEY ARE ALL QUILTY AND THEY DARN WELL KNOW IT. SOME OF US KNOW THEIR GAME WE SUFFERED ENOUGH AND WILL EXPOSE THE NASTY LIES THEY PORTRAY TO THE TAX PAYER. HOW THEY COVER THE FILTH UP.

    WE DEMAND AN APOLOGY WRITTEN TO US IN PERSON IF THERE IS SUCH THING AS AN A POLOGY IN THE FIRST PLACE. THIS IS SO SO VITAL AND OUR HUMAN RIGHT.

    SO IF YOU COULD PADDY, THOUGH YOU DO A LOT FOR US BY THIS SITE CAN YOU PLEASE PUT THIS ON BEHALF OF ALL WHO BELIEVE IT AS OUR HUMAN RIGHT TO THE GOVERNMENT AND TO THE RELIGIOUS.
    HAVING IT WRITTEN IS PROOF OF THEIR RECOGNITION TO US ALL.
    PLEASE MAKE SURE THEY DO NOT WRITE 50% EACH AN APOLOGY IN FULL PLEASE FROM THEM BOTH AND IF POSSIBLE FROM THE GROUPS WHO CLAIMED TO REPRESENT US IN PAST LEADING UPTO THE REDRESS PAST AND PRESENT.

  52. Mary says:

    As regards the dead ones! Maybe they were the lucky ones! They didn’t have to endure the hardships of life that most survivors, who were not sufficiently equipped with the necessity’s to enjoy a full life. We lacked beingloved for ourselves. Confidence. etc. Most of our lives have been a hell on earth. Mary

  53. Mary says:

    Dear Paddy, A great pity we survivors have no say as regard the memorial. I think the state should pay for it themselves. Definitely not with the money the survivors have got to try and lessen the hardships due to our unloved childhoods. We survivors of the forties,fifties and sixties were deprived of everything even education. All the moneys should be given to them. If they insist on a memorial,the job should be given to a survivor who knows what our sufferings entailed and has artistic gifts. I’m sure we have many. A suitable symbol would be a form of a great big dandelion,
    as a lot of us children were called wettybeds and the dandelion is a flower that grows and survives without care or nourishment. An appropriate symbol for us deprived children of Ireland. Mary.

  54. Des says:

    Hi Seanie
    And a verry happy new year to you what school did you go to, I went to hell and back that was known as St Patricks Upton Co Cork A right old goulag you would think I was a prisioner of war the way they treated us orphans I had no family from the time I was born to the time I first met my mother after 16 years of being in care when she claimed me she saved my skin in the nick of time I was told by the school that I was being farmed out to a local farmer who would probaley would have killed me its strange ther is nobody out there that went this way and have mentioned this are they all dead these kids who were farmed out as they had nobody to go to there should be an investigation to put this to rest once and for all.
    i wish everybody who were in instutitions a very happy healty prosprous new year for 2012

  55. Hello all . i also signed for paddy to represent me as without him i wouldnt get any information. the memoral is about all of us . Robert i really like the idea of a keyhole as we were behind a moral one. no one wanted to know about what these places were like inside.Scenes from there are blocked in our minds as clear as moving photos that we have to carry around for life. the dark haired girl was taken away by the nuns the next day . in dublin i had seen dads carrying white coffins but she dident get a white one. she was carried away in an adults coffin. all these years i have been thinking she was bumped about because of her size. these things stay. the dead ones wont benefit from money.

  56. Paddy says:

    Ms O’Gorman. I’m not getting into a ‘ping pong’ match with you. You do have freedom of speech on this website because I allow it and am happy to do so. Thousands of people have freedom of speech on this website – all are welcome. If you want answers to the questions posed by Robert, I suggest again that you contact the groups the claim to represent people who were abused or perhaps the Department of Education. Paddy.

    I don’t use sarcasm. I think it was Oscar wild who said the ‘Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit and the highest form of ignorance” That’s no my style, never has been.

  57. Gabrielle says:

    Paddy
    Thank you for your matter of fact reply but you are missing the point, please I would like answers to questions for Roberts questions nos one to nine, i note some sarcasim regarding saying,(the abused become abusers) from what I have seen of this it is a true one,and I am pleased to have freedom of speech regardless of where saying came from, to much in fighting and biterness, you must understand this, JUSTICE IS WHAT WE ALL WOULD LIKE,Gabrielle

  58. Paddy says:

    Ms O’Gorman. The fact of the matter is that I am not a group leader and have consistently gone out of my way to make that point. If you read the minutes of meetings I’ve attended at government level you’ll notice I’ve always stated that clearly. With regard to the Memorial to people who were abused, the work is ongoing and a winner of the competition will be announced towards the middle of this year. It is disingenuous of you to imply that I’m withholding information. The truth is, I’m not. It was me who first used the phrase about the abused becoming the abusers but I’m glad to see you have adopted it. Happy New Year. Paddy.
    PS. If you have queries about issues relating to the various groups purporting to represent people who were abused I very respectfully suggest you address your comments to them directly or through their websites if indeed they have a website.

  59. Gabrielle says:

    I would like to make a comment and say well said to you Robert I would like to hear Mr Paddy Doyles Comments on questions from n0 1 to no 9 unlikley in my opinnion it seems to me these group leaders have lost their way and are not in tune with the majority it is now a time for healing also I feel this is a case of where the ABUSED BECOME THE ABUSERS gABRIELLE o gORMAN

  60. Des says:

    Well done Robert, I have just come across from other survivors who have informed me that right of place waterford branch mick walsh is on €30.000.00 per year and his son is employed there as well and this is suppose to be a support group to help survivors this doesent make sense survivors neede to be given a job not on the dole sack them both give the survivor these jobs to get them off the dole that is how you help survivors.

  61. Seanie says:

    Happy New Year Des,
    You may have seen my selection a couple of years ago (I am one of nearly 14,000 survivors) and living in Canada, I nominated Paddy Doyle to represent me in Dublin, where all the action is and he being a Dubliner now for many years is my choice, not only that, he is educated in what makes my respect for one of our own survivors friends that choice. Des, he does not need to hog the limelight, he is the limelight to us foreigners and the more limelight the better. If one is to attack limelight seekers just take a peek at the self nominated Group leaders and ask anyone of them why they have not raised their hands to an appointed non paying position in the heart of Dublin. My wish for the New Year is that we all have learned how to add up the odds against us getting a say in cancelling the Trust Fund, it has been written in stone a long time ago. A very Happy New Year Des, Paddy and all our friends here on this site.
    Seanie in the desert in Arizona.

  62. robert says:

    FINALLY
    NEVER MIND ” MANDATES”
    IF ANY GROUP IS READING THIS

    !. WHAT QUALIFIED YOU AND ALL THE STAFF PAST AND PRESENT TO SAY YOU REPRESENT SURVIVORS?

    2′ WHAT EXPERIENCES DID/DO YOU HAVE IN RUNNING AN ORGANIZATION WHERE THE MOST VULNERABLE PEOPLE NEED HELP IN SUCH DEVASTATING ABUSE?

    3. DOES THIS NOT ASK FOR THE HIGHEST SKILLED PEOPLE WHO HAVE STUDIED AND WORKED WITH SO MANY YEARS OF EXPERIENCES IN ABUSE? AS WELL AS ALL OTHER HUMAN SUFFERINGS?

    4. WHO GAVE YOU THE RIGHT TO SAY YOU ARE TO REPRESENT SURVIVORS OF THIS LEVEL OF ABUSE?

    5. WHERE IS ALL THE MONEY YOU WERE GIVEN THUS FAR GONE?

    6. HAVE YOU GOT THOSE MANDATES? IF SO WHO PASSED THEM AS LEGAL?

    7. WHO GAVE YOU THE RIGHT TO FORM COMMITTEES? WHO PASSED THEM?

    8. WHAT QUALIFICATIONS DID/ DO YOU AND ALL STAFF HAVE?

    9. WHAT POLICE BACKGROUND CHECKS WERE DONE ON ALL STAFF MEMBERS FROM THE CHAIRPERSON DOWN TO ALLOW YOU TO REPRESENT VULNERABLE PEOPLE? AS I BELIEVE THIS IS THE LAW ESPECIALLY GIVING THESE CIRCUMSTANCES?

    PLEASE ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS AS IT IS THE RIGHTS OF THOSE YOU CLAIM TO REPRESENT.

    IT WAS VERY OBVIOUS THE INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS LACKED THE ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS, DO YOU?
    ALL SURVIVORS HAVE THE VERY RIGHT TO HAVE THESE ANSWERS AND NOW IF YOU DO NOT ANSWER THESE HERE I ONLY HOPE ALL SURVIVORS ON THIS SITE WILL ASK THE SAME QUESTIONS UNTIIL WE GET THE ANSWERS WE SO DESERVE.

    BY ANSWERING THESE QUESTIONS TO ALL SURVIVORS THEY ARE THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN PROOVE YOU HAVE HAD THE RIGHT TO CLAIM WHAT EVER IT IS YOU CLAIM. OTHERWISE GO AND SHUT DOWN NOW.

  63. robert says:

    THIS BULL MAKES ME FEEL SO SO SICK TO THE TEETH OF GOVERNMENT LIES AND THE GOVERNMENT WANT TO RUN FOR ( UN HUMAN RIGHTS) ? YES IT IS TRUE.
    WE THE SURVIVORS AS THEY CALL US HAVE ARE BEING DICTATED TO THAT WE HAVE NOW GOT TO PAY FOR THE EDUCATION FUND THE COUNSELING FUND THE FAMILY TRACING FUND HOW BY THE LOUSY 110 MILLION THEY LEFT US AFTER STEALING OUR 500 MILLION FROM THE RELIGIOUS CONTRIBUTIONS.
    THREATS OF PRISON IF WE TALK? WE WERE ALL REARED IN IRSIH PRISONS SOME OF US ALL OUR CHILDHOOD, AND SOME EVEN HAD TO GO THROUGH TWO THREE FOUR OR MORE TILL THEY DUMPT US OUT AS CRIMINALS.
    NO THE STORY IS NOT OVER IT IS NOT HISTORY IT IS HERE NEVER MIND GROUPS WHO ARE BEING USED AND PAID SO THE GOVERNMENT AND CHURCH CAN CLAIM THEY ARE DOING THEIR BIT.
    NO THE GOVERNMENT AND CHURCH ARE USING THESE GROUPS AS A TOOL TO PLEASE THE PUBLIC OF MORE COVER UPS.
    STEP DOWN MR. QUINN RESIGN RESIGN RESIGN AS YOUR SPEECH WAS NOT THE TRUTH YOU JUST WANTED THE POWER OF OFFICE.
    YOU HAVE NOT EVEN MADE ONCE SPEECH AS MINISTER OF EDUCATION FOR SURVIVORS.
    HOW DARE YOU SIR USE OUR NAMES OUR LIVES OUR HURT TO TAKE EVERYTHING FROM THE RELIGIOUS FOR YOUR PARTY’S OWN CURRUPTIONAL GAIN. YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO DICTATE A STATUARY FUND NEITHER HAS THE CHURCH, IT WAS DONATED MONEY BY THE PEOPLE OF IRELAND AND OTHER COUNTRIES NOT TAX PAYER’S MONEY THE TAX PAYER PAID YOU IN FULL BEFORE THEY DONATED THIS CASH, SO GIVE BACK OUR 500 MILLION THE GOVERNMENT TOOK.
    DO NOT USE OUR CHILDHOOD OUR CHILDREN OUR CHILDREN’S CHILDREN’ NAME IN VAIN EVER AGAIN TO SUPPORT YOUR OWN GAIN, BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO SHOW HOW LOW YOU AND YOUR PARTY IS GOING TO STOOP TO SUCH SICK LEVELS TO WIN POWER OVER THE IRISH PEOPLE.

  64. robert says:

    HI TO PADDY DES AND ALL SURVIVORS AS EQUIL AS EACH OTHER I WISH YOU ALL A BETTER YEAR THAN ALL THAT HAS JUST PAST, WHERE SURVIVORS HAVE HAD NO PROPER INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT WITH THEIR LIVES, I HOPE THIS NEW YEAR IS TO BE FULL OF CLAIMING THE PROMISES MADE BY THE GOVERNMENT TO SURVIVORS. I WISH EACH AND EVERY ONE A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR, MEANWHILE LOOK AT THIS VIDEO IT MAY START WITH EAMON GILMORE BUT THE NEXT ONE ON MR. QUINN TD NOW MINISTER OF EDUCATION, IN THIS VIDEO WE HEAR HIM IN THE BEGINNING SAYING WHAT HE AND THE GOVERNMENT CAN DO FOR US AND OUR CHILDREN THEN BY THE END OF THE SAME VIDEO HE GOES ON A FLYER ON WHAT THE GOVERNMENT WANTS.. MMM WE THE GOVERNMENT MUST TAKE TAKE TAKE TAKE SO THEY CAN FACE THE PUBLIC THE PUBLIC? IT WILL SAVE BILLIONS AND PLEASE THE TAX PAYER, OOPS HE LOST THE PLOT AND FORGOT THE START OF HIS SPEECH THE APOLIGY WAS NOT TO US BUT TO THE TAX PAYER TO WIN VOTES FOR HIS OWN PARTY.
    MEANWHILE BACK TO THE START OF HIS BULL HE MENTIONED WHAT SHOULD COULD BE DONE FOR SURVIVORS, THEIR CHILDREN AND THEIR CHILDREN’S CHILDREN, WELL WELL MR. QUINN YOU HAVE BEEN EDUCATION MINISTER AS YOU WANTED FOR SOME TIME NOW AND ALL YOU ((( HAVE DONE IS TOOK TOOK AND TOOK ))) AND MY CHILD IS TOO YOUNG FOR YOUR EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT, SO IN ALL HONESTY YOU GREEDY LITTLE MAN IS TO APOLOGIZE TO THE TAX PAYER AND WANT TO TAKE THE MONEY FROM THE RELIGIOUS FOR YOURSELVES.
    PLUS YOU GOT IT ALL WRONG THE SURVIVORS MAINTAINED THE ROMAN CATHOLIC BUILDINGS NOT THE TAX PAYER, THEY DONATED FROM THEIR OWN POCKETS FOR THESE BUILDINGS AFTER THEY HAD PAID YOU THEIR TAXES. MY GOD MAN YOU ARE SO SO FULL OF ….,
    HERE IS THE VIDEO
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YqsjuiHIzc&feature=endscreen&NR=1

  65. Paul Nolan says:

    Suggestion to all visitors to this site.
    The process of selecting a design for a memorial to survivors of abuse is well and truly started. As with all other objections to survivors projects, decisions are made beyond the control of any one person or any group. This is why we are stuck with the new unwelcome trust fund.
    Perhaps some new suggestions such as a museum dedicated to children whom were beaten and raped while in the care of the Irish goverment and the Church or perhaps other ideas interested parties might want to put forward.
    Happy New year all.

  66. Des says:

    Hi Paddy,
    If you read my article you will know what I have asked you, But as usual you are keeping your cards to your chest why, does this empower you or are you on a power trip please response as to what I ask for, if you are representing me and other survivors. other wise if you have this information pass it on or resign and get someone into your possition who will not be afraid to keep us survivors informed regards

  67. Paddy says:

    My disability doesn’t effect my ABILITY. It’s worth bearing that in mind. Paddy.

  68. Paddy says:

    And a very happy New Year to you too Catherine. Best wishes. Paddy.

  69. Paddy says:

    All information will be made available when a winner of the competition is announced – which will probably towards the middle of this year. Sorry I can’t go into more detail. Happy New Year. Paddy

  70. Des says:

    Hi Paddy,
    Consedering you say you have been appointed onto the Memorial Committee that is going to erect a memorial to victims of institutional abuse, the Jury after selecting 6 competitors to procede to stage 2 of the competition, have you any information of the design planning or type of memorial that these artist hope to propose on our behalf looking forward to receiving an answer to this enquiry

  71. Des says:

    Hi Robert,
    I dont know you but at least you are trying and your perspective seems to be coming from the point of view of the survivors this is what we should be doing we need to get our heads together to draw up a plan where we put this monument what form it should take and how long it should be on public display keep up the good work Robert and I agree we should call ourselves [witness to the truth] happy new year for 2012

  72. Des says:

    Hi Paddy,
    In answer to your observation it has nothing to do with your disibillities or me feeling being left out or jealousy on my part it has to do with sharing the opertunities with other survivors after all you are not the only survivor there is 13500 other survivors out there and there voice is never heard why ? because a very small ammount of survivors get all the limelight for themselves, that is not fair play, I would like to see these positions being shared after one year service on these boards to other survivors so there is better transperency for all so that no one group or person will bask in the glory on the backs of the suffering of the institutionaly abused, we know that in the past this has been going on and now it has to stop forthwith, happy new year for 2012.

  73. Wishing you and your family a very happy new year.Catherine

  74. Paddy says:

    And a very happy New Year to you too Paul. I hope 2012 is a great year for you. Paddy

  75. Paddy says:

    A very happy New Year to you Mary. I hope it brings you all you wish for. Paddy

  76. Paddy says:

    Ah Des! Are you feeling left out or is it that you deem me incapable of doing what I was appointed to do. Perhaps you think I’m on a huge salary! This very website to which you’ve written has been going for over ten years. In all that time thousands and thousands of people have used the site or contributed to it when there was no other website available to them. Do I detect a tinge of begrudgery in your post? Happy New Yesr. Paddy

  77. nome de guerre says:

    So it has come to this and I must say I have mixed feelings. One releif is that Paddy Doyle is sitting on the committee and will certainly monitor this issiue in a manner that reflects honesty and integrity . It must be one of the most macabre monuments in Europe . A new republic that ate up its children by throwing them to clerics and nuns . The name of that dark haired child who lay dead alone in a dormitory should be on that monument .

  78. Des says:

    Hi Paddy,
    It appears you are at it again do we really need you to be on this committie why dont you recommend someone else we neede new people not the same old faces getting the limelight again

  79. James Moy says:

    Hi Paddy, will second Seanies post to you, thanks for all your hard work and support , and hope 2012 proves to be better for you and all the members here !

    Happy new year to one and all, keep strong and keep smiling!

    Jimmy

  80. robert says:

    we are not here we do not exist we are HISTORY.
    WHY IS THERE NO SURVIVORS INVOLVED? I AM A QUALIFIED ARTIST THE ONLY THING I HAD LEFT TO EXIST IN THIS WORLD, I LOVE MY ART IT IS ME IT IS BLOOD RUNNING THROUGH MY VAINS.
    IF THIS GOES AHEAD THEN THERE WAS NO JUSTICE AT ALL BUT LIVING PROOF OF HOW THOSE IN CONTROL HAVE AN EGO IN THEIR COVERING UP OF CHILD ABUSE.
    JUST GIVE ME THE MATERIALS AND SOME HELPERS VOLUNTARY OF COURSE WHO WOULD DO A GRAND JOB. WE SHOULD SEE THIS MONUMENT THAT IS DESIGNED BY PEOPLE WHO NEVER HAD A CLUE OR EXPERIENCED THE ART THEY MAKE.
    THE CRITIC JOHN BERGER “WAYS OF SEEING ” COMES TO MIND ITS THE WAY THE TRUTH IS SEEN.

  81. robert says:

    Well lets look at this memorial, 8 years ago or more I remember designing something to wake up people and for Ireland to have something to remind themselves of what it was like to be an orphan in an industrial school.
    I learnt about computers and photoshop, i designed various ideas and placed them on a cd not knowing any better i gave Mr. Noel Barry the cd to see if he could get it financed,
    IDEA 1.
    was a wall across a lane in park that people use, the passage through the wall would be a 7ft keyhole with stainless steel sheeting the same width of the wall as to blare the image that passes through the keyhole in the wall that would represent survivors who passed through the industrial school gates to freedom.
    IDEA 2.
    Was again in a park space, an alter 8ft x 6ft x 4ft made from bricks with a child’s hand emerging from it on top holding a propellor made from steel, this symbolizes the bits of round wood we found in the fields, with a nail, and some cardboard we made little propellers and imagined we were pilots in plains during the war, as we ran at each other pretending to do battle,
    This so called alter represented the religious control and the 6ft young child’s hand reaching out was the will to survive the abuse within. The propeller was the flight to freedom from the cruelty that took place.
    Since mostly boys played these games, the alter was to surrounded by posts made in the style of skipping rope handles, with solid chains running to the four corners where the posts were up-righted. Again to represent the suffering of young girls, and the need for freedom from the religious chains of their captors with only cruel intent.
    IDEA 3.
    Placing an 8ft solid key hole in a park space, made from solid steel, with lights inside the top ceiling shining down and reflecting the keyhole shapes on the outer ground of the structure, indicating the light of freedom from a dark place.
    inside the key hole would be benches and the walls polished steel just enough to see reflection but not the actual person looking at themselves but a kind of blur that their movement indicates the innocent captive lives ruined by what was hidden for many years. A kind of remembrance for the children and their families. The steel itself represents the coldness of not being loved.
    IDEA 4.
    An alter so high and a little boy and a little girl sitting on the edges back to back, one facing west the other facing east,
    With all the schools of shame written on all four walls,
    The alter is so high the little boy and girl just cannot move through fear of the collar.
    These ideas were on that cd and trusted to Noel Barry in the RIGHT OF PLACE for safe keeping and I was just hoping he would get it financed, only then did he say OH YES I AM TRYING TO ORGANIZE A MEMORIAL FOR THE SURVIVORS AT THE MOMENT.
    FUNNY THAT EH? HE NEVER MENTIONED IT BEFORE AT ANY MEETING OR TO ANYONE AT ALL.
    HE LOVED CONTROL HE WANTED TO BE SEEN TO BE DOING WHAT HE THOUGHT FOR SURVIVORS BUT NO WHAT SURVIVORS NEEDED. THE CD WAS NEVER RECOVERED.
    THIS WAS TO BE FOR MY MEMORIES IN FIVE INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS WITH ALL MY LONG LOST FRIENDS. IF IT WOULD HELP OTHERS AND REMIND THE PUBLIC TO LOVE THEIR CHILDREN AND PROTECT THEM AT ALL COSTS FROM EVIL SUCH AS RELIGIOUS CONTROL AND ABUSE. NO WAY NEAR A HEAVY COST BUT JUST THE MATERIALS AS IT WAS FROM MY HEART MORE SO.
    WE HAVE OUR MEMORIALS OF WAR, SO WHY HIDE THE TRUTH BECAUSE IF THEY GET THEIR WAY HERE IT WILL NOT REPRESENT THE TRUTH BUT GLORY TO THE GOVERNMENT, THE CHURCH AND TO THE SO CALLED SICK GROUPS WHO DO NOT REPRESENT SURVIVORS BUT ALL DO WHAT THEY DO FOR A WAGE INCLUDING THE ARTISTS WHO GET THIS COMMISSION. ALL POLISHED UP TO MAKE EVERYTHING LOOK CLEAN AND FORGIVEN.
    REMEMBER THIS GUYS AND GALS THERE ARE NO SUCH THING AS SUPPORT GROUPS
    WHY AND HOW CAN WE PROVE THIS?
    NONE OF THE ISSUES MENTIONED BY US “WITNESSES OF ABUSE” HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION AND FOUGHT FOR SINCE THEY ARE IN FACE WITH THE CHURCH AND GOVERNMENT AND MEDIA THEY ARE ALL VERY, UTTERLY DISGUSTINGLY ARROGANT AND HAVE NO INTEREST IN WHAT THE TRUTH IS, PEOPLE, FECK THE WORD “‘SURVIVORS'” FECK IT, THE WORD IS (((( WITNESSES OF THE REPORTS OF ABUSE )))) WHO ARE SUFFERING THE SAME NEGLECT AS BEFORE, WHO ARE NOT LISTENED TO NOR UNDERSTOOD
    THEY TITLED US “SURVIVORS” TO SUIT AND SOFTEN THE BLOW TO THE PEOPLE OF IRELAND THE WORD HAS TO BE (((( WITNESSES OF THE TRUTH)))). THE WORD “WITNESS” HAS MORE POWER THAN “SURVIVOR”.
    HERE IS A QUESTION? HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF WITNESSES OF ABUSE GROUP? WE ALL ARE WITNESSES OF THIS HORRID ABUSE THE REPORTS SHOW THIS IN BLACK AND WHITE.
    THE REDRESS SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE AFTER THE REPORTS THIS WAY THE TRUTH WOULD BE THERE AND NO BULL SHITE ABOUT IT HUH.

  82. mary says:

    Dear Paddy, Thanks for giving us all the news.
    Sincerely hope you and your family are all well and will enjoy the coming new year.

    As regard the memorial: The money would be better off if it were given directly to the survivors. The crumbs thei got from the redress board was just an insult on the already injured. I one of the survivors who lived my intire childhood under torture have already a “memorial”engraved in my memory,which I would love to extinguish completely,but cannot wipe away the past. It will always remain with me until I die. We don’t need extra reminders in a shape of stone or whatever. I think the money would serve most survivors much better. Hope my view will be seen by others. Strange that you Paddy wouldn’t work against a false reminder of our terrible past. Best regards Mary.

  83. FXR says:

    For a number of weeks John Deegan and John Ayres have been leaving a memorial to the victims on the rail of the performance stage inside the Pro Cathedral. Each time the small memorial has been removed by one of the Popes local Quasimodos.

    On Xmas eve John asked for his memorial back…
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34u-MfJti1Q

  84. Paul Nolan says:

    Happy new year to you Paddy. Keep up the good work.

  85. I am glad that you are part of this paddy as you represent all the unknown survivers. isint bernedette fahy the one who has the photos taken in goldenbridge. i was told to contact her a few years ago as she has photos of me as a child but i dident get an answer.it was a disappointment as i dont have photos of my childhood. well the ones who were strong enough when thay left these places are the first ones served. paddy when thay decide dont let them forget the dead ones as thay deserve thier place. the lovely dark haired little girl whos body was laid out in the dormatory. i went to see her in the night and her hair was lovely. il never forget her or the small child held under the tap in the yard to stop her from crying. she died too . thay will always be in me.all the best to all of you. take good care paddy as without you we would be lost.

  86. Paddy says:

    Seanie, you’re always kind in your comments. Be assured that I’ll be doing the best I can in the interests of people who were so horrendously abused while in the care of the State and religious orders. Have a very Happy New year, I sincerely hope it brings you everything you wish for. Paddy.

  87. Seanie says:

    Paddy, it does my old heart good to see your name on the memorial committee, Have a very happy New Year.
    Seanie.