Images of Memorial to People who were abused while in the care of the State and Religious Orders
click on image to see gallery
The Journey of Light
The proposed design reinforces the importance of State vigilance in protecting its most fragile members. It is not an attempt to find closure following the revelations of traumatic cases of child sexual abuse in Ireland. The proposal creates a fluid progression between The Garden of Remembrance, which commemorates those who died for the cause of Irish freedom, with a memorial dedicated to the young victims of abuse.
The Garden of Remembrance is composed of a sunken cruciform shape six foot below ground level with limestone walls, a large bronze sculpture of The Children of Lir on a podium and reflection pool along its main axis. The pool has mosaic patterns depicting the Celtic tradition of breaking weapons and casting them in a river to signify the end of hostilities. A cross axis links the forecourt of the Hugh Lane Gallery to the master-plan arrangement of the Rotunda Hospital.
The proposed design is an ordering principle originating where the axes intersect in the centre of the cruciform. The new geometry diverges to create a passageway through the existing podium steps and continue in line with the Irish flag to form a succession of spaces. The composition includes fossilised limestone walls and paving with a clearly defined forecourt entrance and a pedestrian crossing with semi-mature plane trees. This ensures the spirit and intent of the Parnell Square Framework Plan (2005) is respected. A universal design approach is applied to meet the needs of all users and level access is provided throughout the site for the first time.
Central to the design is the element of water which gently cascades over steel plates, symbolising the industrial schools in which many of the abuse cases occurred. The flowing of water represents a healing force for the victims and encourages calmness and contemplation in the viewer. The scale and proportion of the spaces conform to the needs of children and adults.
On behalf of the State and of all citizens of the State, the Government wishes to make a sincere and long overdue apology to the victims of childhood abuse, for our collective failure to intervene, to detect their pain, to come to their rescue.
The State apology will be inscribed in English and Irish at a child’s eye level on the walls, and in Braille on a bronze plaque at the base of the water feature. An aperture placed below the flag directs a shaft of light to the centre of the inter-connecting space, acknowledging the ethereal sculpture above. A bronze bell inscribed on the floor recalls the conclusion of the legend- the ringing of a bell and transformation of the swans back to an aged human form. While the Children of Lir sculpture signifies rebirth and resurrection, it is simultaneously a representation of lost innocence and a vanished childhood.
The proposal compliments the historical setting and centripetally draws in a number of iconic sites within the context. Its auditory, tactile, visual and spatial elements offer a harmonious sensory experience which suggests a movement forward, while deeply inscribed by the knowledge of past events. Above all, it is an ethical link to the sacred ground of the State and a constant reminder that the abuse of our children must never happen again.
Thanks Mary, I’m delighted my website was a means by which you got to hear those ‘magic word’ in the Dáil. I do the best I can to keep people informed. My best wishes and take care. Paddy.
The first laundrys were installed in 1765. That means that for all those years no one seems to know how many women went there But surely the number of so called women prisoners was very high for such a small country in those days. As for prostitutes i dont think thay went there. in danger of losing her verginity as a reason to imprison a young girl is really about as cruel as can be done.
Thanks Paddy. Your a gentleman. God Bless. Mary
Pauline the laundries existed for profit only. My mum was sent from a hospital to the laundries for the first ten years they were locked in there room. And big pad locks were on every bedroom door. In 1970 they stopped locking these women in there room.The ladies in the laundries told me what went on.I was even told my mum received shock treatment while she was there.My mum was forced to sign the adoption papers for my younger sister to be adopted she refused they told her if she signed the papers she can start seen me. This is how I ended up in the laundries as a child. The Irish government has not contacted me are my sister to hear are stories. O a memorial will be placed in Dublin with all the women that have died. As daughters of a mother in a mass grave we want her removed and buried somewhere else so there will no longer be any reminders of the evil we suffered.We be contacting solicitors. This women who spent twenty seven years has children, grandchildren, and a great granddaughter. We have all been hurt and let down by the Irish Government.
.
I see in this history the true ethos of the catholic church – a hatred of women.
What about the fathers . did thay have a say in the adoption of thier children.!!!!!!!.There is a problem in that religion is all about what men think of womens role in life. Since women know themselves what thay should do but are blocked out by order of the church leaders its going nowhere. of course the laundrys made profits as did the industriel schools being run on minumum budgets but buying property.
On many occasions the media always read out some of the comments on those who suffered a public disaster on the tv but here the Media could fill their boots with honest down right truths of how survivors feel yet NOTHING
SHAME ON THE IRISH MEDIA SHAME ON ALL OF THEM WE ALL KNOW THEY ARE FULL OF PROPERGANDA AND COVER UPS, A TOOL OF THE GOVERNMENT TWISTED NEWS AND USELESS INFORMATION ALL AIMING AT THE PUBLIC NOT TO A PUBLIC MEN AND WOMEN WHO FOUGHT FOR A FREE IRELAND WOULD TURN IN THEIR GRAVES IF THEY COULD SEE THIS DICTATORSHIP AT WORK
Hi pauline you are so right but then Fathers never had rights to even see his child be born because of this religion and their beliefs. The Religion had the rights all given to them by the Irish Government, no matter what backgrounds these religious nutters came from.
It was never about the so called dark ages the High society of Ireland claim, as this was tried to be used by Government Media and all high society, it was to THEIR SHAME NO MATTER THE AGE TIME OR PLACE AND IT IS THEIR DARKNESS OF THEIR ATTITUDE TO THE POOR THAT CAUSED THIS CATASTROPHE