Essex Street Site, Temple Bar Dublin -Above, a list of institutions under investigation in the Mother and Baby home inquiry
Nora at Exchange Street Lower, Temple Bar West
Names of infants buried at Tuam Mother and Baby home
Tuam Babies
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Tag Archives: Child Abuse
Repeal the patronage of the present Artane Band
Tonight before Dublin City Council meeting a motion will be tabled to discontinue the Lord Mayor of Dublin’s patronage of the Artane Band. This band form part of the institutional gulags that are directly connected to the Tuam mother and baby home, the Magdalene Laundry system, the Industrial and reform school system, the orphanages, Bethany Home and the many other sites and centres of injustice to children and women that are scattered around this country.
Please support our campaign to disband the Artane Band.
Bon Secours grounds Tuam
DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL
Emergency Motion on behalf of Independent Cllr. Mannix Flynn (IND)
That this meeting of Dublin City Council calls on the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Cllr Brendan Carr, to withdraw the patronage of the Lord Mayor’s Office from the Artane Band.
This patronage causes grave offense and insult to the many who suffered child sexual abuse in the Artane Industrial School, Artane Boys Band and other such Christian Brother Institutions.
It is important to note that the present Artane Band was founded in the Artane Industrial school and continues to wear the insignia and uniform of that industrial school. Its origins are firmly rooted in the industrial school system and its legacy of crimes against children, further it is still connected to the Christian Brothers organization.
Reasons;.
The Lord Mayor, Cllr. Brendan Carr, has continued to ignore the many who are campaigning for justice with regards to what happened in their childhoods in the Artane Industrial school and indeed the Artane Boys Band, where many young children were sexually, emotionally and physically abused, their suffering continues to this day
For the Lord Mayor and chairman of Dublin City Council to continue to be the patron of the Artane Band is an outrage and will bring Dublin City Council’s reputation into disrepute by supporting the legacy of child abuse that took place in Artane Industrial School and the Artane Band. It is important that Dublin City Council and the office of the Lord Mayor distance themselves from this band and its history, which are well documented in the Ryan Report.
It is not the children who are in the band at present, but rather the band that the children are in, and its association with crimes against children. The institution of the Artane Industrial School and the Artane Band are directly connected to the likes of the Tuam Mother and Baby Homes, the Magdalene Laundry system, the Industrial and Reform School system, the Bethany Home and Orphanage system and form a central part of the architecture of containment that was so unjust.
Dublin City Council in this instance is facilitating further harm and suffering to the many victims of child rape and cruelty perpetrated on them while in the Artane Industrial School, home of the Artane Boys Band.
It is a fact that many of those who were abused and child raped by Christian Brothers were members of the Artane Boys Band, now known as the Artane Band.
Time to repeal the patronage of the present Artane Band in the interest of justice
Cllr. Mannix Flynn
Hidden Cultures, Public Platform
Big thanks to Rosaleen Mcdonagh and the cast of Mainstream at The Project Theatre, Dublin tonight, a very relevant socio-political play.
Many layers, many themes, many betrayals, including the betrayal of one’s own body. This play needs to be taken on tour to educate this nation about our collective cruelties, our indifference, our racism and the crimes we perpetrate on each other.
This is a brave courageous work by a fantastic playwright, who has travelled the long road of prejudice. She operates in her own uniqueness and compliments the great work of Christy Brown, Paddy Doyle, the Pecker Dunne and of course Sean O Casey.
While the work is about class, prejudice,Travellers, mainstream society written by a female playwright, it’s literary scope is universal and all-embracing. While disability is also a theme that runs through this work it is extremely intelligently portrayed and given expression of great integrity and is not reliant on any gimmicks or tricks. These are proud people, strongly portrayed by some of the finest acting I’ve seen anywhere. (Donal Toolan, John Connors, Grainne Hallahan and Neili Conroy – cast)
These characters are human beings like ourselves different and equal and their pain is like our pain. It’s a deeply humanising piece and sparks off the idea in us all that we all have a bit of a flaw. We all have our abilities and disabilities. We are all prejudice to one another.
Cast of Mainstream – Donal Toolan, Grainne Hallahan, John Connors, Neili Conroy – Written by Rosaleen McDonagh
But Rosaleen McDonagh is a great playwright who won’t remain silent and fights that prejudice. Won’t be stereotyped. Won’t be pigeon-holed or marginalised, no matter what. She takes on feminism, male prejudice, class divide, racism, disability, traveller culture, child abuse, body betrayal and gay identity in one great lash of the pen. Excellent.
The centre of the work is about exclusion, prejudice and marginalisation but she manages to bring us as an audience and a public right into her fold.
I felt great coming out of this play even though its themes were dark. This playwright has kicked the door open into the light, and it’s very welcome. Anybody who has any prejudice or any doubts about the Travelling community or any ‘othered’ member of society should get to see this work.
Arts Council, Dublin City Council and all ye people out there with the public purse make sure this play gets out on a National tour – Please – for all our sakes.
This is a work of national importance.
Outstanding honesty.
Silence is Violence
Today a group of us took to the streets of Coolock at Northside Civic Centre where my motion regarding the history of the Artane Band and the Artane Industrial School was put before the North Central Area Committee. In what can only be described as a gross act of denial only one Councillor voted in favour of the motion. (Cllr Michael O Brien)
Denial ruled the day. It was an act of shocking violence the deafening silence. How can it be that the findings of the Ryan Report and the finding of serious Garda inquiry into child abuse, wholesale criminal and sexual violence that was perpetrated in Artane industrial school can be written out of history?
It is a great shame that the Cllrs in this instance chose to keep Ireland and it’s people in the dark and protect the Christian Brothers and their manifestation through the present Artane Band. The people of Artane and indeed the North Central Area need now to stand up to this shameless shameful act.
The paedophiles and rapists and child abusers will take great comfort in today’s decision by this area committee and its councillors. While we, the people who experienced this abuse in our childhood, carry a much heavier burden as a result of today’s refusal by the Cllrs to acknowledge the true and proven history of the Artane Boys Band, the Artane Band and the Artane Industrial School.
Like the dark days of the beginning of this journey for justice, we stood alone against the Catholic Church, the Christian Brothers and the orders of nuns. Sad today, that we stood alone again at the North Side Civic Centre.
We take comfort from the many people, local residents who we met, all of whom understood our issue and were fully supportive.
We thank you for your hospitality and we will be visiting with you again soon.
Truth and Justice are what we seek.
These two motions below were fully supported last month by all but two Councillors at the North Central Area Committee Meeting.
Again supporting a true denial of the accurate and true history of the Artane Industrial School and the Artane Boys Band – Artane Band. History repeats itself in the form of gross denial. Our lives don’t matter.
SNAP support Artane Band Disbandment
SNAP (SURVIVORS NETWORK OF THOSE ABUSED BY PRIESTS)
The group at the centre of the recent Oscar winning film, Spotlight have today issued a statement in support of our motion to have the Artane Band disbanded. www.snapnetwork.org/
Barbara Blaine, the founder and president of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), an international advocacy group for survivors of clerical sexual abuse, has come out in support of a campaign to have the Artane School of Music disbanded.
SNAP is supporting a motion by Dublin councillor Mannix Flynn for the disbandment of the music school, an establishment jointly run by the Christian Brothers and the GAA. The band in its current form wear the original and traditional insignia and uniforms worn by the band from when it started at a time when children attending St Joseph’s Industrial School in Artane were subjected to sexual and physical abuse at the hands of the religious.
Speaking from Chicago in support of councillor Flynn, Blaine said: “I believe that so much suffering and pain has been caused to those who lived through the horrors of the industrial school in Artane. They have been through enough. We should be doing all we can to prevent any further pain and suffering.”
Petition to Disband the Artane Band
  I just started a petition: Disband the Artane Band.
It is no longer appropriate, with what we now know, about residential institutional child abuse at St Josephs Artane, that this band, should be still in existence, wearing the uniform of that institution – St Josephs Industrial School Artane, and making statements that they are proud of their history when in actual fact, the vast part of that history was engulfed in horrendous human rights breaches upon children, including child sex abuse at St Josephs Industrial school, Artane, where the band was founded.
 We who are the survivors should not have to endure the ordeal of this band in that uniform, parading around Croke Park, or any other public place. This is a constant active reminder of our ordeals and every effort should be made for this to stop. Our lives, in those institutions, matter. What happened to us matters. We have a right to get on with our lives to recover and to heal. The Artane Band, in its present form, is a major obstacle to that process. No other band of its type would be allowed to get away with what they are getting away with. The band is still under the control fo the Christian Brothers through the Artane Music School. If enough people sign my petition, we can make a difference. Here’s a link to the petition: http://www.care2.com/go/z/e/Awo8W/zoyY/CRT_0 If there’s anyone you know who might be able to help me spread the word, please let me know. Thanks so much — I really appreciate your help! Kind regards, Gerard Mannix Flynn www.farcryproductions.ie
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Pity the Children
As the Spotlight film opens in Dublin we are now facing into yet another sex abuse scandal in a foster home in the south east of Ireland. Covered up and facilitated by the HSE. You have to ask yourself after all the issues of child abuse in this country – how could this possibly happen? How can the State be so negligent? How can the State be so indifferent? And here we have yet another fine display of mock-shock-and horror from the HSE, the Government and certain TDs. Shame on you. There is not a child safe in the land because of your failure to care for the most vulnerable. What is the famous catch phrase…oh yes, ‘ we failed to hear your cries’ (Bertie Ahern’s famous remarks)
Enda Kenny’s famous remarks about the Magdalene women with tears in his eyes? Many of the women are still waiting, many have already died. And Minister Lynch’s remarks that we’re heading towards a public inquiry beggars belief and goes to show how far removed she is from what is actually taking place here. Its an act of disassociation. … What is the point in having Ministers for Health, Ministers for Children, Ministers for Justice when the perpetrators and the enablers of these outrages will never be brought to justice? Never face any consequences and no child is protected by the State.
There is talk now of public inquiry and people being brought before the Public accounts committee. Here again, the State is investigating itself and we all know where that leads. What did our last public enquiries bring us? Massive fees, massive bills and no real truth or consequences. Robert Fisk’s great title ‘Pity the Nation’ comes to mind here except in this instance its ‘Pity our children’.
The same culture that is evident in Spotlight uncovered by the Boston Globe. The same evidence that is being uncovered in the Ryan Report, the Ferns Report, the Murphy Report, we all know will be found to have been at play here in this foster home child abuse scandal. For the many good people out there who foster children and protect the vulnerable stand up, do you hear me, stand up and show leadership here. Don’t let the good work that I know many of you do be undermined by abusers and a weak State and Civil Service. Your reputations are seriously on the line here because this investigation is going to have to include all fostering and all foster homes and protocols and guidelines around children .
The Nation owes this person and her mother an apology. It would be a travesty for the Taoiseach or any Minister now to utter such words or even the HSE. This needs to come from the mouth of our very own President, Michael D Higgins who would understand the failing of Government and State here. The President has the confidence of all the people and the credibility internationally to make this statement.
Where are all the child agencies? Where was Bernardo’s on this? They seem to come very late with their statements. Where is Amnesty International on this? This has all the hallmarks of dread with the dark hand of the State and its agents all over it.
We can be very grateful to the whistleblower here who has taken enormous risk cause we all know what happens to people who tell the truth, the honest truth and have to whistle blow in this State.
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/sex-abuse-cases-hse-admits-failings-in-foster-abuse-377142.html
Spotlight Trailer:
State White Wash
IRISH STATE WHITE WASH
The design for the Government/Irish State memorial as recommended in the http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/pdfs/ Ryan Report – Commission to enquire into child abuse in Residential Schools is seeking planning permission. This premature gesture, in the form of a memorial/monument is more of a crushing blow to truth, transparency and justice than any of the horrendous testimonies contained in the Ryan Report itself. This pseudo attempt by the State/Government of the Republic of Ireland to address the issues of torture and inhumane treatment of children in its care is an outrage in itself and an insult to those who are continuing to struggle for justice and accountability for the many crimes committed against them in State sanctioned and religious run institutions on the Island of Ireland.
Recently, the First Minister and deputy First Minster of Northern Ireland extended the terms for the http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/historical-institutional-abuse inquiry into historical institutional abuse in Northern Ireland between 1922 and 1995. This is a Statutory Inquiry. Many such inquiries have yet to be established throughout the length and breath of Ireland in every parish to uncover the truth of what happened to generations of children at the hands of the most trusted. The more difficult issues of responsibility, accountability and securing justice for the abused still appear to be a long way off. Justice is still being denied to thousands of individuals who were brutalised in institutions in the Irish Republic and few of those who did the brutalising have had to face any consequences for their behaviour. While these core matters remain unresolved, erecting this memorial is premature, a folly built on sand.
Memorials are about the past and the issues of physical, emotional and sexual abuse in Irish institutions are not yet historical. Certainly not for the women forced to toil in the http://www.magdalenelaundries.com Magdalene Laundries, nor for the children of the “http://www.indymedia.ie/article/100060 Bethany homes, Mother and baby homes, the trafficked children or those abused in day-schools,or the most recent report into the child prison,http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2012/1020/1224325505278.html St Patricks Institution Dublin, none of whom have yet had the wrongs done to them acknowledged, heard or redressed. Until their stories are heard and honoured, erecting a ‘monument’ is, at the very least, insensitive.
Doubly so when it is sponsored by the same State which was a co-accused and a guilty party to their abuse. http://www.independent.ie/national-news/the-indemnity-deal-at-a-glance-1747692.html
The time to memorialise an issue like this is only when all that can be put right has been put right. That time is not yet here.
This memorial is a whitewash and an avoidance of truth by the very people who were engaged in the joint venture of torture and inhumane treatment of generations of children, the Irish State.
“The reports on child abuse highlight how the law did not serve or apply to all members of Irish society equally. Despite the severity of the crimes revealed in the Ferns, Ryan, Murphy and Cloyne reports which range from physical assault to rape, very few perpetrators have been convicted. The neglect and abuse in these reports can be categorized as torture, and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment under human rights law. The children’s right to be free from slavery and forced labour were contravened.”
Amnesty International Ireland Report, October 2011
What can you do?
Write to Dublin City Council Planning Department and raise your objections to this obstacle to justice, truth and exclusion. The web reference on Dublin City Council website 1196/12
Email your objections:Planning@dublincity.ie”Planning@dublincity.ie
An inscription of the ‘apology’ of former Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, is proposed to dominate the tunnel. This same person is responsible for the indemnity deal between the Irish State and Church. http://www.independent.ie/national-news/the-indemnity-deal-at-a-glance-1747692.html (See also Bruce Arnold, ‘The Irish Gulag’ page 122 – The Secret Deal)
As you can see from the plans the tunnel is designed to come out at the head of a crucifix in the Garden of Remembrance. A highly inappropriate symbol to be merged into any memorial to children who have been abused by the State and Church.
View the plans of the ‘OPW’ memorial on our site at Essex Street, Temple Bar Dublin.
Mannix Flynn 