Chapter 10 — Carriglea

Emotional abuse and neglect

Serious efforts were made after the Cussen Report to improve aftercare, but there is no evidence that this continued into the 1940s.

An issue that arose during the course of the oral hearings into Carriglea was how the boys were dealt with when the School closed down in June 1954. As stated above, the boys were transferred to a number of other industrial schools on 21st June 1954. However, evidence from a number of witnesses referred to the fact that they were given no prior notice of their transfer. Instead, they were informed of the decision to transfer them on the morning that they were due to leave, and no explanation was provided.

One witness recalled that none of the boys received prior warning about the transfer to Artane. On the day that he was transferred, he, along with the other boys, was told to get his belongings and go down to the schoolyard and then he was put on a bus. He eloquently summed up the effect of this lack of preparation and forewarning on him: It was just total bewilderment. It was totally distressing. I was already distressed being sent away from home at a young age. I was just starting to settle in there when I was uprooted and sent to Artane.

Another witness who was also transferred to Artane recounted a similar experience. He also said in evidence that the boys were not informed about the move prior to the transfer and, further, were not even told which school they were being sent to. He recalled that there was no discussion or talk whatsoever about the closure of Carriglea; it was kept very quiet. He described the events of the morning of the transfer: Buses came in, we were bussed off ... Some went all over different parts of Ireland. They were friends I had for five years and I never seen them again.

The children’s feelings were disregarded on the occasion of being moved from the home that they knew and where their friends and companions were.

General conclusions

General conclusions 1. The Christian Brothers had adequate funding to provide a reasonable standard of care to the boys who were sent to Carriglea. They did not deliver this in terms of food, clothing or accommodation. 2. Chronic mismanagement, followed by a harsh and punitive regime, caused abuse of the children. 3. Discipline was enforced by harsh and severe corporal punishment. Measures taken to restore order in the School included the appointment of staff who had been severely criticised in other institutions for excessive physical punishment. Transferring these Brothers to Carriglea introduced a level of violence, in the interests of order, at the expense of the boys’ welfare. 4. The Congregation made a considerable profit from the closure of Carriglea, which could have been used for the benefit of the children while it was operating as an industrial school. 5. Carriglea provided a good standard of national school education to the boys, although it is regrettable that, from 1940, no boy was given the opportunity of secondary education. 6. There were some positive elements in education and preparation for employment, but trades training was poor. 7. There was evidence of the success of one Brother’s practical approach to preparation for future careers. 8. Documentary evidence records sexual abuse by two Brothers who served in Carriglea. Assigning these Brothers to Carriglea showed disregard of the danger the Brothers presented. 9. Emotional abuse was brought about by: the unruly and chaotic manner in which the School was run for a period; the subsequent introduction of violent Brothers to restore order; the predatory sexual behaviour and bullying by boys on other more vulnerable boys; the high turnover of staff; and the absence of recreation facilities. 10. For much of the period of inquiry, the School was dilapidated and run-down, with poor sanitary conditions.