Chapter 14 — John Brander

An inspector from the Department of Education visited the school as a result of the complaint. While effectively dismissing the complaint, he noted that the Manager had advised him: that the teacher tended to be somewhat hot-tempered, that he had spoken to him about this and that he had promised not to be impatient in future. He also said that he was very satisfied with the teacher’s work in the school.

The author thought Mr Brander had a very pleasant personality and said: He fulfils the spirit of Rule 95(3) exactly even if he falls down from time to time regarding Rule 96(1). I do not think that this complaint should be taken too seriously in the Department but since Rule 96(1) was breached, the terms of this Rule should be brought to his attention.

The series of correspondence concluded with the Department writing to Mr Brander, and copied to the School Manager, advising that he was expected to comply with rule 96(1) and (3) in future.

Rule 96(1) provided that: Corporal punishment should be administered only for grave transgression. In no circumstances should corporal punishment be administered for mere failure at lessons.

Rule 96(3) provided that: Only a light cane or rod may be used for the purpose of corporal punishment which should be inflicted only on the open hand. The boxing of children’s ears, the pulling of their hair or similar ill-treatment is absolutely forbidden and will be visited with severe penalties.

The School Manger advised the Department in the following year of the appointment of a new principal. The document noted that Mr Brander had taken up a new appointment but gave no further information. Naomh Mhuire NS, Walsh Island, Geisill, Co Offaly, July 1966 – September 1969

His next posting was at Walsh Island NS near Portarlington. Mr Brander pleaded guilty to numerous charges of indecent assault on pupils in this school. Four former pupils made statements to the Investigation Committee alleging abuse against Mr Brander.

In addition, the Investigation Committee was furnished with statements made by former pupils of Mr Brander and two of their parents in the course of the Garda investigation. The statements contained allegations of severe physical abuse of girls, and sexual and physical abuse of boys.

The pattern of physical abuse of girls that was described in letter of complaint from the boy’s mother to the Department of Education continued in Walsh Island NS. Eleven women who had been pupils of Mr Brander in this school made statements to the Gardaí. All describe violent daily punishment for failure at lessons and minor transgressions. They describe girls being punched about the head and other parts of the body, in many instances receiving injuries as a result. Many described how their parents felt helpless given Mr Brander’s standing in the community. One girl described how he would open letters of complaint at the front of the class, laugh and put them on a spike. Many recalled him openly fondling boys’ genitals at the front of the class. They described how he would sit on a high stool at the head of the class, a boy would be called to read and he was made stand between Mr Brander’s legs. Mr Brander would then put his hands in the boy’s pocket and fondle him.

Two former pupils of Walsh Island NS gave evidence before the Committee of the abuse they suffered while pupils of Mr Brander.

Mr Rothe7

Mr Rothe, a former pupil of Mr Brander’s, gave evidence that rumours of Mr Brander’s behaviour preceded his arrival in Walsh Island NS. He recalled: It was said before he arrived that he was extremely tough and it was also rumoured that he had been thrown out of St Michael’s CBS Inchicore.

Within a week of his arrival, the rumours were proved well founded. On the surface, Mr Brander was very religious, very conscientious and hardworking. However, he administered extreme physical punishment. Mr Rothe described the type of punishment Mr Brander would use: One of the punishments he had was to hit you with his knuckles on the top of the head which caused headaches ... [another was] being slapped on the hands and ending up with swollen hands ... On many days he would, before he left in the evenings at three o’ clock he would actually count the number of slaps he gave out that day. Everything revolved around physical punishment.

Mr Rothe also gave evidence of the regular sexual abuse the children suffered and said: if it wasn’t happening to me it was happening to someone else ... His MO was that he had a stool, a high stool that he used to sit on, he wouldn’t have the book so he would ask the child to come up, the child would stand, me in some instances, between his legs and he would have you reading from the book while he was holding your shoulder and masturbating against you ... It wasn’t the only place he abused ... I can remember one day a group of us around the blackboard ... and he was putting his hands inside my clothes and rubbing himself on me while other children were standing literally beside me.

He had witnessed the same thing happening to a number of other boys.

At the time he found the physical punishment more painful than the sexual abuse. Parents were happy because Mr Brander was getting great results, both academically and in sport.