Chapter 15 — Daingean

Physical abuse

During Fr Luca’s time as Resident Manager of Daingean, it appeared that there was a serious problem with pupils absconding from the School. Examining the pupil files available, between 1963 and 1972, 35 children absconded on 46 different occasions (some pupils absconding more than once). As instances of absconding were not always recorded officially in pupil files, these figures are not accurate and are likely to be much higher. It does, however, give a strong indication of the magnitude of the problem.

During Fr Luca’s time, absconding became such a problem that, in 1966, it drew the attention of the media, which resulted in a petition being sent by the mothers of four boys to the Minister for Education, enquiring into conditions in the School. The mothers concerned stated in their letter to the Minister: When we visit our sons we feel that they are not free to speak their minds. They always seem to be in a state of tension.

In an article in The People newspaper in October 1966, it was highlighted that 18 boys had absconded between July and October in that year alone. Fr Luca was quoted in the article : Occasionally boys do wrong and they have to be punished. They may get a slap or a leather strap across their hands. But there is no brutality ... The stiffest punishment I have had to give in two years here has been to stop a boy’s holidays ... We try to run the school like a big family. We have our own farm ; we produce our own vegetables and bread. In fact we are almost self sufficient ... We care for more than 100 of the toughest boys in the country. Discipline sometimes has to be enforced. But nothing happens at St. Conleth’s that could remotely be described as cruel.

In response to the article, a memorandum was sent to the Minister for Education, where it was noted that the Industrial Schools Branch of the Department was satisfied that the discipline in the Reformatory was maintained in ‘a kindly manner’, and that the Resident Manager was devoted to the task with ‘a genuine interest in the welfare of the boys’. A similar comment was made by T. O’Raifeartaigh, Secretary of the Department of Education, in a report in 1969: Fr. [Luca] in particular is not only a man dedicated, but a man of vast common sense and goodness. A remark of his which struck me particularly was that indiscipline (e.g. running away) should not call for additional restrictions, as it is to be expected of these or any boys in such circumstances that they will occasionally kick over the traces.

Although the boys knew that a flogging by the Prefect was the punishment for absconding, large numbers of them still took the risk of running away to escape the severity of the regime. Fr Luca offered no explanation as to why the boys were absconding, but defended the regime to the Department of Education and to the media although, according to his evidence to this Committee, he was revolted and horrified by flogging.

1.Flogging was an inhumane and cruel form of corporal punishment. 2.There was no proper system for recording physical punishment administered in Daingean, and it was extensively used by staff members. 3.The staff resorted to corporal punishment and violence as the primary means of maintaining control. 4.There was no control of staff in the infliction of punishment. 5.Corporal punishment was often excessive and was administered by staff using a wide range of weapons. Relatively minor offences gave rise to severe punishment. 6.The severity of punishments, its widespread use, and its unpredictability led to a climate of fear. 7.Serious complaints were not properly investigated. 8.Despite its rules and regulations on corporal punishment the Department had an unambiguous policy of supporting the authorities there.

Sexual abuse

After complaints about corporal punishment, the next most common kind of complaint was about sexual conduct within the School. The evidence described: (1)sexual abuse perpetrated by members of the Congregation and by other members of staff; (2)sexual abuse perpetrated by other boys; and (3)other sexual behaviour among boys within the Institution.

The stance taken by the Oblates on the issue of sexual abuse by staff was to insist that no meaningful investigation could be carried out. In their Submission, they stated unequivocally ‘there is insufficient evidence before the Commission to make a finding that such abuse did occur’. They gave their reasons for this assertion as follows: 1.All living Oblates who were accused have denied the allegations. 2.The lay members of staff against whom allegations have been made are either dead or untraceable. 3.All complainants conceded they did not make any contemporaneous complaints to anyone in the school or to the Gardaí. 4.The documentary evidence from all sources during the lifetime of the School shows only one complaint by a pupil of sexual abuse against a staff member. It was made in 1967 by a pupil in Garda custody. This allegation was investigated separately by the Gardaí and by the Oblates with the assistance of Senior Counsel. The allegations were deemed to be unfounded. 5.In another incident detailed in discovered documents from the Department of Education, a local man, in 1960, who had himself been accused of abuse, made hearsay allegations against a lay member of staff. The matter was investigated by the Resident Manager, the Department of Education, and was referred to the Gardaí who did not take the matter further.

The Oblates then went further: The Oblates also strenuously contend that to make any general finding of sexual abuse in the circumstances of this investigation is potentially more damaging than a specific finding against a named individual and would be a clear breach of the right of the persons who worked in the school (approximately 136) to maintain their reputation.

The response of the Oblates to individual complainants’ allegations was to maintain this position. They submitted: it is impossible to fairly adjudicate on the complaints in these circumstances. The passage of 40 years, the deaths of many persons against whom allegations have been made or who might have cast light on these matters, the dimming of memories, and the absence of documents directly relating to the allegations make it difficult to develop a response to the allegations. The incidents ... require a careful investigation, the materials for which are not available in the records held by the Oblates ...

Br Ramon was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment on being found guilty of indecently assaulting 10 boys. All the offences took place between the mid-1980s and the early 1990s at a college in Wales. He was on the staff of Daingean for 17 years from the mid-1950s.

From the time of his arrest, a record of the unfolding events was kept by Fr Benicio,22 the local Oblate Parish Priest. A decision was made to enquire about Br Ramon in his various postings, because of a rumour that he had been asked to move on a previous occasion for inappropriate behaviour.

Br Ramon had worked in a hostel for homeless emigrants in London. He was employed as an assistant. According to Fr Benicio, the Director of the hostel, Declan Rafferty,23 reported that he had had concerns about Br Ramon: He said he wasn’t happy about the way [Ramon] related to the residents – he either liked them or he didn’t like them, there was no in-between. Twice it was brought to his attention that [Ramon] was in the rooms of residents after 1.00 am when they should have been asleep. He tackled him about this. He became particularly friendly with younger boys when they came. [Declan] had no concrete evidence of inappropriate behaviour but felt he was unsuitable to be working with young people. He said he told [Pierre]24 at the time that he should not be sent to a place where there were young people.

On foot of the rumour that he had been removed from a previous posting for inappropriate behaviour, it was decided that senior Oblates would enquire from Fr Luca about Br Ramon’s time in Daingean, and this is dealt with below.

Br Ramon left Daingean in the early 1970s, and he wrote a letter of protest about his transfer to a Scholasticate: For close on 20 years I have devoted my life to helping in my own humble way the unfortunant boys that passed through St Conleths, it is a way of life that I have grown to love and I find it difficult to believe it has come to an end. My involvement with the boys in our care is now, as it has always been. Total ... I do however find it difficult to understand my new role ... I would like to think that you would reconsider my obedience, If after giving it a fair trail I am still not happy.