Founded on Fear
Page 27
40. ‘We have, however, heard from a number of sources stories of recent punishments which we consider to be either unsuitable or excessive. In the absence of any verification that the alleged punishments actually took place or took place in the form described, they must be treated as hypothetical.’ Some of Our Children. p. 39. A belief that testimony was insufficient is the crux of the issue, both in Tyrrell’s case and in the industrial school abuse phenomenon more generally.
41. One of the main reasons for McGahern’s dismissal was that he did not marry in a church. But it was also to do with the content of his novel The Dark, which dealt with themes only too familiar to Tyrrell.
42. MS 40,545/8.
43. ‘I have always suffered from long periods of Depression, after which I would become extremely happy for no apparent reason.’ ‘During the Summer of 1943 I was admitted to the British Military Hospital (47 B.M.H.) suffering from nervous trouble (mental depression) although my state of health had greatly improved.’
44. MS 40,545/2.
45. In November 1965, Norman Morrison, a Quaker from Baltimore, followed the example of the Buddhist monk, Thich Quang Due, and publicly burnt himself to death outside the office of Robert McNamara the US Secretary of Defense. Soon after two other pacifists, Roger La Porte and Alice Herz, also immolated themselves in protest against the war.
46. MS 40,543/2.
47. As well as his letters to the Christian Brothers, Tyrrell claims to have written to Seán Lemass and John Charles MacQuaid. I have not been able to locate these letters but there are copies of letters he wrote to the Archbishop of Westminster (March 1958) and the News of the World (April 1958). MS 40,543/1. See plate section.
48. MS 40,545/13.
49. Letter from Christian Brothers, 27 March 1957, to Maxwell Weldon (solicitors for CBs), Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse, 16 June 2005.
50. Testimony of Br. David Gibson, Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse, 16 June 2005.
51. Brother Kelly. MS 40,545/11.
Book Notes
1 There is a variation in Tyrrell’s spelling of this name: Discum/ Diskan.
2 Spelt ‘putcheen’ in the Mss.
3 This word is illegible in original text.
4 Tyrrell inserted in parenthesis: ‘This is in late 1942 and early 1943’
5 ‘This was in 1943 early’.
6 Originally spelt ‘Bencors’.
7 At least one page is missing from the original manuscript.
8 Tyrrell inserted: ‘It’s Nov. 1944’.
9 This section begins with the heading ‘We landed at Antwerp’.
10 Spelt Coneyack’
11 Tyrrell could not remember the name and intentionally left it blank.
12 Page missing from original manuscript.
13 Spelt ‘RamC’ by Tyrrell.
14 Spelt ‘sour crab’.
15 There was a New Zealander named Christiansen [Tyrrell’s manuscript spells his name ‘Christianson’] who was murdered in response to what has subsequently been popularised as The Great Escape by the Steve Macqueen film. His details are: Army No. 413380 Flight Lietenant Arnold G Christiansen, a New Zealander, 26 Sqdn, born 8-Apr-21, PoW 20-Aug-42, recaptured at Flensburg, murdered 29-Mar-44 by Sturmbannfuhrer Johannes Post of Kiel Gestapo.
16 I have removed these names as I cannot prove their presence in this institution at that time.
Appendix
List of Illustrations
1. Tyrrell’s parents with his eldest brother Mick on the right. Man second on the right is unknown.
2. Tyrrell’s ‘Certificate of discharge’ from the British Army.
3. Tyrrell’s ‘Final assessment of conduct and character’ from his British Army papers.
4. Punishment in Our Schools. A pamphlet from 1955 published by ‘School-children’s protection organisation’ including a collection of letters from parents whose children had received excessive corporal punishment.
5. A pamphlet published by Owen Sheehy Skeffington containing the text of his speeches in the Senate including an exchange of views with the then Minister for Education Richard Mulcahy.
6. Response from News of the World to a letter sent by Tyrrell to them in April 1958.
7. Another letter found in Skeffington’s papers, this time a response from the secretary to the Archbishop of Westminster – at the time Cardinal Nicholas Wiseman – dismissing Tyrrell’s claims.
8. Photo of Senator Owen Sheehy Skeffington at home.
9. The only existing photograph of Peter Tyrrell. On the right is Peter’s brother with one of his sons.
10. Peter Tyrrell’s first letter to Owen Sheehy Skeffington. For Skeffington’s response see Appendix.
11. The cover of the edition of Hibernia magazine in which Tyrrell’s brief account of his time in Letterfrack – ‘Early Days in Letterfrack’ – was published.
12. Letter from Scotland Yard to Owen Sheehy Skeffington.
13. A photocopy of the torn postcard found near Tyrrell’s body on Hampstead Heath.
With the exception of Picture 1 and Picture 9, which are printed with the kind permission of Mary Schofield and Mary McCourt, all visual material is from the Sheehy Skeffington collection in the National Library of Ireland.
Acknowledgements
There are two ladies without whom Tyrrell’s manuscript would never have made it into book form. Charlotte Holland is the godmother of all UCC historians, but especially in this case by typing up Tyrrell’s entire text she made easy what seemed to many men impossible. I was fortunate enough to find Lisa Hyde and have her as editor for this collaboration. I sincerely doubt the preparation of books is always as urgent, pleasant and professional as this one has been, but this has certainly been my experience. If only Peter’s path had crossed hers.
I have been lucky enough to have been able to call on the friendship of Frank Daly, Alex Daly, Ciarán Madden and Lana Fitzsimons, who have commented on the text and proof-read it in part or whole.
I am grateful to the National Library of Ireland, and in particular to the Manuscripts department, where I spent a truly fruitful year as part of the NLI archival studentship scheme. I’m grateful to Aonghus Ó hAonghusa and Gerry Lyne for permission to use the text, but I’d like to record my thanks to all my colleagues in the NLI, especially Jenny Doyle, Ciara McDonnell, Katy Lumsden, Elizabeth Kirwan, Paul Moran, Peter Kenny, Pat Sweeney, Noreen Canavan, Evelyn Thompson, Tom Desmond and Bridget Clesham. With thanks to Eoin McHugh and Lauren Hadden in Transworld Ireland. I hope people will feel that my treatment of Tyrrell and the industrial school is fair-minded, and to the extent that it is, I owe a great deal to Professor Joe Lee’s guidance and tuition, without which I would never have been able to even approach a document like Peter’s. Professor Eunan O’Halpin, Deirdre McMahon and Hiram Morgan helped me get into the inner sanctum of the National Library and have not only made this book possible, but by providing me with this unique opportunity, have considerably enriched my historical perspective. Michael Kennedy has not only commented on the text all along the way, but gave it the strongest possible recommendation to Irish Academic Press. Professor Dermot Keogh provided me with a base and the academic setting and support. On a personal and professional level I owe him an immense debt.
Owen’s sons and daughter Micheline, Francis and Alan Sheehy Skeffington didn’t hesitate for one second when it came to allowing their father’s papers to be published. I’d like to thank Dr Patrick Galvin for his heartfelt Foreword and in the original Irish Academic Press edition and a special thank you to his partner Mary Johnson, who proof-read Peter’s text entirely, and is a model of intelligent compassion, warmth and spirit.
I owe a great debt to Peter’s two nieces, Mary McCourt and Mary Schofield, who provided me with photos and background detail. It took great courage on their and their family’s part to have such a harsh light shone on their grandparents’ circumstances and the education of one of their fathers. It can’t have been easy to deal with so graphic and
unbidden a ghost, but without their support Peter’s story would never have been told. My sincere thanks.
Finally I’d like to acknowledge my friends, family and especially the young lady who chose to spend her days with me. You have enlivened and made bright my time with this. Looking back, none of this would have been possible without my father Pat Whelan. For giving me all the chances Peter never had, I am forever your grateful son.
Diarmuid Whelan
August 2006
Plates
1. Tyrrell’s parents with his eldest brother Mick on the right. Man second on the right is unknown.
2. Tyrrell’s ‘certificate of discharge’ from the British Army.
3. Tyrrell’s ‘final assessment of conduct and character’ from his British Army papers.
4. Punishment in Our Schools. A pamphlet from 1955 published by the Schoolchildren’s Protection Organisation containing a collection of letters from parents whose children had been punished.
5. A pamphlet published by Owen Sheehy Skeffington containing the text of his speeches in the Senate, including an exchange of views with the then Minister for Education Richard Mulcahy.
6. Response from News of the World to a letter sent by Tyrrell to them in April 1958.
7. Another letter found in Skeffington’s papers, this time a response from the secretary to the Archbishop of Westminster – at the time Cardinal Nicholas Wiseman – dismissing Tyrrell’s claims.
8. Photo of Senator Owen Sheehy Skeffington at home.
9. The only existing photograph of Peter Tyrrell. On the right is Peter’s brother with one of his sons.
10. Peter Tyrrell’s first letter to Owen Sheehy Skeffington. For Skeffington’s response see Appendix.
11. The cover of the edition of Hibernia magazine in which Tyrrell’s brief account of his time in Letterfrack – ‘Early Days in Letterfrack’ – was published.
12. Letter from Scotland Yard to Owen Sheehy Skeffington.
13. A photocopy of the torn postcard found near Tyrrell’s body on Hampstead Heath.
Index
Please note that PT stands for Peter Tyrrell
Ackle (Letterfrack inmate) (i), (ii)
Ackle, Mr (i)
Afghanistan (i)
Ahascragh School (i), (ii)
air travel (i)
alcohol consumption: Ambeit (wine) (i); beer (i), (ii), (iii); cognac (i); ‘Rosa’ rum (i), (ii); Schnapps (i); whiskey (i)
Ambeit (wine) (i)
Anderson, Scoop (i), (ii)
animals, suffering of (i), (ii)
apples (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi)
Army: PT serving in see British
Army, PT’s experiences
Asigor (India) (i)
Aspel, Annie (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii)
Australia (i)
backward children, beatings of (i), (ii), (iii)
Baker, Joe (mechanic) (i), (ii), (iii), (iv)
Baker, Tom (i), (ii)
Ballinasloe: football match in (i); and journey to Letterfrack (i); mental hospital at (i), (ii), (iii); October fair at (i);PT as tailor in (i), (ii), (iii), (iv)
Barrington, Donal (i)
bathtime, flogging at (i), (ii), (iii)
Bay of Bengal (i), (ii)
beatings at Letterfrack Industrial School (i); avoidance of (i); of backward children (i), (ii), (iii); at bathtime (i), (ii), (iii); by Brother Conway (i); by Brother Dooley (i), (ii); by Brother Fahy (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v); by Brother Keegan (i), (ii); by Brother Rairdon (i); by Brother Vale (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii), (viii), (ix), (x), (xi), (xii); by Brother Walsh (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii), (viii), (ix); community knowledge of (i); cutlery inspection (i); first impressions (PT) (i); by Mr Hickey (i); infirmary visits caused by (i), (ii); for lessons, failure to know answers at (i), (ii), (iii), (iv); for lice on clothing (i), (ii); by McAntaggart (i); naked boys, ritualistic flogging (i), (ii), (iii); of other teachers (i); with rubber (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v); ‘skinning’ (beating with pants off) (i), (ii), (iii), (iv); and souls of children (i); with stick (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v); with strap (i), (ii), (iii); on Sundays (i); see also corporal punishment; Letterfrack Industrial School
beer consumption (i), (ii), (iii)
Beersheba, Jewish settlement at (i)
Belgium (i)
Bengal province (India) (i); famine (i)
Berry, Tommy (i), (ii)
Berwick on Tweed (i), (ii)
Bethell, Anne (i)
Birchall, Bob (i)
Blake, Brother (i), (ii)
‘Blarney Club’ (London) (i)
‘Blue Bundle’ (bedding) (i)
Bombay (i), (ii)
‘Bombay Oysters’ (i)
boreen (at family home) (i), (ii)
breathing problems (i), (ii); techniques for (i)
Breskins, town of (i)
British Army, PT’s experiences (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v); barracks, entry in (i); in Belgium (i); in Burma (i); daily routine (i); firing practice (i); in Holland (i), (ii); in India see India, PT’s experiences in; in Malta (i), (ii), (iii), (iv); in Palestine (i), (ii), (iii); positive experiences (i); in Scotland (i); sergeant, PT promoted to (i); telephone work (i), (ii); training (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v); see also prisoner of war, PT as; Second World War
Brothers see Christian Brothers
bullying, at Letterfrack (i), (ii), (iii); see also Christian Brothers
Burma (i)
Byrne, Brother (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii), (viii), (ix); fire at school of (i); girlfriend of (i); on Halloween (i); on Irish, teaching of (i); kind nature of (i); and tailoring work (i); teaching by (i), (ii), (iii)
Calcutta (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v); Alipur side (i); tailoring work in (i), (ii), (iii); see also India, PT’s experiences in
Caleba (ill boy): brutalization by other boys (i), (ii); death (i)
Camden Town, London (i), (ii)
Cane, John (i), (ii)
Cappagh, village of (i)
Carmel, Mount (i)
Carmody, Joe (i), (ii), (iii), (iv)
cascara (medicine) (i)
catechism (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi)
Catholic religion: in Malta (i); hell, fear of (i), (ii); mental illness allegedly caused by (i), (ii), (iii); see also Christian Brothers; Letterfrack Industrial School
Catterick Camp (i); driving course at (i)
Cavanagh, Joe (i)
Chaplin, Charles (i), (ii), (iii)
char wallahs (tea men) (i)
chilblains (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v)
Children of the Poor Clare’s report, Industrial Schools (i)
China (i)
Chittagong (Burma) (i), (ii)
Christian Brothers: beatings by see under beatings at Letterfrack Industrial School; at Christmas (i), (ii); and journey to Letterfrack (i), (ii); pets of (i), (ii); and PT’s complaints/allegations (i), (ii), (iii); religious attitudes (i); sadism of (i), (ii), (iii), (iv); see also individual Brothers
Christmas: and Brothers (i), (ii); at Letterfrack (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii), (viii), (ix); meals (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii), (viii), (ix); at PT’s family home (i), (ii); during Second World War (i)
Civic Guards (i), (ii), (iii)
Clifden (i), (ii), (iii)
Cliss (simpleton) (i)
Clonbrock (i)
clothing, at Letterfrack: arrival of PT at (i); caps (i); collars (i); lice on (i), (ii); see also tailoring work
cod liver oil (i), (ii), (iii)
Coen, Jim (i), (ii)
Comeford, Johnny (i)
Comeford, Micky (i)
Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse, Christian Brothers, counter-evidence from (i)
complaints, evil of (i), (ii)
confession (i)
Connacht (i)
Connelly, Martin (i), (ii)
Connelly, Val (i)
Connemara (i), (ii), (iii); tragedy at (i)
Conway
, Brother (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi); arrival at Letterfrack (i); physical appearance (i); quiet nature of (i), (ii), (iii)
corporal punishment: encouragement of new Brothers to carry out (i); PT’s campaign against (i), (ii); Skeffington, Owen Sheehy (Senator) on (i), (ii); see also beatings at Letterfrack Industrial School
Cosgrove, Mrs (i)
Costello, Mr (i), (ii)
Coyne, John (i), (ii), (iii), (iv)
crab apples (i)
Crofton, Lord (i)
Cummings, John (i), (ii), (iii), (iv)
Cunningham (Letterfrack inmate) (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v); as worker (i)
Cusack, John (handyman) (i), (ii), (iii)
Dakota aircraft (i)
Darjeeling (i)
de Valera, Eamon (i), (ii)
Dempsey, Jack (i), (ii)
Dennison, Angela (i), (ii), (iii), (iv)
dental hygiene, neglect of at Letterfrack (i), (ii), (iii), (iv)
dhobi (laundry man, India) (i), (ii)
Diamond Hill (Letterfrack) (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v)
dietary matters: Army years (i), (ii); bread rations (i), (ii), (iii), (iv); at Christmas (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii), (viii), (ix); fruit, vegetables and nuts (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii); in India (i), (ii); Letterfrack years see food intake (Letterfrack); in Malta (i); pre-school years (i), (ii), (iii); ‘skilly’ (i), (ii); war years (i), (ii), (iii)
Dillon family (i)
Discan (Parish Priest) (i), (ii), (iii), (iv)
Donavan, Bob (i), (ii)
Donlon (priest) (i), (ii)
Donlon, Tom (i)