Michael O'Brien (Irish politician)
Encyclopedia
Michael O'Brien is a former councillor and mayor of Clonmel
. He is also a survivor of abuse at Ferryhouse
and came to national prominence through his campaigning on this subject.
for eight years where he was raped and beaten repeatedly. He was separated from his brother for 40 years.
at the age of 18. He was elected to Clonmel
borough council, being elected mayor of Clonmel in 1993. He lost his seat at the 1999 local elections.
Noel Dempsey
about the way the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse
had treated survivors of the industrial schools, pointing out that the allegedly non-adversarial process had involved him being accused of lying. He said the government should change the constitution so that the assets of the religious orders who ran the industrial schools could be frozen. He also spoke of how he still suffered nightmares about the abuse he suffered in Ferryhouse and how his experience of the questioning had led him to contemplate suicide but his wife had persuaded him not to do it.
He had been detained in St Joseph’s Industrial School, Clonmel
The audience applauded him for speaking out. The presenter John Bowman said that Michael O'Briens' speech was the most memorable moment in 23 years of the show.
Clonmel
Clonmel is the county town of South Tipperary in Ireland. It is the largest town in the county. While the borough had a population of 15,482 in 2006, another 17,008 people were in the rural hinterland. The town is noted in Irish history for its resistance to the Cromwellian army which sacked both...
. He is also a survivor of abuse at Ferryhouse
Ferryhouse
St Joseph’s Industrial School, generally referred to as Ferryhouse, is located four kilometres east of Clonmel, in South Tipperary, Ireland. The original building was erected in 1884 by Count Arthur Moore, a wealthy local Catholic as a reformatory for boys...
and came to national prominence through his campaigning on this subject.
Early life
O'Brien was one of 13 siblings. When he was eight years old, his mother died and he and his siblings were taken into care. He was detained in this industrial schoolIndustrial school
In Ireland the Industrial Schools Act of 1868 established industrial schools to care for "neglected, orphaned and abandoned children". By 1884 there were 5,049 children in such institutions....
for eight years where he was raped and beaten repeatedly. He was separated from his brother for 40 years.
Political career
He joined Fianna FáilFianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
at the age of 18. He was elected to Clonmel
Clonmel
Clonmel is the county town of South Tipperary in Ireland. It is the largest town in the county. While the borough had a population of 15,482 in 2006, another 17,008 people were in the rural hinterland. The town is noted in Irish history for its resistance to the Cromwellian army which sacked both...
borough council, being elected mayor of Clonmel in 1993. He lost his seat at the 1999 local elections.
Advocacy
He became a campaigner for the rights of those who had been put in industrial schools in 1999 when he went public with his own experiences, founding the lobby group Right to Peace.Appearance on Questions and Answers
He was in the audience for Questions and Answers on 25 May 2009 when he confronted Minister for TransportMinister for Transport (Ireland)
The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport is the senior minister at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport in the Government of Ireland.The current Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport is Leo Varadkar, TD...
Noel Dempsey
Noel Dempsey
Noel Dempsey is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He was a Teachta Dála for the Meath and Meath West constituencies from 1987 to 2011...
about the way the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse
Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse
The Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse is one of a range of measures introduced by the Irish Government to investigate the extent and effects of abuse on children from 1936 onwards. It is commonly known in Ireland as the Ryan Commission , after its chair, Justice Seán Ryan...
had treated survivors of the industrial schools, pointing out that the allegedly non-adversarial process had involved him being accused of lying. He said the government should change the constitution so that the assets of the religious orders who ran the industrial schools could be frozen. He also spoke of how he still suffered nightmares about the abuse he suffered in Ferryhouse and how his experience of the questioning had led him to contemplate suicide but his wife had persuaded him not to do it.
He had been detained in St Joseph’s Industrial School, Clonmel
Ferryhouse
St Joseph’s Industrial School, generally referred to as Ferryhouse, is located four kilometres east of Clonmel, in South Tipperary, Ireland. The original building was erected in 1884 by Count Arthur Moore, a wealthy local Catholic as a reformatory for boys...
The audience applauded him for speaking out. The presenter John Bowman said that Michael O'Briens' speech was the most memorable moment in 23 years of the show.
External links
- Video clip of Michael O'Brien speaking on Questions and Answers
- Irish Central: "Leading Irish church abuse figure once claimed he was never abused" by Patrick O'Connor; May 24, 2010