It was quite nice to get a break from the bullshit of Irish life while on holiday, interrupted only by two Sunday Indos (the only Irish Sunday paper available in Gran Alacant). Though not a great fan of that particular paper, there was a lovely photo of a bishop throwing in the ball at a GAA match in Croke Park sometime in the 50s or 60s - presumably just after the Artane Boys Band had left the pitch. What a snapshot. Two pillars of Official Ireland - the Church and the GAA, while the State's victims are well out of the picture.Needless to say, Official Ireland's belated admission of the abuse that took place in State-funded religious institutions featured highly last week. Also, the role of many Irish people who knew what was going on, and had no problem with it, was made clear. Then there was the role of the Garda, who chose to ignore complaints and even condemned young people to such institutions.
So now we have been told that the abusers will be pursued by the law. No doubt we will have practising Catholics and professional craw-thumpers telling us that this all happened a long time ago, and bygones should be bygones. We can expect degrees of Christian tolerance and forgiveness usually conspicuously absent from that quarter.
In truth, such apologists have had far too much say in the past, so should be duly ignored. Old and frail or not - just as their victims were young and defenceless - the abusers should be hunted down and brought to justice with the same vigour as war criminals.
Until that happens, there will never be closure.
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6 comments:
Good to see you back gombeen man. Hope you had a good holiday. Agree fully with your sentiments. There is one other aspect of the story that now needs to be pursued as vigourously. The state should demand that the orders involved should transfer the trusteeship of all the schools under their control to the State including the schools grounds and buildingss. If they fail to do so the state should cut off funding for the schools. We'd soon see that parents would insist on bringing our school system into the 21st century. The establishment of a genuinely secular and student focused education system is one positive result that may yet come from this disastrous period in the history of our country.
Cheers Kevin. Holiday was good, thanks!
You are spot-on. Also, we need to free all our hospital boards of religious influence.
Excellent posting GM and Kevin what a pertinent point. A secular and student focused education system is just what this country needs (well among other things).
The Catholic church should be made sell every single bit of property and land that they own, there is a proliferation of churches all over the country, they have gotta be worth a few bob to someone. And sure if their god exists, she/he/it won't mind them talking to him at their bedside.
I suspect though that the tax payer (whether they are catholic or not) will fund the bulk of the claims, which these poor affected victims more than deserve.
Ella
ola again gm must tell you of afrightning exp here sunny MAR BELLA at beach nursing the mother of all hangovers i was wearing my handmade customised KERRYGOLD thong when this gobshite woke me asking ARUUUfrom kerry he was the spitting image of a chistian brother teacher from cork that i had 30 yrs ago i jumped up grabbed my balls an ran and ran and ran for 20 minutes never looking back, i almost had a bird iam terrified of corkmen any way, the taliban could learn athing or two in cork ADIOS
Mr BH, I am breaking my shite laughing here. Briliant!!! You'll have to be more careful when you venture down to the beach tomorrow!
Maybe more neutral beach attire? I mean a green and yellow jockstrap is irresistable to any prowling ex-Christian Brother in the vicinity!!!!
Hi GM & BH, LOL real loud here. Class comments! Jaysus Mr. BH anybody would know you were a Paddy a mile off, why you might ask? Well the fact that you were wearing a cozzie at all, you should find yourself a nice nudist beach, I mean you don't want white marks on your body, anywhere, mind on second thoughts, can you imagine the amount of priests and brothers that you'd see on a nudist beach. That said I'd say you are so traumatised after your experience of today, I don't see you going to any beach anytime soon. A couple of voddies down the local might help you come to terms with it all.
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