Sender: The Irish Diaspora Studies List
From: Patrick O'Sullivan
Subject: Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse - Report
MIME-Version: 1.0
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Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse

The Report of the Commission is now freely available on the web site. Links
pasted in below. The full Report in pdf format is a very big file indeed -
and only to be recommended if your archive needs that kind of full record.

The HTML version is displayed with a contents page, leading to individual
chapters. Very manageable...

Almost the most poignant and distressing section is Volume III, Section 10,
Positive memories and experiences...

P.O'S.


http://www.childabusecommission.ie/

Commission Report
The Commission Report is now available to download.

View the Executive Summary in accessible HTML format.
http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/ExecSummary.php

View the Commission Report in accessible HTML format.
http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/

Download the Executive Summary in PDF format
http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/pdfs/CICA-Executive%20Summary.pdf

Download the Commission Report in PDF format
http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/pdfs/

Sender: The Irish Diaspora Studies List
From: "micheal.ohaodha"
Subject: Re: Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse - Report
In-Reply-To: A
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As somebody involved in writing a large number of Traveller memoirs/life =
histories - often of people who have passed on now - I came across =
references to the detentions of certain Traveller children (mainly from =
the west of Ireland) in horrible institutions/hellholes such as =
Letterfrack - usually for short periods of time (and for the most =
ridiculous "crimes" - petty thieving - steal four buns and get four =
years etc.) - in the cases of the people that I recorded - and whose =
experiences were recalled in the books - e.g. The Candlelight Painter - =
(by Willy Cauley (RIP) - the biggest word that they used all of the =
time was "abandoned" and "neglected" and that people's minds were hurt =
and damaged beyond recovery after their stay there. Also - if they had =
family living outside - there was sometimes a "hostility" afterwards =
between themselves and the family - especially if they weren't visited =
close relatives for the duration of their stay in these places.

=20

An eminent psychiatrist/psychologist - one of the most senior in the =
state) was interviewed on Radio na Gaeltachta - (you can say things in =
Irish as relating to Irish public discourse that you often can't say in =
English!) - the day this awful report came out - This woman was =
interviewed in relation to the whole area of neglect as relating to =
children in care today in Ireland.=20

=20

She said that in terms of "neglect" many of these places where children =
are in care are not much better at all than they were back fifty years =
ago.=20

There might not be a "reign of terror" and the awful evils of sexual =
perverts but, essentially, many these institutions still belong to a =
different century. The interviewer questioned her about this and she =
reiterated this assertion.

=20

Also worth noting that (most likely) half of our prison population =
should not be in prison at all but should be getting help and =
counselling for =20

drug/drink addiction, psychiatric care, homelessness - there are =
allegedly even homeless people who make sure to "check themselves" into =
prison=20

around Christmas and periods where the weather is severe.=20

=20

I don't know what the numbers of children in care are now - I'd imagine =
that they are high - it is not easy to get people to adopt or foster - =
constant messages encouraging this sent out from the Health Boards all =
of the time=20

Have things changed/ improved that much really?

=20

Beannachta=ED=20

Dr. M=EDche=E1l =D3 hAodha=20

Lecturer=20

Dept of History=20

University of Limerick=20

=20

=20

=20

=20

=20

=20

-----Original Message-----
From: The Irish Diaspora Studies List [mailto:IR-D[at]JISCMAIL.AC.UK] On =
Behalf Of Patrick O'Sullivan
Sent: 22 May 2009 10:02
To: IR-D[at]JISCMAIL.AC.UK
Subject: [IR-D] Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse - Report

=20

Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse

=20

The Report of the Commission is now freely available on the web site. =
Links

pasted in below. The full Report in pdf format is a very big file =
indeed -

and only to be recommended if your archive needs that kind of full =
record.

=20

The HTML version is displayed with a contents page, leading to =
individual

chapters. Very manageable...

=20

Almost the most poignant and distressing section is Volume III, Section =
10,

Positive memories and experiences...

=20

P.O'S.

=20

=20

http://www.childabusecommission.ie/

=20

Commission Report

The Commission Report is now available to download.

=20

View the Executive Summary in accessible HTML format.

http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/ExecSummary.php

=20

View the Commission Report in accessible HTML format.

http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/

=20

Download the Executive Summary in PDF format=20

http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/pdfs/CICA-Executive%20Summary.pdf=


=20

Download the Commission Report in PDF format

http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/pdfs/

Sender: The Irish Diaspora Studies List
From: Patrick O'Sullivan
Subject: Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse - Report Availability
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

From: Colin Murphy [mailto:colinmurphy[at]me.com]=20
Subject: Re: [IR-D] Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse - Report

Patrick,

This may be useful information:

I contacted the Government Publications Office yesterday, which was =20
sold out of the hard copy of the report. I was able to order a copy =20
from the reprint, due in about two weeks, over the phone, for =
=E2=82=AC20, to =20
be delivered by post.

Colin

Colin Murphy
www.colinmurphy.info
+353 (0) 87 122 6716
colinmurphy[at]me.com



On 22 May 2009, at 10:02, Patrick O'Sullivan wrote:

> Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse
>
> The Report of the Commission is now freely available on the web =20
> site. Links
> pasted in below. The full Report in pdf format is a very big file =20
> indeed -
> and only to be recommended if your archive needs that kind of full =20
> record.
>
> The HTML version is displayed with a contents page, leading to =20
> individual
> chapters. Very manageable...
>
> Almost the most poignant and distressing section is Volume III, =20
> Section 10,
> Positive memories and experiences...
>
> P.O'S.
>
>
> http://www.childabusecommission.ie/
>
> Commission Report
> The Commission Report is now available to download.
>
> View the Executive Summary in accessible HTML format.
> http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/ExecSummary.php
>
> View the Commission Report in accessible HTML format.
> http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/
>
> Download the Executive Summary in PDF format
> =
http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/pdfs/CICA-Executive%20Summary.pdf=

>
> Download the Commission Report in PDF format
> http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/pdfs/

Sender: The Irish Diaspora Studies List
From: Patrick O'Sullivan
Subject: European historical database on migrant organizations
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
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Forwarded on behalf of
International Institute of Social History

Dear colleagues,

The processes of international migration and the settlement and
integration of immigrants are receiving increasing academic attention
within a European context. A lot of valuable work has been done for
example by the European Research Network IMISCOE which fosters a
comparative perspective.

So far, a historical analysis of the organisational patterns of
migrants has received limited attention by scholars, while this type
of study may gain valuable insights in the dynamics between the
migrant group and the opportunity structures in the receiving
society. So far, only a few institutes have undertaken such a study.
In the Netherlands, the Institute of Ethnic and Migration Studies
(IMES) created databases of organisations of migrants from Turkey and
Morocco and the International Institute of Social History (IISH) has
recently published a historical database of organisations of migrants
from former Dutch colonies. Floris Vermeulen has written a
comparative study on migrant organisations of Turkish and Surinamese
immigrants in Berlin and Amsterdam, and Anja van Heelsum has
described the landscape of Turkish, Moroccan and Surinamese
organisations in the Netherlands. In Belgium, Corinne Torrekens of
the University of Brussels have described historical trends of
migrant organisations of Muslim signature in Brussels and the
University of Gent has published a study on the history of
associational life of Turkish immigrants in Flanders by Meryem Kanmaz.

Even fewer networks exist that compare associational life of migrants
between European countries. The Local Multidem network compared the
political integration of immigrants in six European cities by
interviewing representatives of local migrant organisations. Even
though their research was not historical in nature, it did aim to
analyse the effect of differing opportunity structures.

We are writing to you because we are looking for partners in Europe
to create a European historical database on migrant organizations.
This dataset will enable scholars to study the dynamics between
migrant groups and the receiving society. The objectives of this
database are:

To discern historical trends in the development of populations of
immigrant organizations. [1]

To understand patterns of ethnic mobilization.[2]


To find answers to questions related to the ecology of organisations:
under which conditions do organisations compete for resources or form
alliances.[3]

To study the dynamics between opportunity structures and factors
related to the migration group itself (migration history, social
capital, pre-migration socialization as a result of colonial ties)
with respect to the openness of membership and belonging.

How do opportunity structures influence arrangements related to the
registration of migrant organisations? Official registration of an
organisation may give access to public resources, political
participation or tax benefits.

In collaboration with IMES, we have created a database containing
data of postcolonial migrants (compiled by IISH), labour migrants
from Turkey and Morocco (compiled by IMES), and datasets of German
and Italian migrant organizations. A selective number of researchers
has access to this database.

We have posted a selection of this database, the postcolonial migrant
organizations, on the IISH website: http://search.iisg.nl/search/
search?action=transform&xsl=migranten-
form.xsl&col=migranten&page=1&lang=en.

We would like to know if you are doing research or have plans of
doing research in the topics mentioned above, or if you have
databases or data that could become part of such a joint endeavour.

Yours sincerely,
Marga Alferink
Ulbe Bosma
ubo[at]iisg.nl

International Institute of Social History
Cruquiusweg 31
1019 AT Amsterdam
The Netherlands
www.iisg.nl


[1] Vermeulen (2006) The immigrant organising process.
[2] Olzak (2007) The global dynamics of racial and ethnic mobilization.
[3] Hannan and Freeman (1989) Organizational ecology; Minkoff (1995)
Organizing for equality: the evolution of women's and racial-ethnic
organization in America 1955-1985.=

Sender: The Irish Diaspora Studies List
From: Anthony Mcnicholas
Subject: Re: Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse - Report
In-Reply-To: A
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
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Kerby
People who wish to see in this tale of misery confirmation of the =
inadvisability of the establishment of an independent Ireland can do so =
only if they close their eyes to the hundreds of cases of exactly the =
same thing that went on until recent times in British children's homes, =
mental hospitals and the like run by the British state. This criminality =
went on and goes on all over the world in places and institutions =
unconnected to either Ireland or the Catholic Church. Wherever in the =
world the history of this has surfaced (and that in Ireland it has now =
surfaced is the only glimpse of light that I can see) it is clear what =
the common denominator is - men. Men are not to be trusted around the =
weak and vulnerable where they are not closely and transparently =
supervised. Their nationality and religious affiliation if they have one =
is irrelevant. The problem is men.
anthony

Dr Anthony McNicholas
CAMRI
University of Westminster
Harrow Campus
Watford Road
Harrow
HA1 3TP
0118 948 6164 (BBC WAC)
07751 062735


-----Original Message-----
From: The Irish Diaspora Studies List [mailto:IR-D[at]JISCMAIL.AC.UK] On =
Behalf Of Kerby Miller
Sent: 22 May 2009 15:19
To: IR-D[at]JISCMAIL.AC.UK
Subject: Re: [IR-D] Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse - Report

Would it be accurate to say that in Ireland the brutal Dickensian =
standards
of 19th-century "custodial reform" converged, first, with the unusual
authority and peculiar pathologies of the Catholic church and, then, =
more
recently, with the new brutality and parsimony inflicted by =
neo-liberalism?

I.e., that, unlike the US or the UK, perhaps, in Ireland there was =
little or
no "progressive" or "humanitarian reformist" interlude between 19th and =
late
20th-century standards of "institutional care"? Perhaps attributable,
sadly, to the 26 counties' uncoupling from the UK, and, as Liam says, to =
the
consequent empowerment of the Church and a socially-reactionary, =
anti-tax
Catholic bourgeoisie over "social services" in independent Ireland?

If so, then I must admit, this is at least one instance in which I'd =
agree
with the most extreme revisionist position on the "tragedy [or farce] of
Irish independence."

Interestingly, if the analysis in the first paragraph is accurate, this
would represent a rare instance of convergence (vs. conflict) between
"traditional" Catholic and neo-liberal ideology and practice, since both
have a minimalist and authoritarian attitude toward "social welfare."
Arguably, too, both represent forms of privatization of social services.

Peter's Canadian analogies are very interesting. What about, say, the
Spanish experience, first under Franco (allied with a reactionary =
Church)
and now under more-or-less neo-liberal regimes? Did the Spanish Church
enjoy such totalizing control over similar welfare services, custodial
institutions, education for the poor, etc.? As Peter wonders, are the
patterns generically "Catholic" or peculiarly "Irish Catholic"? Italian
and/or Latin American comparisons might also be fruitful.

Finally, what about Northern Ireland? Very different, because part of =
the
UK and hence benefiting from the development of the secular welfare =
state?
But, we must remember the horrific Kincora scandal, as well. A one-off =
or
emblematic? =20

Kerby =20


On 5/22/09 4:33 AM, "micheal.ohaodha" wrote:

> As somebody involved in writing a large number of Traveller =
memoirs/life
> histories - often of people who have passed on now - I came across =
references
> to the detentions of certain Traveller children (mainly from the west =
of
> Ireland) in horrible institutions/hellholes such as Letterfrack - =
usually for
> short periods of time (and for the most ridiculous "crimes" - petty =
thieving -
> steal four buns and get four years etc.) - in the cases of the people =
that I
> recorded - and whose experiences were recalled in the books - e.g. The
> Candlelight Painter - (by Willy Cauley (RIP) - the biggest word that =
they
> used all of the time was "abandoned" and "neglected" and that people's =
minds
> were hurt and damaged beyond recovery after their stay there. Also - =
if they
> had family living outside - there was sometimes a "hostility" =
afterwards
> between themselves and the family - especially if they weren't visited =
close
> relatives for the duration of their stay in these places.
>=20
> =20
>=20
> An eminent psychiatrist/psychologist - one of the most senior in the =
state)
> was interviewed on Radio na Gaeltachta - (you can say things in Irish =
as
> relating to Irish public discourse that you often can't say in =
English!) - the
> day this awful report came out - This woman was interviewed in =
relation to the
> whole area of neglect as relating to children in care today in =
Ireland.
>=20
> =20
>=20
> She said that in terms of "neglect" many of these places where =
children are in
> care are not much better at all than they were back fifty years ago.
>=20
> There might not be a "reign of terror" and the awful evils of sexual =
perverts
> but, essentially, many these institutions still belong to a different =
century.
> The interviewer questioned her about this and she reiterated this =
assertion.
>=20
> =20
>=20
> Also worth noting that (most likely) half of our prison population =
should not
> be in prison at all but should be getting help and counselling for
>=20
> drug/drink addiction, psychiatric care, homelessness - there are =
allegedly
> even homeless people who make sure to "check themselves" into prison
>=20
> around Christmas and periods where the weather is severe.
>=20
> =20
>=20
> I don't know what the numbers of children in care are now - I'd =
imagine that
> they are high - it is not easy to get people to adopt or foster - =
constant
> messages encouraging this sent out from the Health Boards all of the =
time
>=20
> Have things changed/ improved that much really?
>=20
> =20
>=20
> Beannachta=ED=20
>=20
> Dr. M=EDche=E1l =D3 hAodha
>=20
> Lecturer=20
>=20
> Dept of History=20
>=20
> University of Limerick
>=20
> =20
>=20
> =20
>=20
> =20
>=20
> =20
>=20
> =20
>=20
> =20
>=20
> -----Original Message-----
> From: The Irish Diaspora Studies List [mailto:IR-D[at]JISCMAIL.AC.UK] On =
Behalf
> Of Patrick O'Sullivan
> Sent: 22 May 2009 10:02
> To: IR-D[at]JISCMAIL.AC.UK
> Subject: [IR-D] Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse - Report
>=20
> =20
>=20
> Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse
>=20
> =20
>=20
> The Report of the Commission is now freely available on the web site. =
Links
>=20
> pasted in below. The full Report in pdf format is a very big file =
indeed -
>=20
> and only to be recommended if your archive needs that kind of full =
record.
>=20
> =20
>=20
> The HTML version is displayed with a contents page, leading to =
individual
>=20
> chapters. Very manageable...
>=20
> =20
>=20
> Almost the most poignant and distressing section is Volume III, =
Section 10,
>=20
> Positive memories and experiences...
>=20
> =20
>=20
> P.O'S.
>=20
> =20
>=20
> =20
>=20
> http://www.childabusecommission.ie/
>=20
> =20
>=20
> Commission Report
>=20
> The Commission Report is now available to download.
>=20
> =20
>=20
> View the Executive Summary in accessible HTML format.
>=20
> http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/ExecSummary.php
>=20
> =20
>=20
> View the Commission Report in accessible HTML format.
>=20
> http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/
>=20
> =20
>=20
> Download the Executive Summary in PDF format
>=20
> =
http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/pdfs/CICA-Executive%20Summary.pdf=

>=20
> =20
>=20
> Download the Commission Report in PDF format
>=20
> http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/pdfs/

--
The University of Westminster is a charity and a company limited by
guarantee. Registration number: 977818 England. Registered Office:
309 Regent Street, London W1B 2UW, UK.

Sender: The Irish Diaspora Studies List
From: Patrick O'Sullivan
Subject: Review Noted, MacRaild on McNicholas, Politics,
Religion and the Press
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The Catholic Historical Review

The Catholic Historical Review - Volume 95, Number 1, January 2009, pp.
173-174

The Catholic University of America Press

Reviewed by Donald M. MacRaild
University of Ulster

Politics, Religion and the Press: Irish Journalism in Mid-Victorian England.
By Anthony McNicholas.

New York: Peter Lang. 2007. Pp. 370. $106.95. ISBN 978-3-039-10699-8.)

This important study suggests new ways of exploring the Irish Diaspora by
examining the networks, ideologies, and individuals connected with Irish
newspaper publishing outside Ireland. Despite the title, the book focuses
primarily on three Irish titles produced in London in the 1860s: the
Universal News, which ran from 1860 to 1869; The Irish Liberator (October
1863 to...

Sender: The Irish Diaspora Studies List
From: Peter Hart
Subject: Re: DCTV
In-Reply-To:
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Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

A website of possible interest to members is that of Dublin Community TV:

http://www.dctv.ie/main/

Its videos include a roundtable on ethnic minorities and a very interesting
discussion of 'the Irish People', the official SF/Workers Party paper
apparently far ahead of its time in reporting corruption.

Peter Hart

Sender: The Irish Diaspora Studies List
From: Patrick O'Sullivan
Subject: Book Notice, Crosson and Stoneman,
THE QUIET MAN =?UTF-8?Q?=E2=80=A6_?= AND BEYOND
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Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"
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THE QUIET MAN =E2=80=A6 AND BEYOND=20
Reflections on a Classic Film,=20
John Ford and Ireland=20
Edited by Se=C3=A1n Crosson and Rod Stoneman=20
=E2=82=AC22.95 paperback June 2009 ISBN 978-1-905785-56-8=20
=20
=20
In 1996, The Quiet Man topped an Irish Times poll for the best Irish =
film of all time. Almost ten years later, with many more Irish (and =
Irish-themed) films made, The Quiet Man still occupied number four in a =
poll of 10,000 people across Ireland. John Ford=E2=80=99s greatest =
commercial success, the film also set a template for Ireland=E2=80=99s =
representation, and promotion, for over half a century.
=20
This book, The Quiet Man =E2=80=A6 and Beyond, involves both critical =
analysis of aspects of The Quiet Man as myth, commodity and fetish and =
the celebration of a film that has sustained considerable academic =
attention and popular appreciation since its release in 1952. Among the =
topics considered are the complexity of the film=E2=80=99s relation to =
Ireland, to Irish literature and to John Ford=E2=80=99s other films; its =
perceived place with regard to indigenous Irish cinema and the =
representation of women; and the phenomenon of its circulation and =
reception as a cult film over the years.
=20
Contributors include Luke Gibbons, John Hill, Ruth Barton, James P. =
Byrne, Se=C3=A1n Crosson, Fidelma Farley, Roddy Flynn, Adrian Frazier, =
Michael Patrick Gillespie, Conor Groome, Des MacHale, Barry Monahan, =
Brian =C3=93 Conchubhair, D=C3=AD=C3=B3g O=E2=80=99Connell, =
Caitr=C3=ADona =C3=93 Torna, Tom Paulus, Sean Ryder, Eamonn Slater and =
Rod Stoneman.=20
=20
About the Editors: Se=C3=A1n Crosson is a lecturer on Irish and world =
cinema with the Huston School of Film & Digital Media at the National =
University of Ireland, Galway where he is Programme Coordinator of the =
MA in Film Studies. Rod Stoneman is the Director of the Huston School of =
Film & Digital Media and was formerly Chief Executive with Bord =
Scann=C3=A1n na h=C3=89ireann/The Irish Film Board.
=20
Available from The Liffey Press, Ashbrook House, 10 Main Street, Raheny, =
Dublin 5.=20
Telephone: (01) 851-1458. E-mail: sales[at]theliffeypress.com. Web: =
www.theliffeypress.com

Sender: The Irish Diaspora Studies List
From: Patrick O'Sullivan
Subject: Conference, RIA,
'Ireland and the Fin De Siecle' - RIA Irish Literatures in
English Conference
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Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
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From: Orfhlaith Flynn
Date: 26 May 2009 15:39:58 BST
Subject: 'Ireland and the Fin De Siecle' RIA Irish Literatures in =
English
Conference

=A0=91Ireland=A0and the Fin De Siecle=92 RIA Irish Literatures in =
English Conference
Many key Irish writers and artists were involved in the 1890s avant =
garde
(including Oscar Wilde, Harry Clarke, George Moore and Sarah Grand) but =
the
neglect of the Irish dimension of this literature has persisted. By
foregrounding the Irish aspect of Fin de Si=E8cle literary and cultural
experimentation, this conference proposes to redress that imbalance and
consider the following questions. Who were the key Irish writers and =
artists
of the Fin de Si=E8cle? What was the impact on mainstream Irish culture =
of
these Fin de Si=E8cle experiments in literature and culture? How did the =
Irish
aspect of this work influence Fin de Si=E8cle literature in
Britain=A0and=A0Europe=A0more generally? What were the contemporary =
connections
between literature, theatre design and the visual arts?

Conference Speakers:=A0Dr Eibhear Walshe (MacL=EDamm=F3ir: the last =
Wildean
decadent) and Dr Nicola Gordon Bowe (Myths, dreams or unearthed truths?
Symbolist imagery in the arts of Fin de Si=E8cle=A0Ireland)

Date: 3 - 4 September 2009
Venue: Academy House,=A0Dawson St
To register please visit the following
link=A0http://ria.ie/committees/irishliteratures/new.html
=A0
For further information please call 01 6762570
=A0
Many thanks
=A0
=D3rfhlaith Flynn=A0- Executive Assistant
Royal=A0Irish=A0Academy,=A019 Dawson Street,=A0Dublin=A02
Tel:=A0 +353 (1) 676 2570 Dir: 609 0633 Fax: 676 2346
Web: www.ria.ie=A0 Email:=A0o.flynn[at]ria.ie
Ireland's Academy for the sciences and humanities
=A0

Sender: The Irish Diaspora Studies List
From: Patrick O'Sullivan
Subject: Book Notice, Ruth Barton (Ed), Screening Irish-America
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This book has not, as yet, appeared on the Irish Academic Press web =
site. But it will...

P.O'S.

Screening Irish-America=20
Representing Irish-America in Film and Television
Ruth Barton (Ed)

Screening Irish-America is a major work in Irish-American screen =
studies. As a comprehensive study of films about the Irish in America, =
and the connections between Ireland and America forged by filmmakers and =
other creative personnel, this is the first publication in this academic =
area. Opening with works from early and silent cinema, continuing on =
through the gangster films, westerns, swashbucklers and comedies of the =
Classical period, and culminating in the contemporary era of political =
and representational uncertainties, it documents and analyzes screen =
images from the earliest days of silent cinema through to the present. =
The essays are balanced between general background information and =
specific case studies; the contributors are drawn from multiple =
disciplines, including Film Studies, Media Studies, Gender Studies, =
Cultural Studies, Literary Studies and Religious Studies. Critical =
approaches range from the analysis of archival material through the =
application of cultural theory and close textual analysis. This allows =
for a diversity of viewpoints to be articulated and offers the reader =
multiple points of entry into the material.=20

Films discussed in this volume include: Amarilly of Clothes-Line Alley, =
Going My Way, G-Men, Captain Lightfoot, Major Dundee, The Matchmaker, =
Daredevil, In America, The Departed. It also covers television =
programmes from Irish-Jewish situation comedies such as Bridget Loves =
Bernie to The Wire and Brotherhood. Other topics include studies of =
Francis Ford, Neil Jordan, the coverage of JFK=E2=80=99s visit to =
Ireland, representations of St Patrick and Irish government policy on =
facilitating incoming US filmmakers. It concludes with an interview with =
filmmaker Jim Sheridan.


June 2009 =20
304 pages =09
978 0 7165 2991 0 =20
cloth =E2=82=AC60.00
978 0 7165 2992 7 paper =E2=82=AC24.95

IRISH ACADEMIC PRESS
2 Brookside, Dundrum Road, Dublin 14, Ireland
Tel: +353 (0)1 298 9937 Fax: +353 (0)1 298 2783 E-mail: info[at]iap.ie =20
www.iap.ie

Sender: The Irish Diaspora Studies List
From: "MacEinri, Piaras"
Subject: Re: Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse - Report
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

I have found myself in the past several days drafting email after email =
on this topic, only to throw them away. It's impossible, I think, to =
address the issues intellectually, emotionally, or ideologically with =
any kind of clarity or holistic perspective. It's impossible to take it =
in at all. All of that, paradoxically, is compounded by the pain and =
clarity of many survivors' voices, which have been heard (they were =
heard before, but many people didn't listen) with a new freshness after =
this report.=20

It has already caused something I did not expect to see in this country =
in my day: a church/church split of major gravity, with the diocesan =
authorities, led by the Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin, squaring =
up the Conference of Religious in Ireland (CORI), representing some of =
the orders most directly involved. The latter are still in denial, still =
refusing to re-open a disgraceful deal some years back which left the =
State with the main responsibility for compensation while they, the =
religious orders directly responsible, proceeded to divest themselves of =
much of their property portfolios, selling high-value land at vast =
profit or off-loading schools and other services to private trusts with =
arms-length financial and managerial arrangements so that they could =
then claim, as they are now precisely doing, that such entities are =
beyond their reach or control. The attitude of the diocesan authorities =
is all the more interesting because it is generally acknowledged that =
one of the main reasons Diarmuid Martin, a high-flying and highly =
respected Vatican insider, was sent back to Dublin was to prepare the =
way, so to speak, for a now-imminent report on abuse in the Dublin =
Archdiocese itself. It is very clear that his predecessor, Archbishop =
Connell, had what can most charitably be described as a pre-modern =
attitude towards disclosure, cooperation with the civil authorities and =
the rights of children.=20

I agree with Anthony's point about men. It may well be true that in an =
unregulated environment men - or some men - are never to be trusted. But =
in a way that's the point. The Ryan enquiry could have no equivalent =
today in Northern Ireland, because the regulatory environment was and is =
different and the State, whatever its other faults, did not abrogate its =
duties and responsibilities to religious bodies in anything like the =
same manner. Kincora is the exception that proves the rule.=20
=20
I think Kerby is also right in saying that in Ireland the brutal =
Dickensian standards of 19th-century "custodial reform" converged, =
first, with the unusual authority and peculiar pathologies of the =
Catholic church, but I think that this stuff predates the most recent =
and correctly described brutality and parsimony of neo-liberalism. All =
of us from Ireland who grew up in 1950s and 1960s Ireland, or before, =
and especially those raised as Roman Catholics, know that the climate =
was one of subservience by the ordinary people and an arrogant, =
unquestionable and unlimited attitude to authority, untrammelled by any =
controls or checks, by the clergy. I would go further and say that for =
many Irish people of my parents' generation the State itself was seen as =
having a contingent, partial and secondary authority; the only true, =
everlasting and final exercise of authority was by the Church and if the =
two came into any kind of conflict most people were extremely clear =
about which had the greater right; it wasn't the State.

There remains the inexplicable question of how ordinary people did such =
dreadful things - not as exceptional acts or the deeds of the 'bad =
apples', but systematicaly, as part of a structure which was chronically =
abusive. Let's not mince words here. In effect, a cult ran concentration =
camps and forced labour camps in which more than thirty thousand =
children endured conditions of slavery and near-starvation of a =
systematic and brutal kind. Some died; many were ruined for life. =
Religious orders made money out of this pernicious system, covered up =
wrongdoings and are still in denial about the nature and extent of their =
misdeeds.

It would be easy to confuse and conflate all of the different ills of =
the system, particularly the different kinds of abuse. I think that in =
circumstances where aberrant behaviour is allowed by group norms in a =
closed communal environment, such as a prison, slave plantation or a =
concentration camp, the dictum that absolute power corrupts absolutely =
does not require us to look for a particularly Catholic, Irish or =
Catholic Irish cause for much of the physically abusive behaviour which =
occurred. Much of the savagery described falls into this category - =
which is in no way to excuse it or absolve the State of its =
unconscionable dereliction of duty. When it comes to the sexual abuse =
and the accompanying psychological ill-treatment, however, I think we =
are dealing with a specific aspect of the Irish Catholic tradition (as =
Ultan has already pointed out) - a joyless, jansenistic, cult of denial =
and the twisted forms which the repression of human desire and feeling =
took in a climate where the abuse of power was total and the abused were =
among the weakest and most vulnerable.=20

Behind it all there is one simple reality: that of class in Irish =
society. Those who suffered were the sons and daughters of the poor, =
landless labourers, Traveller children, the urban deprived. I think a =
new history of 20th century of Ireland is now imperative - a history of =
silence, lies and denial, of a lack of empathy and compassion, of =
cruelty beyond belief.=20

While the stories of some of the misdeeds in places where the diasporic =
Irish held sway have been told in part - and who can fail to notice the =
prominence of Irish names and orders in other countries where these =
matters have come to light - I am sure we have not heard anything like =
the whole story yet.=20

Although I am personally an agnostic, I think this is a very hard time =
for the many decent clergy, men and women, whether in the diocesan =
system or the teaching, caring and missionary orders.=20

Meanwhile, since 2002 more than five hundred children have disappeared =
from the official state care system here, many trafficked into the sex =
industry and other kinds of exploitation. But of course they are =
foreigners.
=20
Incidentally, one contributor to the 'El Pais' website last week =
described the Irish report as 'ejemplar' before going on to argue that =
such open-ness would be unimaginable, even today, in Spain...

Piaras

________________________________

From: The Irish Diaspora Studies List on behalf of Anthony Mcnicholas
Sent: Mon 25/05/2009 17:18
To: IR-D[at]JISCMAIL.AC.UK
Subject: Re: [IR-D] Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse - Report



Kerby
People who wish to see in this tale of misery confirmation of the =
inadvisability of the establishment of an independent Ireland can do so =
only if they close their eyes to the hundreds of cases of exactly the =
same thing that went on until recent times in British children's homes, =
mental hospitals and the like run by the British state. This criminality =
went on and goes on all over the world in places and institutions =
unconnected to either Ireland or the Catholic Church. Wherever in the =
world the history of this has surfaced (and that in Ireland it has now =
surfaced is the only glimpse of light that I can see) it is clear what =
the common denominator is - men. Men are not to be trusted around the =
weak and vulnerable where they are not closely and transparently =
supervised. Their nationality and religious affiliation if they have one =
is irrelevant. The problem is men.
anthony

Dr Anthony McNicholas
CAMRI
University of Westminster
Harrow Campus
Watford Road
Harrow
HA1 3TP
0118 948 6164 (BBC WAC)
07751 062735


-----Original Message-----
From: The Irish Diaspora Studies List [mailto:IR-D[at]JISCMAIL.AC.UK] On =
Behalf Of Kerby Miller
Sent: 22 May 2009 15:19
To: IR-D[at]JISCMAIL.AC.UK
Subject: Re: [IR-D] Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse - Report

Would it be accurate to say that in Ireland the brutal Dickensian =
standards
of 19th-century "custodial reform" converged, first, with the unusual
authority and peculiar pathologies of the Catholic church and, then, =
more
recently, with the new brutality and parsimony inflicted by =
neo-liberalism?

I.e., that, unlike the US or the UK, perhaps, in Ireland there was =
little or
no "progressive" or "humanitarian reformist" interlude between 19th and =
late
20th-century standards of "institutional care"? Perhaps attributable,
sadly, to the 26 counties' uncoupling from the UK, and, as Liam says, to =
the
consequent empowerment of the Church and a socially-reactionary, =
anti-tax
Catholic bourgeoisie over "social services" in independent Ireland?

If so, then I must admit, this is at least one instance in which I'd =
agree
with the most extreme revisionist position on the "tragedy [or farce] of
Irish independence."

Interestingly, if the analysis in the first paragraph is accurate, this
would represent a rare instance of convergence (vs. conflict) between
"traditional" Catholic and neo-liberal ideology and practice, since both
have a minimalist and authoritarian attitude toward "social welfare."
Arguably, too, both represent forms of privatization of social services.

Peter's Canadian analogies are very interesting. What about, say, the
Spanish experience, first under Franco (allied with a reactionary =
Church)
and now under more-or-less neo-liberal regimes? Did the Spanish Church
enjoy such totalizing control over similar welfare services, custodial
institutions, education for the poor, etc.? As Peter wonders, are the
patterns generically "Catholic" or peculiarly "Irish Catholic"? Italian
and/or Latin American comparisons might also be fruitful.

Finally, what about Northern Ireland? Very different, because part of =
the
UK and hence benefiting from the development of the secular welfare =
state?
But, we must remember the horrific Kincora scandal, as well. A one-off =
or
emblematic? =20

Kerby =20


On 5/22/09 4:33 AM, "micheal.ohaodha" wrote:

> As somebody involved in writing a large number of Traveller =
memoirs/life
> histories - often of people who have passed on now - I came across =
references
> to the detentions of certain Traveller children (mainly from the west =
of
> Ireland) in horrible institutions/hellholes such as Letterfrack - =
usually for
> short periods of time (and for the most ridiculous "crimes" - petty =
thieving -
> steal four buns and get four years etc.) - in the cases of the people =
that I
> recorded - and whose experiences were recalled in the books - e.g. The
> Candlelight Painter - (by Willy Cauley (RIP) - the biggest word that =
they
> used all of the time was "abandoned" and "neglected" and that people's =
minds
> were hurt and damaged beyond recovery after their stay there. Also - =
if they
> had family living outside - there was sometimes a "hostility" =
afterwards
> between themselves and the family - especially if they weren't visited =
close
> relatives for the duration of their stay in these places.
>
>=20
>
> An eminent psychiatrist/psychologist - one of the most senior in the =
state)
> was interviewed on Radio na Gaeltachta - (you can say things in Irish =
as
> relating to Irish public discourse that you often can't say in =
English!) - the
> day this awful report came out - This woman was interviewed in =
relation to the
> whole area of neglect as relating to children in care today in =
Ireland.
>
>=20
>
> She said that in terms of "neglect" many of these places where =
children are in
> care are not much better at all than they were back fifty years ago.
>
> There might not be a "reign of terror" and the awful evils of sexual =
perverts
> but, essentially, many these institutions still belong to a different =
century.
> The interviewer questioned her about this and she reiterated this =
assertion.
>
>=20
>
> Also worth noting that (most likely) half of our prison population =
should not
> be in prison at all but should be getting help and counselling for
>
> drug/drink addiction, psychiatric care, homelessness - there are =
allegedly
> even homeless people who make sure to "check themselves" into prison
>
> around Christmas and periods where the weather is severe.
>
>=20
>
> I don't know what the numbers of children in care are now - I'd =
imagine that
> they are high - it is not easy to get people to adopt or foster - =
constant
> messages encouraging this sent out from the Health Boards all of the =
time
>
> Have things changed/ improved that much really?
>
>=20
>
> Beannachta=ED
>
> Dr. M=EDche=E1l =D3 hAodha
>
> Lecturer
>
> Dept of History
>
> University of Limerick
>
>=20
>
>=20
>
>=20
>
>=20
>
>=20
>
>=20
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: The Irish Diaspora Studies List [mailto:IR-D[at]JISCMAIL.AC.UK] On =
Behalf
> Of Patrick O'Sullivan
> Sent: 22 May 2009 10:02
> To: IR-D[at]JISCMAIL.AC.UK
> Subject: [IR-D] Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse - Report
>
>=20
>
> Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse
>
>=20
>
> The Report of the Commission is now freely available on the web site. =
Links
>
> pasted in below. The full Report in pdf format is a very big file =
indeed -
>
> and only to be recommended if your archive needs that kind of full =
record.
>
>=20
>
> The HTML version is displayed with a contents page, leading to =
individual
>
> chapters. Very manageable...
>
>=20
>
> Almost the most poignant and distressing section is Volume III, =
Section 10,
>
> Positive memories and experiences...
>
>=20
>
> P.O'S.
>
>=20
>
>=20
>
> http://www.childabusecommission.ie/
>
>=20
>
> Commission Report
>
> The Commission Report is now available to download.
>
>=20
>
> View the Executive Summary in accessible HTML format.
>
> http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/ExecSummary.php
>
>=20
>
> View the Commission Report in accessible HTML format.
>
> http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/
>
>=20
>
> Download the Executive Summary in PDF format
>
> =
http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/pdfs/CICA-Executive%20Summary.pdf=

>
>=20
>
> Download the Commission Report in PDF format
>
> http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/pdfs/

--
The University of Westminster is a charity and a company limited by
guarantee. Registration number: 977818 England. Registered Office:
309 Regent Street, London W1B 2UW, UK.

Sender: The Irish Diaspora Studies List
From: D C Rose
Subject: Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse - Report
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Forgive me if this question sounds fausse-naive - I have not been able to
follow the subject save through the fine contributions on IR-D - but is
anything being said about conditions in Protestant orphanages ?

David

Sender: The Irish Diaspora Studies List
From: Patrick O'Sullivan
Subject: Book Notice, Philip O'Sullivan Beare,
The Natural History of Ireland, introduction by Denis O'Sullivan
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Forwarded on behalf of
Mike.Collins[at]ucc.ie [mailto:Mike.Collins[at]ucc.ie]=20
Subject: Manuscript missing for 300 years describes Ireland's natural =
history

Dear Patrick

Philip O'Sullivan Beare, who was from West Cork, wrote the Zoilomastix =
in 1626 while he was in exile in Spain to refute a book written in 1188 =
by Giraldus Cambrensis, which was very derogatory of Ireland and the =
Irish people. Cambrensis's book underwent a revival at the end of the =
sixteenth century as a form of propaganda to justify the Elizabethan =
conquest and cruel suppression of Ireland. The English wanted to give =
the impression that the Irish were barbarous so that Spain and France =
would not send help to support the Irish rebellions against the English. =
-The Natural History of Ireland (ISBN 978 185918 439 4, hbk, 384 pp, =
234 x 156mm, =E2=82=AC39/=C2=A335).

The handwritten manuscript of the Zoilomastix was lost for nearly 300 =
years; it was found at the University of Uppsala, Sweden in 1932. The =
manuscript was written in Latin and it appears here for the first time =
in English. The Natural History of Ireland highlights Philip O'Sullivan =
Beare's reaction to these propagandist texts denigrating Ireland. The =
book starts with a description of Ireland from twenty-one authors =
followed by sections on the natural habitat and features, such as =
rivers, plants, animals, fish and birds and the geology of Ireland. =
Species listed are named in four languages, including Irish. There is a =
description of Ireland by the regions. The book finishes with a section =
on the purgatory of St Patrick's including a description of how St =
Patrick expelled snakes from Ireland. An introduction by Denis =
O'Sullivan gives an overall history of the O'Sullivans and Philip in =
particular.

The Natural History of Ireland will be launched by Dr Michael Murphy, =
President of University College Cork, on Wednesday May 27th at 6.30 pm =
in University College Cork.

Denis C. O'Sullivan was a consultant urologist at Cork University =
Hospital and the Bon Secours Hospital in Cork and a Clinical Lecturer in =
Urology at University College Cork. After retirement he graduated in =
Ancient Classics from University College Cork.


Regards

Mike

Mike Collins
Publications Director

For more information about Natural History of Ireland please contact:
Mike Collins, Cork University Press, Youngline Industrial Estate, =
Pouladuff Road, Cork, Ireland
Tel: 00 353 (0) 21 490 2980 Fax: 00 353 (0) 21 431 5329
Email: mike.collins[at]ucc.ie web: www.corkuniversitypress.com

Sender: The Irish Diaspora Studies List
From: Patrick O'Sullivan
Subject: Book Notice, O'Brien and Rogers, AFTER THE FLOOD: Irish America,
1945-60
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
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Not yet on the publisher web site - but it is listed on Amazon...

P.O'S.

After the Flood=20
Irish America, 1945-60
by Matthew O'Brien (Editor), James Silas Rogers (Editor)=20

Hardcover: 276 pages
Publisher: Irish Academic Press (July 14, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0716529874
ISBN-13: 978-0716529873

AFTER THE FLOOD:=20
Irish America, 1945-60

About the Authors

Introduction
Matthew J. O=92Brien and James Silas Rogers


PART ONE: THE SEARCH FOR CONTINUITIES

1 Dance Halls of Romance and Culchies in Tuxedos: Irish Traditional =
Music in
America and the 1950s
Gearoid =D3 hAllmhur=E1in=20

2 Playing =91Irish=92 Sport on Baseball=92s Hallowed Ground: The 1947 =
All-Ireland
Gaelic Football Final
Sara Brady =20

3 =91The Irish Movement in this Country is Now Moribund=92: The =
Anti-Partition
Campaign of 1948-51 in the United States
Troy D. Davis


PART TWO: RESPONSES TO SOCIAL CHANGE

4 =91Hibernians on the March=92: Irish-American Ethnicity and the Cold =
War =20
Matthew J. O=92Brien

5 Shamrocks and Segregation: The Persistence of Upper-Class Irish =
Ethnicity
in Beverly Hills, Chicago
Margaret Lee
=20
6 Irish New Yorkers and the Puerto Rican Migration
Eileen Anderson =20

7 From =91Peace and Freedom=92 to =91Peace and Quiet=92: The Quiet Man =
as a Product
of the 1950s =20
Edward A. Hagan

8 Ahead of Their Time: Irish-American Women Writers, 1945-60=20
Sally Barr Ebest

=20
PART THREE: RE-ARTICULATING THE MEANINGS OF IRISHNESS

9 Ireland as a Past Life: Bridey Murphy and Irish-American Tourism to
Ireland, 1945-1960
Stephanie Rains

10 Ignorable Irishry: Leprechauns and Postwar American Satire
James Silas Rogers

11 Unnatural Law: William McGivern=92s Rogue Cops
Tony Tracy

12 Beyond St. Malachi=92s, There is Nothing: Edward McSorley and the
Persistence of Tradition =20
Christopher Shannon

13 Present at the Creation: John V. Kelleher and the Emergence of Irish
Studies in America
Charles Fanning=20

Notes

Index

Sender: The Irish Diaspora Studies List
From: Patrick O'Sullivan
Subject: Swampy plethora
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

We have been swamped by error messages over the past few days. Every Ir-D
message sent out is generating a plethora - I have not seen so many for
quite a while. But it is the old culprits, full mailboxes from the old
style universities, and over exacting spam prevention.

I will analyse and chase...

And I will see what happens to this message.

If we get another plethora expect silence for a little while.

P.O'S.

Sender: The Irish Diaspora Studies List
From: Liam Greenslade
Subject: Re: Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse - Report
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Like Piaras, I too have found myself rendered increasingly inarticulate
by the revelations emerging since the publication of the Commission report.

The following clip from Questions and Answers conveys both the trauma
and the sickening lack of compassion of both church and state for the
victims of this regime. It also highlights the shameless way in which
the Irish state continued to foot the bill and protect the evil that
was done in protecting child-molesters and abusers from both the
consequences and the costs of their behaviour. Noel Dempsey's expression
(or lack of it) speaks volumes in this regard.

http://bocktherobber.com/2009/05/questiona-and-answers-clerical-rape-victim-confronts-minister

In explaining the behaviour or both clerics and politicians, we need to
look into a political, cultural and economic project that was instituted
in the mid-19th Century and realised in 1922. It is implicit in the work
alluded to by writers such as Tom Inglis in Moral Monopoly and Jim Mac
Laughlin in various papers over the last decade: Namely, the idea that
nation-building in an Irish context required a Khmer Rouge-like policy
of weeding out the deviant and unfit to produce a population fit to live
up to the patriotic ideals of the native bourgeoisie. What emigration
couldn't remove amongst the lower orders, the Church would correct and
what it couldn't correct it would quarantine in National Schools and
Magdalene Homes.

The Church still dominates the welfare, health and education system in
Ireland; practically, ideologically and morally. The Sisters of Mercy
have just been placed in charge of the nation's principal children's
hospital, for example, as if their activities at Goldenbridge, Clifden
and Newtownforbes were just a passing aberration rather than an
institutional characteristic. What is needed here is not an apology, not
some smug PR exercise on behalf of the bishops, what is needed is a
reformation on a 16th Century scale, the complete removal of the church
from all aspects of institutional life and its relegation to the back
ward of Irish civil society and history.

Liam

Sender: The Irish Diaspora Studies List
From: Jim McAuley
Subject: Re: Swampy plethora
In-Reply-To:
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
MIME-Version: 1.0

Hi Paddy,

I was wondering if it was generated by academics putting 'out of office' me=
ssages on their system over the bank holiday weekend? If so I fear I was on=
e who did so.

Best wishes,

Jim
James W. McAuley BSc PhD

Professor of Political Sociology and Irish Studies,
Director of Research,
School of Human & Health Sciences,
University of Huddersfield, UK

Telephone: 0044 (0)1484-472691 [direct line]
0044(0)1484 - 422288 [switchboard]
0044(0)1484 - 471156 [secretary]
Web: http://www2.hud.ac.uk/hhs/
________________________________________
From: The Irish Diaspora Studies List [IR-D[at]JISCMAIL.AC.UK] On Behalf Of Pa=
trick O'Sullivan [P.OSullivan[at]BRADFORD.AC.UK]
Sent: 27 May 2009 10:55
To: IR-D[at]JISCMAIL.AC.UK
Subject: [IR-D] Swampy plethora

We have been swamped by error messages over the past few days. Every Ir-D
message sent out is generating a plethora - I have not seen so many for
quite a while. But it is the old culprits, full mailboxes from the old
style universities, and over exacting spam prevention.

I will analyse and chase...

And I will see what happens to this message.

If we get another plethora expect silence for a little while.

P.O'S.


---
This transmission is confidential and may be legally privileged. If you rec=
eive it in error, please notify us immediately by e-mail and remove it from=
your system. If the content of this e-mail does not relate to the business=
of the University of Huddersfield, then we do not endorse it and will acce=
pt no liability.

Sender: The Irish Diaspora Studies List
From: Muiris Mag Ualghairg
Subject: Re: Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse - Report
In-Reply-To:
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Just to add that we shouldn't forget that the state which developed
after 1922, and its mores and values, were not necessarily the
realisation of the 'nationalist project' and didn=92t not follow a
'Khmer Rouge' style policy of change but was in essence a greening of
the British State as it had existed in Ireland until that time. Yes,
the post boxes were repainted and yes the state now espoused (but not
as much more than lip service) a desire to re-establish the Irish
language as the language of the state but in the realm of law - and it
is the law which should have protected these young people, it remained
(and still remains) very largely within the Common Law tradition, and,
as it has already been pointed out, this type of abuse was not limited
to Ireland, it happened in the UK as well and in many other countries.
The fact that Ireland has been willing to expose its soul on this and
face up to what has happened has thrown a spotlight on Ireland but I'm
sure that lurking in the shadows in most countries of the world are
similar stories, but in their case we can't blame the behaviour on a
political project that originated in the 19th century but must just
accept that there are some terrible people about and in order to
protect the most vulnerable, in what ever country, we need to have
strong laws, we need to have people who are willing to enforce those
laws and we need to treasure children. That these were lacking for so
long is not uniquely Irish nor is it a result of Irish nationalism!

Muiris

2009/5/27 Liam Greenslade :
> Like Piaras, I too have found myself rendered increasingly inarticulate b=
y
> the revelations emerging since the publication of the Commission report.
>
> The following clip from Questions and Answers conveys both the trauma and
> the sickening lack of compassion of both church and state for the victims=
of
> this regime. It also highlights the shameless way in which the Irish stat=
e
> continued to foot the bill =A0and protect =A0the evil that was done =A0in
> protecting child-molesters and abusers from both the consequences and the
> costs of their behaviour. Noel Dempsey's expression (or lack of it) speak=
s
> volumes in this regard.
>
> http://bocktherobber.com/2009/05/questiona-and-answers-clerical-rape-vict=
im-confronts-minister
>
> In explaining the behaviour or both clerics and politicians, we need to l=
ook
> into a political, cultural and economic project that was instituted in th=
e
> mid-19th Century and realised in 1922. It is implicit in the work alluded=
to
> by writers such as Tom Inglis in Moral Monopoly and Jim Mac Laughlin in
> various papers over the last decade: Namely, the idea that nation-buildin=
g
> in an Irish context required a Khmer Rouge-like policy of weeding out the
> deviant and unfit to produce a population fit to live up to the patriotic
> ideals of the native bourgeoisie. =A0What emigration couldn't remove amon=
gst
> the lower orders, the Church would correct and what it couldn't correct i=
t
> would quarantine in National Schools and Magdalene Homes.
> The Church still dominates the welfare, health and education system in
> Ireland; practically, ideologically and morally. The Sisters of Mercy hav=
e
> just been placed in charge of the nation's principal children's hospital,
> for example, as if their activities at Goldenbridge, Clifden and
> Newtownforbes were just a passing aberration rather than an institutional
> characteristic. What is needed here is not an apology, not some smug PR
> exercise on behalf of the bishops, what is needed is a reformation on a 1=
6th
> Century scale, the complete removal of the church from all aspects of
> institutional life and its relegation to the back ward of Irish civil
> society and history.
>
> Liam
>

Sender: The Irish Diaspora Studies List
From: Ultan Cowley
Subject: Re: Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse - Report
In-Reply-To:
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Piaras and Liam are getting to the nub of it - class! A nation of servants,=
given its freedom after eight centuries, will inevitable indulge the flaws=
in its character...

Anyone who has lived in close proximity to country people here will know th=
e disparaging and contemptuous tone in which the term 'cottier' was and is =
used by those owning land. That thinking survived amongst those of their ch=
ildren who educated themselves off the land and into public service and the=
professions. It informed the attitude of the so-called middle class to emi=
gration and found infamous expression in Alexis Fitxgerald's remarks in the=
report of the Commission on Emigration (1954):
'In the order of values, it seems more important to to preserve and improve=
the quality of Irish life, and thereby the purity of that message (Christi=
anity) which our people have communicated to the world, than it is to reduc=
e the number of Irish emigrants...High emigration, granted a population exc=
ess (2.8 million?), releases social tensions which would otherwise explode =
and makes possible a stability of manners and customs which would otherwise=
be the subject of radical change.' My brackets

Even though, as I stated at the outset, I experienced a Christian Brothers =
Boarding School education in the 1950s, and knew what two of my half-sister=
's children went through in so-called Industrial Schools (the eldest, a gif=
ted artist and musician, died last year of liver failure in a Dublin hostel=
after decades of alcoholism induced by his childhood trauma), and even tho=
ugh I knew that the aberrant behaviour of many Irish men in the British con=
struction industry had its roots in their ('normal') childhood conditioning=
in Ireland, its only now,setting this down tonight, that the full irony an=
d import of that man's words is being brought home to me...

Piaras is right: a new and forensic history of post-Independence Ireland ne=
eds to be written - but I doubt it will!

Ultan
=20
----- "Piaras MacEinri" wrote:
> I have found myself in the past several days drafting email after
> email on this topic, only to throw them away. It's impossible, I
> think, to address the issues intellectually, emotionally, or
> ideologically with any kind of clarity or holistic perspective. It's
> impossible to take it in at all. All of that, paradoxically, is
> compounded by the pain and clarity of many survivors' voices, which
> have been heard (they were heard before, but many people didn't
> listen) with a new freshness after this report.=20
>=20
> It has already caused something I did not expect to see in this
> country in my day: a church/church split of major gravity, with the
> diocesan authorities, led by the Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin,
> squaring up the Conference of Religious in Ireland (CORI),
> representing some of the orders most directly involved. The latter are
> still in denial, still refusing to re-open a disgraceful deal some
> years back which left the State with the main responsibility for
> compensation while they, the religious orders directly responsible,
> proceeded to divest themselves of much of their property portfolios,
> selling high-value land at vast profit or off-loading schools and
> other services to private trusts with arms-length financial and
> managerial arrangements so that they could then claim, as they are now
> precisely doing, that such entities are beyond their reach or control.
> The attitude of the diocesan authorities is all the more interesting
> because it is generally acknowledged that one of the main reasons
> Diarmuid Martin, a high-flying and highly respected Vatican insider,
> was sent back to Dublin was to prepare the way, so to speak, for a
> now-imminent report on abuse in the Dublin Archdiocese itself. It is
> very clear that his predecessor, Archbishop Connell, had what can most
> charitably be described as a pre-modern attitude towards disclosure,
> cooperation with the civil authorities and the rights of children.=20
>=20
> I agree with Anthony's point about men. It may well be true that in an
> unregulated environment men - or some men - are never to be trusted.
> But in a way that's the point. The Ryan enquiry could have no
> equivalent today in Northern Ireland, because the regulatory
> environment was and is different and the State, whatever its other
> faults, did not abrogate its duties and responsibilities to religious
> bodies in anything like the same manner. Kincora is the exception that
> proves the rule.=20
> =20
> I think Kerby is also right in saying that in Ireland the brutal
> Dickensian standards of 19th-century "custodial reform" converged,
> first, with the unusual authority and peculiar pathologies of the
> Catholic church, but I think that this stuff predates the most recent
> and correctly described brutality and parsimony of neo-liberalism. All
> of us from Ireland who grew up in 1950s and 1960s Ireland, or before,
> and especially those raised as Roman Catholics, know that the climate
> was one of subservience by the ordinary people and an arrogant,
> unquestionable and unlimited attitude to authority, untrammelled by
> any controls or checks, by the clergy. I would go further and say that
> for many Irish people of my parents' generation the State itself was
> seen as having a contingent, partial and secondary authority; the only
> true, everlasting and final exercise of authority was by the Church
> and if the two came into any kind of conflict most people were
> extremely clear about which had the greater right; it wasn't the
> State.
>=20
> There remains the inexplicable question of how ordinary people did
> such dreadful things - not as exceptional acts or the deeds of the
> 'bad apples', but systematicaly, as part of a structure which was
> chronically abusive. Let's not mince words here. In effect, a cult ran
> concentration camps and forced labour camps in which more than thirty
> thousand children endured conditions of slavery and near-starvation of
> a systematic and brutal kind. Some died; many were ruined for life.
> Religious orders made money out of this pernicious system, covered up
> wrongdoings and are still in denial about the nature and extent of
> their misdeeds.
>=20
> It would be easy to confuse and conflate all of the different ills of
> the system, particularly the different kinds of abuse. I think that in
> circumstances where aberrant behaviour is allowed by group norms in a
> closed communal environment, such as a prison, slave plantation or a
> concentration camp, the dictum that absolute power corrupts absolutely
> does not require us to look for a particularly Catholic, Irish or
> Catholic Irish cause for much of the physically abusive behaviour
> which occurred. Much of the savagery described falls into this
> category - which is in no way to excuse it or absolve the State of its
> unconscionable dereliction of duty. When it comes to the sexual abuse
> and the accompanying psychological ill-treatment, however, I think we
> are dealing with a specific aspect of the Irish Catholic tradition (as
> Ultan has already pointed out) - a joyless, jansenistic, cult of
> denial and the twisted forms which the repression of human desire and
> feeling took in a climate where the abuse of power was total and the
> abused were among the weakest and most vulnerable.=20
>=20
> Behind it all there is one simple reality: that of class in Irish
> society. Those who suffered were the sons and daughters of the poor,
> landless labourers, Traveller children, the urban deprived. I think a
> new history of 20th century of Ireland is now imperative - a history
> of silence, lies and denial, of a lack of empathy and compassion, of
> cruelty beyond belief.=20
>=20
> While the stories of some of the misdeeds in places where the
> diasporic Irish held sway have been told in part - and who can fail to
> notice the prominence of Irish names and orders in other countries
> where these matters have come to light - I am sure we have not heard
> anything like the whole story yet.=20
>=20
> Although I am personally an agnostic, I think this is a very hard time
> for the many decent clergy, men and women, whether in the diocesan
> system or the teaching, caring and missionary orders.=20
>=20
> Meanwhile, since 2002 more than five hundred children have disappeared
> from the official state care system here, many trafficked into the sex
> industry and other kinds of exploitation. But of course they are
> foreigners.
> =20
> Incidentally, one contributor to the 'El Pais' website last week
> described the Irish report as 'ejemplar' before going on to argue that
> such open-ness would be unimaginable, even today, in Spain...
>=20
> Piaras
>=20
> ________________________________
>=20
> From: The Irish Diaspora Studies List on behalf of Anthony Mcnicholas
> Sent: Mon 25/05/2009 17:18
> To: IR-D[at]JISCMAIL.AC.UK
> Subject: Re: [IR-D] Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse - Report
>=20
>=20
>=20
> Kerby
> People who wish to see in this tale of misery confirmation of the
> inadvisability of the establishment of an independent Ireland can do
> so only if they close their eyes to the hundreds of cases of exactly
> the same thing that went on until recent times in British children's
> homes, mental hospitals and the like run by the British state. This
> criminality went on and goes on all over the world in places and
> institutions unconnected to either Ireland or the Catholic Church.
> Wherever in the world the history of this has surfaced (and that in
> Ireland it has now surfaced is the only glimpse of light that I can
> see) it is clear what the common denominator is - men. Men are not to
> be trusted around the weak and vulnerable where they are not closely
> and transparently supervised. Their nationality and religious
> affiliation if they have one is irrelevant. The problem is men.
> anthony
>=20
> Dr Anthony McNicholas
> CAMRI
> University of Westminster
> Harrow Campus
> Watford Road
> Harrow
> HA1 3TP
> 0118 948 6164 (BBC WAC)
> 07751 062735
>=20
>=20
> -----Original Message-----
> From: The Irish Diaspora Studies List [mailto:IR-D[at]JISCMAIL.AC.UK] On
> Behalf Of Kerby Miller
> Sent: 22 May 2009 15:19
> To: IR-D[at]JISCMAIL.AC.UK
> Subject: Re: [IR-D] Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse - Report
>=20
> Would it be accurate to say that in Ireland the brutal Dickensian
> standards
> of 19th-century "custodial reform" converged, first, with the unusual
> authority and peculiar pathologies of the Catholic church and, then,
> more
> recently, with the new brutality and parsimony inflicted by
> neo-liberalism?
>=20
> I.e., that, unlike the US or the UK, perhaps, in Ireland there was
> little or
> no "progressive" or "humanitarian reformist" interlude between 19th
> and late
> 20th-century standards of "institutional care"? Perhaps
> attributable,
> sadly, to the 26 counties' uncoupling from the UK, and, as Liam says,
> to the
> consequent empowerment of the Church and a socially-reactionary,
> anti-tax
> Catholic bourgeoisie over "social services" in independent Ireland?
>=20
> If so, then I must admit, this is at least one instance in which I'd
> agree
> with the most extreme revisionist position on the "tragedy [or farce]
> of
> Irish independence."
>=20
> Interestingly, if the analysis in the first paragraph is accurate,
> this
> would represent a rare instance of convergence (vs. conflict) between
> "traditional" Catholic and neo-liberal ideology and practice, since
> both
> have a minimalist and authoritarian attitude toward "social welfare."
> Arguably, too, both represent forms of privatization of social
> services.
>=20
> Peter's Canadian analogies are very interesting. What about, say,
> the
> Spanish experience, first under Franco (allied with a reactionary
> Church)
> and now under more-or-less neo-liberal regimes? Did the Spanish
> Church
> enjoy such totalizing control over similar welfare services,
> custodial
> institutions, education for the poor, etc.? As Peter wonders, are
> the
> patterns generically "Catholic" or peculiarly "Irish Catholic"?=20
> Italian
> and/or Latin American comparisons might also be fruitful.
>=20
> Finally, what about Northern Ireland? Very different, because part of
> the
> UK and hence benefiting from the development of the secular welfare
> state?
> But, we must remember the horrific Kincora scandal, as well. A
> one-off or
> emblematic? =20
>=20
> Kerby =20
>=20
>=20
> On 5/22/09 4:33 AM, "micheal.ohaodha" wrote:
>=20
> > As somebody involved in writing a large number of Traveller
> memoirs/life
> > histories - often of people who have passed on now - I came across
> references
> > to the detentions of certain Traveller children (mainly from the
> west of
> > Ireland) in horrible institutions/hellholes such as Letterfrack -
> usually for
> > short periods of time (and for the most ridiculous "crimes" - petty
> thieving -
> > steal four buns and get four years etc.) - in the cases of the
> people that I
> > recorded - and whose experiences were recalled in the books - e.g.
> The
> > Candlelight Painter - (by Willy Cauley (RIP) - the biggest word
> that they
> > used all of the time was "abandoned" and "neglected" and that
> people's minds
> > were hurt and damaged beyond recovery after their stay there. Also -
> if they
> > had family living outside - there was sometimes a "hostility"
> afterwards
> > between themselves and the family - especially if they weren't
> visited close
> > relatives for the duration of their stay in these places.
> >
> >=20
> >
> > An eminent psychiatrist/psychologist - one of the most senior in the
> state)
> > was interviewed on Radio na Gaeltachta - (you can say things in
> Irish as
> > relating to Irish public discourse that you often can't say in
> English!) - the
> > day this awful report came out - This woman was interviewed in
> relation to the
> > whole area of neglect as relating to children in care today in
> Ireland.
> >
> >=20
> >
> > She said that in terms of "neglect" many of these places where
> children are in
> > care are not much better at all than they were back fifty years
> ago.
> >
> > There might not be a "reign of terror" and the awful evils of sexual
> perverts
> > but, essentially, many these institutions still belong to a
> different century.
> > The interviewer questioned her about this and she reiterated this
> assertion.
> >
> >=20
> >
> > Also worth noting that (most likely) half of our prison population
> should not
> > be in prison at all but should be getting help and counselling for
> >
> > drug/drink addiction, psychiatric care, homelessness - there are
> allegedly
> > even homeless people who make sure to "check themselves" into
> prison
> >
> > around Christmas and periods where the weather is severe.
> >
> >=20
> >
> > I don't know what the numbers of children in care are now - I'd
> imagine that
> > they are high - it is not easy to get people to adopt or foster -
> constant
> > messages encouraging this sent out from the Health Boards all of
> the time
> >
> > Have things changed/ improved that much really?
> >
> >=20
> >
> > Beannachta=C3=AD
> >
> > Dr. M=C3=ADche=C3=A1l =C3=93 hAodha
> >
> > Lecturer
> >
> > Dept of History
> >
> > University of Limerick
> >
> >=20
> >
> >=20
> >
> >=20
> >
> >=20
> >
> >=20
> >
> >=20
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: The Irish Diaspora Studies List [mailto:IR-D[at]JISCMAIL.AC.UK]
> On Behalf
> > Of Patrick O'Sullivan
> > Sent: 22 May 2009 10:02
> > To: IR-D[at]JISCMAIL.AC.UK
> > Subject: [IR-D] Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse - Report
> >
> >=20
> >
> > Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse
> >
> >=20
> >
> > The Report of the Commission is now freely available on the web
> site. Links
> >
> > pasted in below. The full Report in pdf format is a very big file
> indeed -
> >
> > and only to be recommended if your archive needs that kind of full
> record.
> >
> >=20
> >
> > The HTML version is displayed with a contents page, leading to
> individual
> >
> > chapters. Very manageable...
> >
> >=20
> >
> > Almost the most poignant and distressing section is Volume III,
> Section 10,
> >
> > Positive memories and experiences...
> >
> >=20
> >
> > P.O'S.
> >
> >=20
> >
> >=20
> >
> > http://www.childabusecommission.ie/
> >
> >=20
> >
> > Commission Report
> >
> > The Commission Report is now available to download.
> >
> >=20
> >
> > View the Executive Summary in accessible HTML format.
> >
> > http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/ExecSummary.php
> >
> >=20
> >
> > View the Commission Report in accessible HTML format.
> >
> > http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/
> >
> >=20
> >
> > Download the Executive Summary in PDF format
> >
> >
> http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/pdfs/CICA-Executive%20Summary.pdf
> >
> >=20
> >
> > Download the Commission Report in PDF format
> >
> > http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/pdfs/
>=20
> --
> The University of Westminster is a charity and a company limited by
> guarantee. Registration number: 977818 England. Registered Office:
> 309 Regent Street, London W1B 2UW, UK.

Sender: The Irish Diaspora Studies List
From: "Rogers, James"
Subject: Feargus Finn-Bh=?iso-8859-1?Q?=E9il?=
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What can the list tell me about Feargus Finn-Bh=E9il, who wrote in Irish in=
the early decades of the 20th century?

Thank you,

Jim Rogers