Comments on: Michael O’Brien Transcript

By: Dermot Ryan

Dermot Ryan — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 05:44:13 +0000

What a man! such courage! ‘holding his head up for a flag of all the free’. i will be worthy of his greatness

By: CDean

CDean — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:06:16 +0000

Thank you for posting. I hope the people of this country will finally wake up and do something. If enough of us stand up the Government will have to listen. As far as I’m concerned, Michael is a national hero for speaking out on national TV and confronting the minister head on. At the very least we should push to get the “Special relationship” removed from the constitution. And the church forced to release their records…whats left of them…so the full weight of the law can be used to bring these people to justice!

By: Kathy Devine

Kathy Devine — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 04:26:24 +0000

Thank you for posting Michael’s words; his story that of many thousands. It is why I no longer have anything to do with any religion.

By: ideealisme

ideealisme — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 18:11:19 +0000

Thank you, Will.

By: LightAngel

LightAngel — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:14:20 +0000

My mother was also an ‘ inmate’ of two of these institutions, from 1956- 61 , when she left aged 16 yrs old. where she was treated like a dog , and then went on to become the abuser to her five children, who all now, including my mother, suffer with pyschological, drug, alcohol, social issues. What hurts more is that there are individuals out there who are inept at understanding someone’s pain, even suggestions that these victims are imagining these horrors occured, or that false claims are being laid. The same kind of mentality that allowed these autrocities to occur. I don’t believe or have faith that the irish society really get how badly affected these victims now are, if they did there would be more of a show of discontent. Usual story, no one taking responsibility, talks after talks, nothing really being done. The religious having the luxury of negotiations ? These CHILDREN , didn’t have the same options to negotiate their beatings, or which part of their bodies were sexually interferred with..Did They??????????? And what about these criminals? Why are THEY being protected? Why are WE standing back and allowing this to happen, why are THEY above the law??

By: Every Irish Person… | Clare Herbert

Every Irish Person… | Clare Herbert — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 20:34:21 +0000

[...] needs to watch this. Michael O’Brien spoke with such eloquence and passion, and it was by far the best piece of commentary on the Ryan report. Never let it happen again. Check out the full transcript here. [...]

By: Tricia Duffy (Belfast)

Tricia Duffy (Belfast) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 12:31:05 +0000

It calls for complete solidarity regardless of creed or colour or whether we were the abused or not!
I for one would gladly join in a protest for the suffering people of Ireland North and South at the hands of the catholic church and the failings of the government!

Well done Will.

By: Luke

Luke — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 02:21:26 +0000

Thanks for putting this up Will, it’s good to have a permanent record of Mr O’Brien’s statement. Though I hope there will be a video or audio recording left in place on the net. I didn’t see Q & A that night but I did hear the recording of the statement when it was replayed on national radio the next morning, and the delivery of the statement shook me to the core as much as the content. It is undoubtedly one of the greatest acts of courage that I have ever encountered, and I hope Mr O’Brien will continue to receive the praise for his bravery in delivering an account of those horrors with such remarkable candour. With people such as him in Ireland, there is still a glimmer of hope that he and his fellow victims might find justice; I just wish it could be more than a glimmer.

By: Tom Pius

Tom Pius — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:54:35 +0000

By sheer chance I saw this part of Q&A. It moved me profoundly. I don’t think I have ever witnessed anything like it on television: the truth expressed simply. Significantly, the adjudicator did not ask any of the politicians to answer Mr. O’Brien. No one could of course: all one could do in such a situation is admit culpability.

What now? Like many others on this forum I would like to think that this represents a turning point, a point from where, for once and for all, the Irish people will really get serious about reforming our society. But we seem to be always on the point of doing this. Everyone is angry but where can this be expressed publicly. The politicians will go on believing that everything can be brushed under the carpet. How can we as a people get it across to them that we really do want justice on this issue and that nothing is sacred?

Six years ago 100,000 people marched through the streets of Dublin in protest against the war in Iraq. Why can’t we have a similar march now on this issue? Why, I believe there should be a move to get the government to either fall or do something positive on this matter.

Where is the will for this?

By: Numquam

Numquam — Sun, 31 May 2009 23:57:48 +0000

I too want to find out how to write personal support to Michael O’Brien.

I came across this address and phone for an organization he works with:

Right to Peace, 42 Oliver Plunkett Terrace, Clonmel, Co Tipperary, phone 052-81614.

This was on Irishexaminer.com in an article where O’Brien calls for the Orders to seek out other victims.

See http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/abuse-survivor-calls-on-religious-orders-to-seek-out-other-victims-92747.html#ixzz0H88VVCDf&B

the government seizes the assets of the Orders under the auspices of the Criminal Assets Board. The Irish Independent has an excellent piece on freezing assets and confiscating proceeds of crime.

O’Brien was right, the government screwed it up. Use every means to hold the Orders accountable. They profited for decades from crimes against children. The bill is due now, and NOT on their terms. No excuses.

Whatever political party promotes that should win. I know nothing about Irish politics, but it sounds like elections are coming up. Let them be a ringing rebuke to those in thrall to the Catholic Church.

See http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/seize-assets-of–the-religious–orders-and-pension-the-members-off-1756573.html