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	Nun-run "Schools" Were Particularly Bad By Cormac Murphy Herald May 21, 2009 http://www.herald.ie/national-news/nunrun-schools-were-particularly-bad-1746845.html A NUMBER of reformatories run by nuns were identified as being particularly abusive places for children. St Vincent's Industrial School run by the Sisters of Mercy in Dublin's Goldenbridge was a particularly awful place. Revelations about Goldenbridge by Christine Buckley in the 1996 television documentary, Dear Daughter, helped expose the scale of abuse at children's institutions, including those run by nuns. While mainly for girls, the institution also housed boys under the age of eight. The Ryan commission accepted evidence from former residents that a "high level of physical abuse" was carried out by both religious and lay staff. The report stated: "The method of inflicting punishments and the implements used were cruel and excessive and physical punishment was an immediate response to even minor infractions. Fear "Children were in constant fear of beating and in many cases were beaten for no apparent reason." It added: "Goldenbridge was an emotionally abusive institution. Girls were humiliated and belittled on a regular basis and treated with contempt by some staff members. It was characterised by an absence of kindness or sympathy for the children." One witness recalled: "There was toilets at the end of the yard. We used to go down there. There was no traps. You just flushed the chain and drank the water." The commission branded the nuns in charge as "harsh and unfeeling". St Michael's Industrial School in Cappoquin, Co Waterford, was run by a "highly dysfunctional management". A feature of the institution in the 1970s and 1980s were drunk nuns who had "inappropriate relationships", turning a blind eye to children experimenting sexually with each other. In the 1940s, when St Michael's was only for boys under 10, it was identified as being particularly neglectful of the children. The school took in girls from 1970 onwards. Grave A Department of Education inspector's report in 1976: "I can only express my very grave concern at the extremely low standard of care that is available for the children." But the department failed to act as the nuns threatened to withdraw their involvement, which would have left education chiefs responsible for the youngsters. Contact: comurphy@herald.ie
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