Ni Abuse Inquiry Hears of "Nappies" Ordeal

RTE News
February 24, 2014

http://www.rte.ie/news/2014/0224/506407-derry-inquiry/

Woman spent two years at the Termonbaca Home in Derry

Northern Ireland's Institutional Abuse Inquiry has heard a Derry woman allege that as a ten-year-old in the care of the Nazareth Sisters, she had to change and wash the nappies of 20 younger children before she got her breakfast each day.

Patricia Browne, 55, and four of her 13 siblings spent two years in a Nazareth home before she returned to the care of her family.

Patricia and Caroline Browne gave their testimony to the inquiry in Banbridge, Co Down this morning.

From a family of 14 in Derry City, they and three of their siblings were taken into care at the Termonbaca Naazareth Home in Derry for a two-year period.

Both women claimed they were regularly physically and emotionally abused by a nun.

Patricia, who was aged ten at the time, said her routine each morning before breakfast was to wash and change the nappies of 20 younger children.

The inquiry also heard today from a man who alleged that while a resident of the Nazareth Home, he was sexually assaulted by older boys, by a Christian Brother and by a priest.

He also claimed he was often beaten by nuns.

The inquiry heard that some of the evidence is being disputed.

It heard that nuns deny claims made against them while one former resident offers a different account of life in the home, and the former Bishop of Derry, Dr Edward Daly, has no recollection of sexual abuse claims being made to him.