NORTHERN IRELAND
Irish Times
Dan Keenan
A priest allegedly told a former resident of a Derry orphanage run by nuns that he must never repeat allegations of sexual and other abuse.
A witness told the Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry, which is investigating allegations of ill-treatment of children at a list of care home across Northern Ireland before 1995, he should remain silent. This was because his parents were not married and that was why he was placed in the home at Termonbacca in Derry, run by the Poor Sisters of Nazareth.
The witness, who cannot be identified, said he approached a priest later in life and told him of physical and sexual abuse he suffered and witnessed at the home.
He said the priest replied: “You must never speak about this.”
He said the priest explained: “You and the other orphans are bastards, you are the product of an evil and satanic relationship.”
The witness said: “When a priest tells you that, that sums up the perception – how orphan was perceived. What chance did I have?”
The third day of oral hearings from those former residents of the Termonbacca home who wished to testify.
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