Abuse survivor and former Clonmel mayor Michael O'Brien gave 'a voice to the voiceless'

Irish Examiner

24-04-2025

Abuse survivor and former Mayor of Clonmel Michael O'Brien gave 'a voice to the voiceless' and lived a life rich in service to others, his funeral has heard.
Mr O'Brien of Oliver Plunkett Terrace in Clonmel, Co Tipperary, died on Tuesday at his daughter Geraldine's residence. The 92-year-old was predeceased in 2022 by his wife, Mary.
His granddaughter Jeanette Kelly told mourners at St Mary's Church in Irishtown that Mr O'Brien had made an impact on the nation 'in a matter of minutes' in 2009 when he spoke on RTÉ about the abuse he had suffered at an industrial school.
'Those powerful words [on RTÉ's Questions and Answers] made a difference. As they get repeated on the airwaves over the last few days they still ring true.
"Looking over the condolences, it is amazing how many lives he touched and how he gave a voice to those suffering and created hope. It is a powerful reminder that one voice can change everything.'
Jeanette, who was joined on the altar by her sister Sharon — who read a poem — said that her grandfather was very much a family man. She stated that her grandparents, Michael and Mary, loved to dance and were ballroom dancing champions.
'At all our weddings they hit the dance floor. Now they would really show you what Dancing with the Stars was like. They would glide across any dance floor. I have no doubt that any judge would have given them the perfect 10. As kids, we loved standing on his feet trying to dance as good as they were around the sitting room.'
Jeanette said that Tramore in Co Waterford was a 'slice of heaven' for her grandparents.
'Their mobile [home]. A home away from home where everybody was welcome. Dinners on a Sunday were his speciality. Always the chef he would serve up three delicious courses and to this day he still never gave us the secret of his mash. I personally think it was the two pounds of butter he used in it.
"The love of his life was Mary. Together for a lifetime until she passed in 2022. In his final days, he would ask us 'will she be waiting for me?'. I'd like to think there is a mobile home up in the sky where it is always sunny because they were both sun worshippers. And they are back together reunited and happy.'
Michael O'Brien. Picture: RIP
Meanwhile, chief celebrant Fr Billy Meehan said Mr O'Brien was above all else "a community person."
"He served as Mayor of Clonmel and during that time he served it with distinction. During his lifetime he served in the ONE [Organisation of National Ex-Service Personnel] and he did two stretches out in the Congo. That was part of his service to the country.
"And we all remember the night on Questions and Answers when he told the story of his own life and the impact it had made. From that he got a national profile. When you stroll down through the condolences, you can see that people from all over the country were influenced by his presence that night and by the hope he gave to people.
"He was speaking out for people who had no voice. That was the great legacy that Michael left.'
Offertory gifts included his People of the Year award, a golf club, a photo of his time as Mayor of Clonmel, the artwork of his great grandchildren, a newspaper, a candle bearing the image of his "beloved" wife Mary and a packet of toffees.
President Michael D Higgins was represented at the mass by his aide de camp, Captain Pat Fitzgerald.
Mr O'Brien is survived by his children Geraldine, Peter, Martin and Catriona, his sister, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, extended family and his many friends. He was laid to rest at St Patrick's Cemetery.
As a child, Mr O'Brien spent eight years in St Joseph's Industrial School in Clonmel, Co Tipperary, where he was raped and severely beaten. He spoke out following the publication of the Report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse in 2009.
On Questions and Answers, he told then Government minister and Fianna Fáil TD Noel Dempsey, that he had attempted to end his own life after spending five days being questioned at the commission.
Mr O'Brien said that his account of being raped and beaten had been questioned at the commission.
'They brought a man over from Rome, 90-odd years of age, to tell me I was telling lies, that I wasn't beaten for an hour non-stop by two of them from head to toe without a shred of cloth on my body.'
He asked panel member Leo Varadkar to ask his leader to stop 'making a political football out of this'. 'You hurt us when you do that. You tear the shreds from inside our body. For God's sake, try and give us some peace and not continue hurting us.'
Broadcaster John Bowman, who presented the show, said Mr O'Brien's words had 'a greater impact than any other contribution from the audience in the history of the programme'.