Latest news with #QuestionsandAnswers'
Sunday World
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Sunday World
Clerical abuse survivor Michael O'Brien gave ‘voice to the voiceless'
Mr O'Brien of Oliver Plunkett Terrace in Clonmel, Co Tipperary died on Tuesday at his daughter Geraldine's residence 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 requiem mass 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 Michael had made a impact on the nation 'in a matter of minutes' in 2009 when he spoke on RTE about the abuse he had suffered at an industrial school. 'Those powerful words (on RTE'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. Read more Tributes paid to clerical abuse survivor Michael O'Brien who dies aged 92 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 a. I have no doubt that any judge would have given them the perfect ten. 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 (his wife) 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.' Meanwhile, Fr Billy Meehan, chief celebrant at the 10am mass, said Michael 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 O.N.E 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 in Co Tipperary where he was raped and severely beaten. He spoke out following the publication of the Report of the Commission to Inquire in to 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, ninety 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. Four 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.'
BreakingNews.ie
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- BreakingNews.ie
Clerical abuse survivor Michael O'Brien gave 'a voice to the voiceless', funeral hears
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 requiem mass has heard. Mr O'Brien of Oliver Plunkett Terrace in Clonmel, Co Tipperary, died on Tuesday at his daughter Geraldine's residence. Advertisement 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 Michael 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 RTE's Questions and Answers) made a difference. As they get repeated on the airwaves over the last few days, they still ring true," she said. "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.' Advertisement 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 ten. 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. Advertisement 'Their mobile (home). A home away from home where everybody was welcome. Dinners on a Sunday were his speciality. "The love of his life was (his wife) 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.' Meanwhile, Fr Billy Meehan, chief celebrant at the 10am mass, said Michael 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 O.N.E. and he did two stretches out in the Congo. That was part of his service to the country," Fr Meehan said. Advertisement "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. Advertisement 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 in 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, ninety 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.' If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call the national 24-hour Rape Crisis Helpline at 1800-77 8888, access text service and webchat options at or visit Rape Crisis Help .
Irish Examiner
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Abuse survivor and former mayor of Clonmel Michael O'Brien dies
The former mayor of Clonmel and clerical abuse survivor Michael O'Brien, whose harrowing story became one of the most compelling moments ever captured on Irish television, has died. Mr O'Brien died on Tuesday at his daughter Geraldine's home. Mr O'Brien became known nationally in 2009 following an appearance on RTÉ's 'Questions and Answers' in the wake of the publication of the Ryan report into clerical abuse. There, he described, in graphic detail, the abuse he faced as a child at a Catholic-run industrial school, shocking the country. He was particularly scathing of then transport minister Noel Dempsey about the way the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse had treated survivors of the industrial schools, pointing out that the allegedly non-adversarial process had involved him being accused of lying. He said: I got raped of a Saturday, got an unmerciful beating after it, and he then came along the following morning and put Holy Communion in my mouth. "You don't know what happened there.' During the speech, he also addressed panel member Leo Varadkar, saying: "Can I speak to you and ask your 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, try and give us some peace, and not continue hurting us." Mr O'Brien's remains will repose at Fennessy's Funeral Home this Wednesday evening from 5pm to 7pm with removal on Thursday morning to St Mary's Church, Irishtown, at 10am.
