John Kelly was sentenced to two years in the Daingean Industrial School in Offaly for stealing a chocolate bar.He was 13 when he went to work on the school's farm for no pay.
"There was a lad I knew who was a bit giddy. He blabbered that he wanted to escape from Daingean and go back and see his family in Dublin."
"The Oblate Brothers (the Catholic order that ran the school) overheard him talking about escape. When he was taken out to be flogged he started to weep. It was common to beat boys with huge thick leather straps studded with ten pence coins. After about two massive slaps the lad starting crying out "Kelly, Kelly, Kelly. Kelly was going to escape."
"I knew I was next. They dragged me downstairs and I was flogged as well. After the fourth time I passed out but those screams have remained with me all my life."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Disclaimer
No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to us or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.
The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that we agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.
Source (GCUK)
SV (ED)