St Patrick's Industrial School, Upton was an

industrial school Industrial may refer to: Industry * Industrial archaeology, the study of the history of the industry * Industrial engineering, engineering dealing with the optimization of complex industrial processes or systems * Industrial city, a city dominate ...

Upton, County Cork Upton (, formerly anglicised as ''Garryhancard'') is a village in County Cork, Ireland. It was on the Cork to Bandon section of the Cork, Bandon and South Coast Railway. History During the Irish War of Independence the local branch of the Iris ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

History

A local judge suggested setting up a reformatory school to serve Cork and the local

Society of Saint Vincent de Paul The Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP or SVdP or SSVP) is an international voluntary organization in the Catholic Church, founded in 1833 for the sanctification of its members by personal service of the poor. Innumerable Catholic parishes have ...

set up a committee in 1858 to plan it.Chapter 2, St. Patrick’s Industrial School, Upton (‘Upton’), 1889–1966
, section 2.01, Report of the

Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse The Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (CICA) was one of a range of measures introduced by the Irish Government to investigate the extent and effects of abuse on children from 1936 onwards. Commencing its work in 1999, it was commonly known ...

They bought a farm near Upton, County Cork and asked the

Rosminians The Rosminians, officially named the Institute of Charity ( la, Institutum Caritatis), abbreviated I.C., are a Roman Catholic clerical religious congregation of Pontifical Right for men founded by Antonio Rosmini and first organised in 1828. The ...

to run it. Richard Brash designed a building which was completed in 1860. The main building was in the shape of a square around a central courtyard. In 1872 the lease was transferred to the Rosminians. When the Industrial Schools Act was extended to Ireland in 1868 the Rosminians applied to have the school classed as an industrial school, which happened in 1889.Chapter 2, St. Patrick’s Industrial School, Upton (‘Upton’), 1889–1966
, section 2.03, Report of the

It was called Danesfort Industrial School and operated until October 1966. The farm increased in size over the years, eventually reaching about at the time of its closure.Chapter 2, St. Patrick’s Industrial School, Upton (‘Upton’), 1889–1966
, section 2.07, Report of the

The school closed because of the falling number of boys, lack of trained staff, and reorganisation and rationalisation led to the closure which had been discussed for a number of years.Chapter 2, St. Patrick’s Industrial School, Upton (‘Upton’), 1889–1966
, section 2.11, Report of the

A fire that occurred a few months before the closure destroyed a large part of the building, but it was not the reason for closure.Chapter 2, St. Patrick’s Industrial School, Upton (‘Upton’), 1889–1966
, section 2.10, Report of the

In 1972 it reopened as a centre for adults who were mentally handicapped or who had learning difficulties.Chapter 2, St. Patrick’s Industrial School, Upton (‘Upton’), 1889–1966
, section 2.14, Report of the

Although the Rosminians handed over ownership to the state in 2003 they continue to exercise a pastoral role.

Commission to investigate Child Abuse

Physical Abuse

Industrial schools were required to keep punishment books - records of misconduct and punishments.Chapter 2, St. Patrick’s Industrial School, Upton (‘Upton’), 1889–1966
, section 2.44, Report of the

Of all the industrial schools, only Upton and St. Joseph’s Industrial School, Dundalk were able to produce them, even then they only covered a fraction of the time under investigation. The latter book covers a period covered by the Commissions' remit, but the Commission criticised it for being less systematic, less complete and inconsistency in breaches of rules listed.Chapter 2, St. Patrick’s Industrial School, Upton (‘Upton’), 1889–1966
, section 2.47, Report of the

Chapter 2, St. Patrick’s Industrial School, Upton (‘Upton’), 1889–1966
, section 2.48, Report of the

Chapter 2, St. Patrick’s Industrial School, Upton (‘Upton’), 1889–1966
, section 2.49, Report of the

Despite this, there is enough evidence in the second book to show that punishments were as described by those complaining of abuse and not as described by some former staff.Chapter 2, St. Patrick’s Industrial School, Upton (‘Upton’), 1889–1966
, section 2.67, Report of the

Punishment was excessive and brutal.Chapter 2, St. Patrick’s Industrial School, Upton (‘Upton’), 1889–1966
, section 2.115, Report of the

It was used by both religious and lay staff for control and was not supervised.

Sexual abuse

Sexual abuse by members of the religious order was a chronic problem and it was dealt with in a manner that put the interests of the order, the institution and even the abuser ahead of that of the children.Chapter 2, St. Patrick’s Industrial School, Upton (‘Upton’), 1889–1966
, section 2.216, Report of the

Abusers were transferred to other institutions, putting children at those institutions at risk. The order was aware of the criminal nature of the abuse, but did not treat it as a crime. The action of one Brother Alfonso (a pseudonym) exposed many abusers. Abuse by boys was not regarded by staff as serious and was downplayed to protect the reputation of the school.Chapter 2, St. Patrick’s Industrial School, Upton (‘Upton’), 1889–1966
, section 2.251, Report of the

The Department of Education did not carry out its responsibilities in regard to supervising the school or protecting children.

Neglect

Food clothing and accommodation were below acceptable standards.Chapter 2, St. Patrick’s Industrial School, Upton (‘Upton’), 1889–1966
, section 2.331, Report of the

Boys went hungry and the food that there was for them was of inferior quality to that eaten by brothers and priests in the school. Punishment and fear interfered with learning. The remote location of the school caused emotional harm to the boys.

References

{{coord missing, County Cork Boys' schools in the Republic of Ireland Education in County Cork History of County Cork Buildings and structures in County Cork Industrial schools in the Republic of Ireland Educational institutions disestablished in 1966 Violence against men in Europe