St Joseph's Industrial School, Tralee 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 ...

Tralee Tralee ( ; ga, Trá Lí, ; formerly , meaning 'strand of the Lee River') is the county town of County Kerry in the south-west of Ireland. The town is on the northern side of the neck of the Dingle Peninsula, and is the largest town in County ...

County Kerry County Kerry ( gle, Contae Chiarraí) is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and forms part of the province of Munster. It is named after the Ciarraige who lived in part of the present county. The population of the co ...

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 ...

. It was situated on the western side of Tralee, on the road to

Ardfert Ardfert () is a village in County Kerry, Ireland. Historically a religious centre, the economy of the locality is driven by agriculture and its position as a dormitory town, being only from Tralee. The population of the village was 749 at the 2 ...

.Chapter 9, St Joseph’s Industrial School, Tralee (‘Tralee’), 1862–1970
section 9.01, 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 ...

History

The school was initially a National school which had been founded on the gift of land and money to the

Congregation of Christian Brothers The Congregation of Christian Brothers ( la, Congregatio Fratrum Christianorum; abbreviated CFC) is a worldwide religious community within the Catholic Church, founded by Blessed Edmund Rice. Their first school was opened in Waterford, Ireland, ...

by John Mulchinock, a Tralee draper.Chapter 9, St Joseph’s Industrial School, Tralee (‘Tralee’), 1862–1970
section 9.02, Report of the

It was established in 1862. It was transformed into an industrial school by the request of the parish priest and the day school pupils were transferred to another Christian Brothers school in Tralee.Chapter 9, St Joseph’s Industrial School, Tralee (‘Tralee’), 1862–1970
section 9.03, Report of the

It was closed in 1970.Chapter 9, St Joseph’s Industrial School, Tralee (‘Tralee’), 1862–1970
section 9.462, Report of the

Ryan Commission

For legal reasons the Commission used pseudonyms.

Physical abuse

The Commission concluded that physical aggression was used to control the large number of children, that despite the concerns of the

Superior General A superior general or general superior is the leader or head of a religious institute in the Catholic Church and some other Christian denominations. The superior general usually holds supreme executive authority in the religious community, while t ...

, corporal punishment was not decreased.Chapter 9, St Joseph’s Industrial School, Tralee (‘Tralee’), 1862–1970
section 9.259, Report of the

In particular, the case of Br. Marceau (pseudonym) was cited as an example of how excessive punishment was not considered a problem unless it risked the reputation of the Christian Brothers or could bring about legal action. The Christian Brothers' handling of this case was described as "uncaring and reckless management by the Congregation". Younger boys were victims of physical and sexual abuse by older boys. Boys at Tralee were more vulnerable because they had no parents to protect them.Chapter 9, St Joseph’s Industrial School, Tralee (‘Tralee’), 1862–1970
section 9.485, Report of the

They were also subject to what the report called "troublesome brothers" who were known to be dangerous and who were posted to Tralee.

Sexual abuse

A Brother Garon (pseudonym) was subject of complaints which a junior member of the Christian Brothers reported to three successive superior who didn't deal with it. Inadequate supervision led to sexual abuse of younger pupils by older pupils.Chapter 9, St Joseph’s Industrial School, Tralee (‘Tralee’), 1862–1970
section 9.308, Report of the

One acknowledged abuser was on the staff for 20 years.Chapter 9, St Joseph’s Industrial School, Tralee (‘Tralee’), 1862–1970
section 9.399, Report of the

Food

Despite there being a farm where food was sold for private profit, boys sometimes went hungry.Chapter 9, St Joseph’s Industrial School, Tralee (‘Tralee’), 1862–1970
section 9.349, Report of the

Death of boy from school

Robert Moore (pseudonym), a 16-year-old pupil in the school, died in Tralee County Hospital in the late 1950s.Chapter 9, St Joseph’s Industrial School, Tralee (‘Tralee’), 1862–1970
section 9.187, Report of the

His death certificate recorded the cause of his death as "Bilateral Pleural Effusion. Senility. Certified", though the Commission noted that "Senility" was later amended to read "septicaemia".Chapter 9, St Joseph’s Industrial School, Tralee (‘Tralee’), 1862–1970
section 9.195, Report of the

Chapter 9, St Joseph’s Industrial School, Tralee (‘Tralee’), 1862–1970
section 9.196, Report of the

Allegations that Robert Moore had received a beating from Brother Lafayette (pseudonym) had been made and the Christian Brothers acknowledged that the beating had happened but that the severity was unknown.Chapter 9, St Joseph’s Industrial School, Tralee (‘Tralee’), 1862–1970
section 9.190, Report of the

Chapter 9, St Joseph’s Industrial School, Tralee (‘Tralee’), 1862–1970
section 9.202, Report of the

Chapter 9, St Joseph’s Industrial School, Tralee (‘Tralee’), 1862–1970
section 9.203, Report of the

The Commission concluded that it is not possible to tell whether the beating Brother Lafayette gave Robert was connected with the boys' death.Chapter 9, St Joseph’s Industrial School, Tralee (‘Tralee’), 1862–1970
section 9.208, Report of the

That the boys could not eat a meal without the threat of violence was described as "particularly cruel". The Commission stated that there should have been an inquiry into Roberts' death given that he died shortly after being hit, as it could have discovered whether the beating was a factor in his death or if he was already seriously ill.Fergus Black
Boy died after being beaten by industrial school Brother
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'', 11 January 2006.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Joseph's Industrial School, Tralee Industrial schools in the Republic of Ireland History of County Kerry Education in County Kerry Boys' schools in the Republic of Ireland Educational institutions disestablished in 1970 Defunct schools in the Republic of Ireland Defunct Catholic schools in Ireland 1862 establishments in Ireland Violence against men in Europe