Michael O'Brien (Fianna Fáil politician)
{{Short description|Irish politician (1933–2025)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=October 2021}}
Michael O'Brien (1933 – 22 April 2025)[https://edition.cnn.com/2018/08/21/europe/ireland-politician-abuse-survivor-intl/index.html Years after he told Ireland his story of abuse on live TV, ex-politician says Pope must do more for survivors] was an Irish politician who was a councillor and mayor of Clonmel.[http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/abuse-survivor-calls-on-religious-orders-to-seek-out-other-victims-92747.html Abuse survivor calls on religious orders to seek out other victims], Caroline O’Doherty, Irish Examiner, 27 May 2009, retrieved 22 October 2009 He was also a survivor of abuse at Ferryhouse and came to national prominence through his campaigning on this subject.
Early life
Born in Clonmel in 1933, O'Brien was one of 13 siblings.[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article7087567.ece Mayor campaigns against abuse by the Catholic Church, Timesonline]{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} When he was eight years old, his mother died and he and his siblings were taken into care.[http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0527/1224247503289.html Ex-mayor tells of abuse by order], Steven Carroll, The Irish Times, 27 May 2009, retrieved 22 October 2009 He was detained in this industrial school for eight years where he was raped and beaten repeatedly. He was separated from his brother Thomas Joseph O’Brien for 40 years.
Political career
O'Brien joined Fianna Fáil at the age of 18. He was elected to Clonmel borough council, being elected mayor of Clonmel in 1993. He lost his seat at the 1999 local elections.{{Cite web|title=ElectionsIreland.org: 1999 Town Council - Clonmel First Preference Votes|url=https://electionsireland.org/result.cfm?election=1999T&cons=553|access-date=2021-08-04|website=electionsireland.org}}
Advocacy
O'Brien became a campaigner for the rights of those who had been put in industrial schools in 1999 when he went public with his own experiences, founding the lobby group Right to Peace.
Following his death, Irish President Michael D. Higgins paid tribute to O'Brien saying his "sense of citizenship and courageous personal testimony was such a powerful act of public service".Ken Donnelly: [https://www.rte.ie/news/2025/0422/1508963-michael-o-brien/ President pays tribute to abuse survivor Michael O'Brien.] rte.ie, 23 April 2025. Retrieved 23 April 2025.
=Appearance on ''Questions and Answers''=
O'Brien was in the audience for Questions and Answers on 25 May 2009 when he confronted Minister for Transport 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 the government should change the constitution so that the assets of the religious orders who ran the industrial schools could be frozen. He also spoke of how he still suffered nightmares about the abuse he suffered in Ferryhouse and how his experience of the questioning had led him to contemplate suicide but his wife had persuaded him not to do it.
He had been detained in St Joseph's Industrial School, Clonmel.
The audience applauded him for speaking out. The presenter John Bowman said that Michael O'Brien's speech was the most memorable moment in 23 years of the show.{{Cite news |title=Does the panel think John was too polite? |url=https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/does-the-panel-think-john-was-too-polite-1805750.html |last=Boland |first=J |date=2009-07-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090710000116/https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/does-the-panel-think-john-was-too-polite-1805750.html |archive-date=2009-07-10 |url-status=dead |work=Irish Independent}}
Personal beliefs
Death
O'Brien died in Clonmel on 22 April 2025 at the age of 92, his wife having died before him.{{Cite news |title=Abuse survivor Michael O'Brien dies |last=Donnelly |first=Ken |date=2025-04-22 |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/2025/0422/1508963-michael-o-brien/ |access-date=2025-04-23 |work=RTÉ News}}{{Cite news |title=Abuse survivor and former mayor of Clonmel Michael O'Brien dies |last=Kent |first=David |date=2025-04-22 |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-41618491.html |access-date=2025-04-23 |work=Irish Examiner}}{{Cite web |title=Death Notice of Michael O'Brien (Clonmel, Tipperary) {{!}} rip.ie |url=https://rip.ie/death-notice/michael-obrien-tipperary-clonmel-592031 |access-date=2025-04-22 |website=rip.ie |language=en}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBi4sYK5rjI Video clip of Michael O'Brien speaking on Questions and Answers]
- Irish Central: [http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Leading-Irish-church-abuse-figure-once-claimed-he-was-never-abused--94704724.html "Leading Irish church abuse figure once claimed he was never abused"] by Patrick O'Connor; 24 May 2010
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Category:Mayors of places in the Republic of Ireland
Category:Fianna Fáil local councillors
Category:Members of South Tipperary County Council
Category:People detained at industrial schools in the Republic of Ireland