‘I’ll never forgive mum for taking rapist father’s side’

A young woman whose father raped her repeatedly as a teenager says her family has been torn apart in the wake of the abuse and she will never forgive her mother for taking his side.

Ellen O’Driscoll, 24, said she continues to serve a life sentence since coming forward with the claims against her father, Patrick O’Driscoll. Her entire family, including eight siblings, have turned against her and she is now isolated from the Traveller community.

“It’s torn my family apart,” Ms O’Driscoll said in a victim impact statement handed up to the Central Criminal Court yesterday. “My mam, sisters, brothers, uncles, and aunts all took his side. So I have no family now.