I hope referendum will prevent the kind of abuse I suffered

As a former orphan I welcome the children’s rights referendum.

I hope it will prevent the abuse that I suffered as a child along with over 30 others in the Westbank Orphanage in Greystones, Co Wicklow.

Some criticism is emerging to the effect that the provisions might give the State too much power. All I can say is that the State exercised none over Westbank. As a Protestant Evangelical institution, it was left to its own devices without any apparent interference.

We had our names changed to that of the owner, the late Adeline Mathers. We suffered physical plus sexual abuse and were used as child labour on farms and in shops in Northern Ireland.

In addition, we were paraded as orphan children in front of churchgoers in Northern Ireland.

We were expected to perform party pieces in the expectation that this would exercise the charitable sentiments of onlookers. It did, but the money raised and new goods and toys donated were not for the benefit of the children.

There was clearly some kind of scam involved since toys, electrical goods and clothes disappeared soon after the benefactors left.

I use the term ‘orphanage’ advisedly in that it was almost impossible to adopt a child out of the place, unless prospective parents conformed to Miss Mathers’ interpretation of God’s plan for human kind. I know this because my half brother was forcibly extracted (literally) from Westbank by people who became his loving adoptive parents in Northern Ireland. Of course, we only became aware years later that we were half-brothers, as even twins in Westbank were denied knowledge of sibling relationships.

I am for the State exercising power over religious fanatics who think their interpretation of God’s law is superior to all else. The State is required to exercise its powers. In our case it did not, as was also the case with the Bethany Home, Dublin, where I was born in 1966. That has to change.

Colm Begley

Clocha Liatha

Carrigadrohid

Co Cork