Behind the Bastards Part One: How The Catholic Church Murdered Ireland's Babies
Jun 29, 2021
Sofiya Alexandra, a knowledgeable commentator on Irish history, joins Robert Evans to explore one of Ireland's darkest stories. They discuss the Catholic Church's sinister role in children's lives, revealing how laws targeted vulnerable families. Insightful discussions on brutal institutions like industrial schools and Magdalene Laundries expose shocking testimonies from survivors. They peel back layers of state complicity and institutional cruelty, culminating in the harrowing discovery of mass graves, illustrating a grim legacy of neglect and abuse.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Poverty Branded As Criminal
- Ireland's industrial and reformatory schools criminalized poverty and nonconforming family situations like single motherhood.
- The Church and state pathologized deviation from Catholic norms, treating children as morally endangered rather than vulnerable.
Survivor Memory From Artane
- Des Murray arrived at Artane aged 12 and recalls brutal sadistic discipline and a culture of abuse by brothers.
- He regrets not confronting his abusers and describes Artane as a concentration camp.
Child Abuse In Locked Classrooms
- Valentin Walsh describes being sexually abused from ages 9 to 13 in a locked classroom where windows were covered.
- He remembers terror, locked doors, and brothers who groomed and assaulted vulnerable boys.
