#25: Catherine Coffee O' Brien talks about her time in an industrial school & mother & baby home

Catherine is a Traveller woman from Kerry who spent a large part of her childhood in an industrial school and then in Bessborough mother and baby home as a pregnant 16 year old. Thanks a million to Catherine for telling her story to us, its not easy.
Catherine's story contains some very upsetting details, just so you are aware.
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Happy New Year guys, 2021 is going to be a great year for all of us!

[@jonno777]

Every school child in Ireland should see this. Incredible educated beautifully spoken woman. The strength in her presence and compassion for those in her life. 🙏

[@riverdonoghue9992]

Disgusting how we as a society treated vulnerable women and children and young men too.

[@jan-limerick]

Catherine Coffee you made me cry you made me laugh your story is a history lesson for our younger generation an education for them. Your a mighty woman. Another great podcast.

[@patti4785]

Heartbreaking, but also inspirational a powerful woman. Get yourself in the political arena Catherine, you are amazing.

[@swankkfrank]

My lord what an absolute beauty of a woman to have survived all that horror . Thanks so much for yer podcast ! 🙏

[@noreenmurphy889]

All I can say is she is one magical amazing lady.

[@eileenroche7659]

Well done Catherine 👏👏👏👏👏

[@emilyoconnell626]

Thanks all for another powerful podcast.

[@catherineosullivan6208]

That was so eye opening of the horrible treatment of people in this country. If we all were more aware of how things were and could give the women and babies the respect they are due before it’s too late I’d be so happy. I’m a ucc student myself and all this I’m learning about the way the world and Ireland works is motivating me so much to make the world better, like the way the two Norries and Catherine is, so thank you

[@markdunnecork]

What a woman, had to watch it again,

[@maighreadnighrasta1104]

This woman is just such a tower of roaring strength. Cried my way through most of this podcast. My biological parents were foster carers and I lived through so many harrowing stories with my foster siblings through years and indeed we never called social workers cruelty men but by God we felt the cruelty. I could also relate to her as someone who was a young Mother and clung to my baby whilst the world seemed to look over me with disgust. After many years of therapy I manage a children's residential centre now myself and I see both the ways in which our child protection services have improved but also the huge amount of work that has yet to be done. I love your podcast so much lads. So many real people with real stories. I spent many years relying on substances myself too to deal with my pain. There is no end to the love, care and compassion that shines from these conversations. Thank you 😊

[@poshdosh7697]

Not just addiction but the value of life and not to settle for what your told your limited to always know there's better for yourself with dedication. Thanks lads and ladies. Be strong for 2021

[@ilonaszabo2831]

Inhumanity of mankind towards mankind is something I will never and never want to understand. Fair play to Catherine for taking a stand back then and continuing to do so. Another great podcast lads.

[@jhughe39]

Wow, what an amazing woman. I hope she writes a book about her life. You can tell she has hundreds of more stories.

[@johnmccann6390]

This interview is shocking ,sad ,horrifying ,how Catherine tells her story it should be put in bookform .....great woman well done .

[@work6007]

Really interesting and informative. Hard to believe that happened in Cork and it really wasn’t so long ago.

[@shanehiggins9121]

What a great story such a inspirational woman to go tru so much and still be strong

[@annamarieoriordan7295]

In industrial school from 0 to 5 years old no memories of it .Had to stop listening to pain full for me 😔😔

[@gracehealy1]

This was an incredible story, I've listened to it twice. Catherine you're an inspiration your sense of humour especially

[@markdunnecork]

Lads that podcast was absolutely brilliant

[@evelynmoynihan2870]

A harrowing yet inspirational podcast, told by one resilient lady. Keep sharing your stories Catherine, and fighting for justice. Love your key messages for women, particularly young women. Thanks lads , you are making my #100daysofwalking alot more bearable

[@katinss9983]

Catherine is a remarkable woman. Such an inspiration to us all

[@siobhanlooney9824]

From someone who had PND it’s heartbreaking to listen that a lot of women were just put away for something that was completely out of there control. When all was needed was support and love. Fabulous podcast. Thank you.

[@sissynimeachair6134]

Amazing woman so glad I spent this time listening to you Catherine. Thank you for sharing your life story. Every good wish to you and yours. For freedom of Ireland as a whole and for all the people who have dwelt with Her. In kindness x

[@laurag5648]

You can just feel the immense strength of character from Catherine, for such a difficult story & life, she tells it so well, could listen to her all day, what a wise & brilliant person 💜 I want to see the day that the surviving nuns & staff from these institutions are criminally prosecuted for the crimes & human right abuses

[@nealobrien2790]

Well done Catherine, I could have listened to you for hours. Thanks lads for making this podcast happen.

[@KU-mq4er]

Brilliant. Thank you Lads.

[@ciaranhegarty1806]

That was hard enough to listen to , Catherine is tough stuff , stay strong 💪

[@OatyReading]

That was a tough watch, but another great podcast, well done to all involved.

[@tomkeane2629]

Really eye opening episode. 👍

[@melissaodriscoll3088]

That was fantastic,

[@madamdardis]

My mum was in the mother and baby homes in Ireland a couple of times and I know that they added to her already traumatic upbringing. I’ll listen to this tomorrow. My mothers life was desperate and she was terribly mentally ill when she raised me and my brothers here in England. The trauma has been handed down through the generations, nobody’s escaped untouched. I look forward to listening to this now tomorrow.

[@angeladesmond5391]

Thank you all so much for another inspirational episode.. 💗💗

[@nicola1466]

My mother was sentenced from the age of 3 to an Industrial "school" until the age of 16. That was in the 60's and early 70's. She came out of there traumatised not able to read or write. She lost her life last year due to a life of slowly drinking herself to death. Ireland. You can't make this stuff up.

[@jdproject6640]

Well done 2all god bless 2all good karma

[@catrionabicks3824]

Inspirational

[@aoibh23]

Powerful and heartbreaking to listen to, thanks lads. Any thoughts on doing a piece on adoptees and their searches for information? Here's hoping that things will be more open to us in 2021. ( I'm 48 and still have no information)

[@madamdardis]

God bless your heart. I’ve met 3/4 adoptees taken from my ma. Mum was a Wicklow girl & She had her first child out of wedlock at only 15 years old. I’ve yet to meet an adoptee sibling that I share the same dad with but it’ll be soon because we made contact last year. I’m in London because mum and dad came here in 1968 with my elder brother who they managed to get out of Dublin with even though they were unmarried, and that was a real feat back then. Mum and dad passed away long ago now but the chain of siblings has continued to reveal itself. Tis a hell of a family tree we have. I wish you the very best of luck in your search for your relatives, I do know that it’s not an easy thing to do practically or emotionally.

[@CorkRef]

Hard to believe that we are in the 2021 and we are speaking about class distinction and privilege to such a degree still..... This is heartbreaking, looking back at the disgusting behaviour of people who claimed to be there to represent, protect and make the world a safe place for all.... There are still lots of warped people in this world who were "The Respected" members of society when in reality the preyed on the vulnerable and belittled many..... Doing now to an innocent dog what these folk did to kids not that long ago would see you before the courts .... The injustices in this world are criminal....

[@riverdonoghue9992]

The religious orders made a lot of money out of it.