TOM HUMPHRIES, THE CHRISTIAN BROTHERS AND CHILD ABUSE HYSTERIA
About a year ago, I posted the following letters from the the Irish Times archive, concerning Tom Humphries and the Christian Brothers. I intended to illustrate the kind of hysteria regarding child abuse that the Irish Times has consistently promoted over the years. (See for example Patsy McGarry's articles accusing the Brothers of being responsible for the deaths of children in their care.)
Reflecting on his time spent in St Joseph's Christian Brothers School in Dublin, Tom Humphries stated (Irish Times, May 9th 2000):
"Now I've seen so many Brothers who once had nicknames and reputations leaving courtrooms with anoraks on their heads and cuffs on their wrists that I wonder. I search the reports for familiar names. I take care with the jokes that I make."
Replying on 12th May, Brother Joseph Murray wrote:
This gives the impression that several members of the congregation have been convicted on abuse charges in our courts and are serving custodial sentences for these crimes. This is not true. One member of the congregation has been convicted on such charges. Mr Humphries's statement that he has seen many members of the congregation leaving courtrooms in handcuffs and with anoraks over their heads is simply untrue.
While stressing that any such conviction is one too many, it is grossly unfair to convict others by association or to blacken the good name of those who dedicated all their working lives to Irish education down through the years.
It is quite disturbing that Mr Humphries can make such an erroneous statement and that his colleague Emmet Oliver can repeat the error on the same page of your paper. It would appear that Mr Humphries actually believes that he has seen photographs of several Christian Brothers leaving our courts having been convicted of child abuse and that he has searched the reports looking for familiar names. It would also appear that Mr Oliver believes this misinformation. Has this belief become part of the mind-set of some journalists?
Tom Humphries now seems to have fallen victim to the same kind of hysteria that he once promoted.
Rory Connor
19 April 2011
The Christian Brothers
Irish Times May 22, 2000
Sir, - Brother Michael Murray's letter of Monday 15th was shocking. Why does he feel that "any such conviction is one too many"? Why have there not been many more convictions? This is what I would like to know.
On March 29th, 1998, the Christian Brothers gave a public apology to all the children who had been harmed in their care. Will this apology heal all the pain and trauma suffered by the victims of physical, emotional and sexual abuse carried out by the Christian Brothers in their industrial schools and boys' schools all over Ireland? Do victims who have had their lives ruined through abuse not have a right to justice in the Irish courts?
The Irish Government has also made a public apology for its role in this tragedy of child abuse, but this is not enough. Justice must be seen to be done.
A tribunal of inquiry should be set up to examine the facts and to determine what exactly was the role of the State and Church in the shameful neglect and abuse of so many innocent and vulnerable children who were in the care of the Christian Brothers and other religious orders. These records must be made public, acknowledged and dealt with in the courts so that we all can move on as a society. - Yours, etc.,
Paula O'Connor, Castlefield Manor, Malahide, Co Dublin.
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/letters/2000/0522/00052200106.html
Christian Brothers
Irish Times, May 18, 2000
A chara, - May I take issue with the article (EL, May 9th) by Tom Humphries on the Christian Brothers, and in particular the Brothers in St Joseph's, Fairview?
I also was at school at St Joseph's (1924-1930). During those six years I never ever saw any of the violent treatment that Tom Humphries talks about, nor ever was there the slightest whiff or whisper of anything unseemly on the part of the Brothers.
If I were not to write the above I would fail badly in the debt I, and so many others, owe the Brothers for their dedication and self-sacrifice. - Is mise,
Fr Tom Ingoldsby SDB, Salesian House, Ballinakill, Portlaoise.
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/letters/2000/0518/00051800110.html
The Christian Brothers
Irish Times, May 15, 2000
Sir, - Reflecting on his time spent in St Jospeh's CBS, Fairview, Dublin, Tom Humphries states (EL, May 9th): "Now I've seen so many Brothers who once had nicknames and reputations leaving courtrooms with anoraks on their heads and cuffs on their wrists that I wonder. I search the reports for familiar names. I take care with the jokes that I make."
This gives the impression that several members of the congregation have been convicted on abuse charges in our courts and are serving custodial sentences for these crimes. This is not true. One member of the congregation has been convicted on such charges. Mr Humphries's statement that he has seen many members of the congregation leaving courtrooms in handcuffs and with anoraks over their heads is simply untrue.
While stressing that any such conviction is one too many, it is grossly unfair to convict others by association or to blacken the good name of those who dedicated all their working lives to Irish education down through the years.
It is quite disturbing that Mr Humphries can make such an erroneous statement and that his colleague Emmet Oliver can repeat the error on the same page of your paper. It would appear that Mr Humphries actually believes that he has seen photographs of several Christian Brothers leaving our courts having been convicted of child abuse and that he has searched the reports looking for familiar names. It would also appear that Mr Oliver believes this misinformation. Has this belief become part of the mind-set of some journalists?
One mush ask how such misinformation can be published by a reputable newspaper. - Yours, etc.,
Br Michael Murray, Deputy Leader, St Helen's Province, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin.
Br Murray is correct and the error is regretted. The cases of a number of other Christian Brothers are pending in the courts and their appearances have been for charge or remand. All defendants have denied the charges. - Ed., IT.
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/letters/2000/0515/00051500118.html
Sunday World Cover Story, 17 April 2011
REVEALED
Writer Humphries accused of underage sex with GAA girl (14)
SCANDAL: Irish Times journalist Tom Humphries
Irish Times journalist Tom Humphries is the man at the centre of the sex scandal which has rocked the GAA and the media.
The prominent writer and underage GAA coach is a friend and confidante to a string of top sports stars.
This weekend he is said to be under round-the-clock medical care as he faces claims that he started an 18-month affair with the camogie player when she was just 14.
Gardai plan to quiz the 48-year-old father-of-two about the allegations which surfaced when members of his family found a mobile phone said to contain naked photographs and explicit texts.
THE STAR WRITER, THE CAMOGIE PLAYER (14) AND THEIR SEX AFFAIR
THE SUNDAY WORLD today reveals the identity of the famous sports journalist and underage GAA coach who is accused of having a sordid sex affair with a 14-year-old schoolgirl.
Best-selling author and Irish Times journalist Tom Humphries is at the centre of a probe into allegations that he had a 'relationship' with one of the country's top underage camogie players.
Today we can reveal that the journalist, who was a confidante to top sports stars like Roy Keane and Niall Quinn, is set to be questioned by detectives about the allegations.
Humphries has been on suicide watch in a top Dublin psychiatric hospital since the allegations emerged this week.
The Sunday World has also learned that he took overnight trips with dozens of underage schoolgirls involved in GAA tournaments.
Offenders
WORK: Tom Humphries interviewed some of Ireland’s greatest sporting legends, including former Kerry GAA star Paidi O Se
His alleged victim has told gardai that they had a consensual sexual relationship for over a year-and-a-half which ended just three weeks ago.
She has now made a statement against him and Gardai plan to interview more than 150 young sports stars about the claims.
Humphries has written glowing columns in the pages of the The Irish Times about young camogie players and how he hopes they stay "forever young". He also slammed coaches who abused kids in their care.
Members of Humphries' family are believed to have alerted Gardai after suggestive texts and a series of naked photographs of a young girl were discovered on a mobile phone that her dad was giving to a charity.
Although the sports writer has been a mentor for various underage camogie teams at Dublin's famous St Vincent's GAA club in Marino, the alleged victim does not play for the club, the Sunday World has learned.
However, she did come into contact with Humphries through the sport and was a highly rated underage player for the county.
When the journalist was confronted with the allegations of what was discovered on his old phone, he had what sources say was a "serious breakdown" and ended up in a psychiatric hospital, with doctors fearing that he may attempt to take his own life.
Senior Garda sources say they believe there is enough evidence to charge him with abusing the girl.
Although detectives have not got medical permission to interview Humphries (48), they have built up a detailed picture of the allegations against him.
They have copies of text messages, email exchanges and sordid picture messages exchanged between Humphries and the teenager over the last 18 months. The 'relationship' began when the girl was just 14 and continued up until just three weeks ago.
Detectives have spoken to the teenager at the centre of the allegations, who is now 16, and she said she had a sexual relationship with Humphries, but they were involved in a loving relationship.
However, the girl, from a sprawling Dublin suburb, has since made what sources describe as a "statement of complaint" against the father of two.
Even if Humphries eventually argues that any sexual contact with the teenager was consensual, this is not a valid defence under the law and he could be charged with statutory rape.
Sources fear that because the journalist's medical state is so delicate, it could be months before they are allowed to quiz him.
Victim
INVESTIGATION: Writer and underage GAA coach Humphries
All of these minors will have to be quizzed while a parent or legal guardian is present and they will be asked if they knew about Humphries' alleged relationship with the 14-year-old. It is expected that this process will take a number of weeks.
Club sources say they have not yet been officially informed by gardai of the allegations against Humphries or asked to cooperate with the probe.
The safety of underage players is the main priority of the club and they follow the best practices in terms of child safety. All prospective coaches involved with underage teams are vetted by gardai as standard procedure.
Humphries frequently wrote about his coaching with one of the St Vincent's underage camogie teams over the last few years.
In an internet tribute site to a St Vincent's juvenile camogie team which disbanded after they reached senior level, Tom Humphries posted: "gone bt nt 4gotten girls".
Most of the talk on the tribute site is about a three-day overseas trip that the team took.
BREAKDOWN: Tom Humphries is now in a top Dublin psychiatric hospital
He has 26 'friends' who are mostly members of his team, and he has posted a picture of himself with his index finger pointing to his mouth.
One young girl posted on his wall: "tom!!! Dnt belive iv bin talkn 2 ya since iv bin on * SITE !! Xxx xx x"
Impressionable
Another youngster wrote: "Love for a real celebrity. OMG ITS TOM HUMPHRIES! THIS IS BETTER THAN WHEN THE MY LITTLE PONY FAN CLUB ADDED ME AS A FRIEND!!"
Under a section named: 'Hu's D maddest out of the Mentors', Humphries wrote: "Meself Tomo Humphries..Yerrr Gewonnn...".
Humphries also frequently wrote about being a camogie mentor in his Irish Times column. In June 2005 he wrote about taking his team of young and impressionable players on a trip for the weekend.
"Let me tell you about last weekend. It will explain all," he wrote.
"I spent the weekend in Cork in the company of the Twenty-Four Greatest Living Irish Women, or the St Vincent's under-14 camogie team, as they are collectively known. We had the weekend of our lives. In fact, we had a holiday from life.
"I've never enjoyed anything remotely as much as I have enjoyed being immersed in a Féile. I never will.
"See, The Fab Twenty-Four can be both erratic and brilliant. They can die for each other or just be not in the mood for anything except gossip. They play and function as an aggregate of two dozen separate personalities. They are beautiful and wild and basically nuts. Somedays, they are collectively hormonal and we are afraid to ask them to do anything in case they rage at us.
"There's always at least one moment in a Féile weekend that you'll remember forever. For me there were two.The first came maybe an hour and a half after the Toomevara win.The girls were drained, emptied, shattered, wrecked.
"So the Mill Lodge Hotel became an army field camp. Twenty-four bodies lay around fast asleep. Legs getting massaged, wounds being tended to, words being whispered, the smell of liniments. The sight of them there, all huddled like a scattering of dropped commas, will stay with me forever."
He ended the column with a paragraph listing the nicknames of the young girls, saying "love ye all, long may ye run" before concluding "may you stay forever young".
Infamous
Humphries became one of the best-known journalists in the country when he conducted an infamous interview with Roy Keane in Saipan ahead of the 2002 World Cup.
Keane's comments in the interview led to the showdown with manager Mick McCarthy which led to the fiery Corkman's exit from the tournament.
Humphries went on to get a string of scoops from Keane and also helped ghost write Niall Quinn's autobiography.
Calls and emails to The Irish Times seeking a comment this week went unanswered.