Victims reveal lifelong impact of abuse hell
THE daughter of a man who sexually abused eight members of his family has said she can remember her father abusing her from her earliest childhood memories.
James O’reilly, 75, of Killeens,
Co Tipperary, had pleaded not guilty to 81 counts of rape and sexual abuse on dates between 1977 and 2000
After a five-week trial last year at the Central Criminal Court he was convicted of 58 counts of rape and nine counts of sexual assault.
In her victim impact statement, which she read out in court, Philomena Connors said she sometimes thinks why did her mother have her and wishes she had never been born.
She added she always had emptiness in her heart and she still has to this day.
Philomena said her father had control over her and she could not see how normal people lived.
The victim impact statements of the remaining seven women was read out in court on their behalf by a Garda sergeant. In her statement, Kathleen O’driscoll said she can remember her father abusing her from her earliest childhood memories.
She added she prayed each night she would not wake up.
Ms O’driscoll added her father threatened that if she told anyone about the abuse, he would cut her throat and the throat of the person she told.
She said she had watched him cut the throats of goats.
Ms O’driscoll added: “The fear kept us silenced.”
man’s Christine sister, Rooney, said she the felt accused like her brother had stolen her childhood and education, adding these were things she could never get back.
Ms Rooney said her brother thought he could control her with fear and it worked.
She said he would not feed her and she had to beg for food outside.
She added: “He will not beat me.” Helen O’donoghue said she had no education, no life and her father took everything from her. She added she has put up with being raped, starved and beaten all her life. Ms O’donoghue said she feels suicidal at times and it is her kids that keep her going. Margaret Hutchinson told how the abuse was a constant part of her life. She added her father threatened he would make her pregnant and that no one would marry her. She said when she became pregnant aged 16, she knew the threat he made was now real. Ms Hutchinson said her father wanted her to give the baby up for adoption, adding her baby was a secret that he wanted to get rid of but she would not let him. She said that after she gave birth she was “dirty” in the community. She added other Traveller parents would not let their daughters be friends with her. Mary Moran said her life was never ever going to be the same again. She added she struggles to wake up every morning. Ms Moran said the pain is always in her heart and it never leaves, adding there are times when she does not even want to leave her house. She said she hates her mother more for not stopping him. Anne O’reilly said she loves her children to bits and if she did not have them she would kill herself. She added when she goes out, she runs everywhere just to get home. Ms O’reilly said she has gotten justice in the eyes of the law, but it is never going to be enough. She added she cannot put into words how her father has ruined her life. Bridgette O’reilly said her whole childhood was taken away from the start, adding she is afraid to go to sleep and will stay up for days at a time. She said she locks herself away and goes days without eating. Ms O’reilly said if not for the support of her partner, her children, her neighbours and Women’s Aid, she does not know where she would