THE TWO WORKING MEN WHEN THEY WERE BOYS

It has taken me four years to determine the name of the artist responsible for this sculpture at the Kingsley Hotel in Cork. I asked at the hotel a few times and no one knew anything about the artist other than they thought he was from Cork.

Today I was in the area and had lunch at the hotel and upon leaving I noticed what appeared to be writing at the base of the sculpture. At first I was not sure if it was an inscription but when I returned home and zoomed in I saw the name ‘Brendan Byrne’.


To appreciate this sculpture you need to understand that there is the ’Two Working Men’ sculpture by Oisin Kelly across the rode from the hotel. Here we have a representation of the two men when they were only young boys. Unfortunately there is a darker side in that many locals consider them to be ‘Upton’ boys.

St. Patrick's Industrial School, Upton was an industrial school in Upton, County Cork and by all accounts it was a really horrible and cruel place.

I suspect that the artist had not intended any reference to the Industrial School.

Industrial schools were required to keep punishment books to record all cases of misconduct and punishments. Of all the industrial schools, only Upton and St. Joseph’s Industrial School, Dundalk were able to produce them, even then they only covered a fraction of the time under investigation.

The latter book covers a period covered by the Commissions' remit, but the Commission criticised it for being less systematic, less complete and inconsistency in breaches of rules listed. Despite this, there is enough evidence in the second book to show that punishments were as described by those complaining of abuse and not as described by some former staff.

Punishment was excessive and brutal. It was used by both religious and lay staff for control and was not supervised.

Sexual abuse by members of the religious order was a chronic problem and it was dealt with in a manner that put the interests of the order, the institution and even the abuser ahead of that of the children. Abusers were transferred to other institutions, putting children at those institutions at risk. The order was aware of the criminal nature of the abuse, but did not treat it as a crime. The action of one Brother Alfonso (a pseudonym) exposed many abusers.

Abuse by boys was not regarded by staff as serious and was downplayed to protect the reputation of the school. The Department of Education did not carry out its responsibilities in regard to supervising the school or protecting children.

Abuse by boys was not regarded by staff as serious and was downplayed to protect the reputation of the school.The Department of Education did not carry out its responsibilities in regard to supervising the school or protecting children.

If you want to depress yourself you should read the following document http://www.childabusecommission.ie/rpt/pdfs/CICA-VOL2-02.PDF