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''''St. Vincent's Industrial School, Goldenbridge''', popularly known as ''Goldenbridge'', was an [[Industrial Schools in Ireland|industrial school]]. (where?) It was run by the [[Sisters of Mercy]].<ref name="ryan-commission-7-09">[http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/02-07.php St Vincent’s Industrial School, Goldenbridge (‘Goldenbridge’), 1880–1983], Chapter 7, section 7-09, [[Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse]]</ref><ref name="ryan-commission-7-11">[http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/02-07.php St Vincent’s Industrial School, Goldenbridge (‘Goldenbridge’), 1880–1983], Chapter 7, section 7-11, [[Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse]]</ref><ref name="ryan-commission-7-12">[http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/02-07.php St Vincent’s Industrial School, Goldenbridge (‘Goldenbridge’), 1880–1983], Chapter 7, section 7-12, [[Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse]]</ref> ==History== In 1880 a building within Goldenbridge convent was certified as an industrial school and named ''St Vincent’s Industrial School''.<ref name="ryan-commission-7-11"/> It opened with an initial intake of 30 girls.<ref name="ryan-commission-7-11"/> In 1883 the convict refuge was converted into an industrial school.<ref name="ryan-commission-7-12"/> About thirty sisters were housed in the convent at Goldenbridge, which housed a large national school and a laundry which closed in the 1950s.<ref name="ryan-commission-7-22">[http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/02-07.php St Vincent’s Industrial School, Goldenbridge (‘Goldenbridge’), 1880–1983], Chapter 7, section 7-22, [[Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse]]</ref> Few of these sisters worked in the industrial school.<ref name="ryan-commission-7-23">[http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/02-07.php St Vincent’s Industrial School, Goldenbridge (‘Goldenbridge’), 1880–1983], Chapter 7, section 7-23, [[Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse]]</ref> The industrial school closed in 1983.<ref name="ryan-commission-7-13">[http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/02-07.php St Vincent’s Industrial School, Goldenbridge (‘Goldenbridge’), 1880–1983], Chapter 7, section 7-13, [[Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse]]</ref> ==Media coverage== Christine Buckley was interviewed on [[The Gay Byrne Show]] on 8 November 1992 as she was looking for her parents.<ref name="ryan-commission-7-63">[http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/02-07.php St Vincent’s Industrial School, Goldenbridge (‘Goldenbridge’), 1880–1983], Chapter 7, section 7-63, [[Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse]]</ref><ref name="ryan-commission-7-64">[http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/02-07.php St Vincent’s Industrial School, Goldenbridge (‘Goldenbridge’), 1880–1983], Chapter 7, section 7-64, [[Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse]]</ref> Media interest in Goldenbridge and other [[institutional abuse]] were sporadic until the broadcast in 1996 of the documentary ''[[Louis_Lentin#.22Dear_Daughter.22|Dear Daughter]]'' which made very serious allegations about physical and emotional abuse.<ref name="ryan-commission-7-65">[http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/02-07.php St Vincent’s Industrial School, Goldenbridge (‘Goldenbridge’), 1880–1983], Chapter 7, section 7-65, [[Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse]]</ref><ref name="ryan-commission-7-71">[http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/02-07.php St Vincent’s Industrial School, Goldenbridge (‘Goldenbridge’), 1880–1983], Chapter 7, section 7-71, [[Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse]]</ref> ==Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse== ===Physical abuse=== Punishment was pervasive, unpredictable, arbitrary and was used for small infringements, though it declined after the 1960s.<ref name="ryan-commission-7-592">[http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/02-07.php St Vincent’s Industrial School, Goldenbridge (‘Goldenbridge’), 1880–1983], Chapter 7, section 7-592, [[Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse]]</ref> It was used as a punishment for bedwedding as late as the 1970s.<ref name="ryan-commission-7-140">[http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/02-07.php St Vincent’s Industrial School, Goldenbridge (‘Goldenbridge’), 1880–1983], Chapter 7, section 7-140, [[Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse]]</ref> Children were protected if they had family members visiting them or if staff liked them.<ref name="ryan-commission-7-193">[http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/02-07.php St Vincent’s Industrial School, Goldenbridge (‘Goldenbridge’), 1880–1983], Chapter 7, section 7-193, [[Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse]]</ref><ref name="ryan-commission-7-194">[http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/02-07.php St Vincent’s Industrial School, Goldenbridge (‘Goldenbridge’), 1880–1983], Chapter 7, section 7-194, [[Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse]]</ref> There was a high level of severe corporal punishment in the school.<ref name="ryan-commission-7-232">[http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/02-07.php St Vincent’s Industrial School, Goldenbridge (‘Goldenbridge’), 1880–1983], Chapter 7, section 7-232, [[Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse]]</ref> Beatings on the landing were particularly cruel.<ref name="ryan-commission-7-232"/> No punishment book seems to have been kept, contrary to regulations and this was not noted by the Departmental Inspector.<ref name="ryan-commission-7-232"/> ===Rosary Bead making=== Children in Goldenbridge produced [[Rosary#Rosary_beads|rosary beads]] from the 1940s to the 1960s.<ref name="ryan-commission-7-233">[http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/02-07.php St Vincent’s Industrial School, Goldenbridge (‘Goldenbridge’), 1880–1983], Chapter 7, section 7-233, [[Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse]]</ref> They had a quota of sixty decades a day on weekdays and ninety on Saturdays.<ref name="ryan-commission-7-235">[http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/02-07.php St Vincent’s Industrial School, Goldenbridge (‘Goldenbridge’), 1880–1983], Chapter 7, section 7-235, [[Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse]]</ref> http://www.butterfliesandwheels.org/2006/the-goldenbridge-secret-rosary-bead-factory/ The commission remarked that the conditions children worked under caused stress and anxiety and would not have been tolerated in factories.<ref name="ryan-commission-7-273">[http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/02-07.php St Vincent’s Industrial School, Goldenbridge (‘Goldenbridge’), 1880–1983], Chapter 7, section 7-273, [[Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse]]</ref>The commission also noted that the bead-making deprived children of recreation that was essential for social, emotional and psychological growth.<ref name="ryan-commission-7-273"/> ===Sexual abuse=== The commission concluded that in general there was not an issue with sexual abuse, though one incident in 1962 was dealt with promptly.<ref name="ryan-commission-7-287">[http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/02-07.php St Vincent’s Industrial School, Goldenbridge (‘Goldenbridge’), 1880–1983], Chapter 7, section 7-287, [[Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse]]</ref> However, the management did not consider the possibility of abuse when sending children to foster families.<ref name="ryan-commission-7-287"/> ===Emotional abuse=== *Goldenbridge could have had a regime that was kinder and made children feel safe and secure.<ref name="ryan-commission-7-348">[http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/02-07.php St Vincent’s Industrial School, Goldenbridge (‘Goldenbridge’), 1880–1983], Chapter 7, section 7-348, [[Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse]]</ref> *Low self-esteem was still a problem for those in Goldenbridge who testified to the Commission.<ref name="ryan-commission-7-348"/> *Children were regularly humiliated and belittled by the nuns and carers who were supposed to look after them.<ref name="ryan-commission-7-348"/> *Those with family who were in regular contact were shown favouritism.<ref name="ryan-commission-7-348"/> *Girls who left Goldenbridge had a poor preparation for the outside world.<ref name="ryan-commission-7-348"/> ===Scraps=== Scraps of food were thrown from a container and children scrambled for them.<ref name="ryan-commission-7-376">[http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/02-07.php St Vincent’s Industrial School, Goldenbridge (‘Goldenbridge’), 1880–1983], Chapter 7, section 7-376, [[Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse]]</ref> ===Neglect=== Children suffered from severe neglect, though very hard work by two nuns produced improvements.<ref name="ryan-commission-7-429">[http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/02-07.php St Vincent’s Industrial School, Goldenbridge (‘Goldenbridge’), 1880–1983], Chapter 7, section 7-429, [[Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse]]</ref> Deparmental inspections were weak as they did not record the neglect.<ref name="ryan-commission-7-429"/> ===Education=== The internal primary school for the industrial school had a lower standard of education than that for the external school.<ref name="ryan-commission-7-481">[http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/02-07.php St Vincent’s Industrial School, Goldenbridge (‘Goldenbridge’), 1880–1983], Chapter 7, section 7-481, [[Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse]]</ref> Many children were only trained for domestic service.<ref name="ryan-commission-7-481"/> Children were taken out of school for domestic duties, with some being taken out more than others.<ref name="ryan-commission-7-481"/> No support or encouragement was given to children with serious educational problems such as little or no education.<ref name="ryan-commission-7-481"/> ===Chores=== Older girls education suffered as they were taken out of class to look after younger girls.<ref name="ryan-commission-7-513">[http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/02-07.php St Vincent’s Industrial School, Goldenbridge (‘Goldenbridge’), 1880–1983], Chapter 7, section 7-513, [[Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse]]</ref> Chores became abusive because they were too taxing and carried out under threat of punishment.<ref name="ryan-commission-7-513"/> Older girls had no recreational or personal time because of chores and bead-making.<ref name="ryan-commission-7-513"/> ===Food=== Food was of poor quality and there was little of it.<ref name="ryan-commission-7-562">[http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/02-07.php St Vincent’s Industrial School, Goldenbridge (‘Goldenbridge’), 1880–1983], Chapter 7, section 7-562, [[Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse]]</ref> Occasional attempts to remedy this did little to help.<ref name="ryan-commission-7-562"/> ==References== {{Reflist}} ==Luas== {{Luas start}} {{rail line|previous=[[Suir Road]]|next=[[Drimnagh]]|route=[[Red Line (Luas)|Red Line]]|col=FF0000}} {{end box}} {{coord missing|County Dublin}} [[Category:History of County Dublin]] [[Category:Girls' schools in the Republic of Ireland]] [[Category:Education in Dublin (city)]] [[Category:Industrial schools in the Republic of Ireland]] [[Category:Educational institutions disestablished in 1983]] [[Category:Defunct schools in the Republic of Ireland]]'