LETTER FROM 'GOLDENBRIDGE GIRL'
Added to www.alliancesupport.org on December 5, 2007[ This is one of the most unusual documents to come out after the broadcast of 'Dear Daughter' in February 1996. This lady spent 10 happy years in Goldenbridge from 1955 and cannot understand the media coverage of alleged abuse. After the broadcast, her own children felt that she had misled them about her time there!
Of course the main reason for her amazement is that she "wouldn't dream of disputing these allegations" (from Christine Buckley and co). And indeed if you believe that Christine Buckley is a credible witness, then the matter is totally inexplicable.
Rory Connor
4 December 2007 ]
Dear Daughter
Irish Times, 1 May 1996, Letter from Ann Mahr
Sir,
I am a former "Goldenbridge Girl" I was in Goldenbridge Orphanage from 1955, age 2 weeks to 1965. I have nothing but happy memories of my childhood during that time. When I saw the media coverage of alleged abuse in the orphanage I was shocked. I have shared many of my happy memories of my childhood with my children as most parents do but when they heard these allegations they felt I had misled them.
While I wouldn't dream of disputing these allegations I feel that perhaps the whole thing wasn't investigated properly. Before the media coverage nobody consulted me about my time at Goldenbridge or consulted me before a photograph of me in a group of girls which included Christine Buckley was printed in a Sunday newspaper. A number of people have contacted me who were also in Goldenbridge at the time who wondered where these allegations were coming from as we were not aware of any of it.
I feel now that my childhood has been taken from me, and just because I was unlucky enough to be an orphan nobody bothered to hear my side of the story. I sympathise with those who have suffered pain because of things which they endured, however, the loss of my childhood has caused me a lot of mental anguish and a sense of a loss of identity. "Who am I now?" Being referred to as an "inmate" of Goldenbridge by Pat Kenny horrified me as I always assumed that I wad just a little girl who had no parents but who had caring people looking after me in what was my home for almost 10 years.
How do I now get my childhood and identity back? Who can help me? What about the unfortunate mothers who were forced to give their children up for one reason or another? Surely they are in anguish as to how their child was treated. This needs to be investigated thoroughly for people like me to get on with their lives. If a documentary follow up to Dear Daughter is to be made I hope the producers will research it properly and look into where these babies are that were supposedly strapped to potties as I was one of these babies.
Yours, etc.,
(formerly Teresa A. Norton), Ballyfermot, Dublin 10.