Today, I'm delighted to help a Facebook friend - Philomena Callan - who is helping to promote the recently published book of a friend of hers from Dundalk, Ireland. The account which is featured today is sadly a true one and is named -
Sworn to Silence
A Young Boy. An Abusive Priest. A Buried Truth.
By Brendan Boland, Darragh MacIntyre
One boy who bravely speaks up. A church determined to keep him silent.
Brendan was an eleven-year-old altar boy when he first met
Father Smyth. When the abuse began, he didn't know what to do -- surely
he should trust a priest? But he knew he wasn't the only victim, and his
worst nightmare was that his sisters would be next.
It was three years before he plucked up the courage to tell
another minister. An inquiry was quickly called, in which Brendan was
sworn to secrecy. But the abuse didn't stop. Instead, Father Brendan
Smyth continued to prey on other children for two more decades until he
was finally convicted.
This shocking memoir tells how, for years, a priest's abuse
was ignored by the Catholic Church -- and how one brave small boy stood
up for justice.
• Co-written with BBC investigative reporter Darragh MacIntyre, this is a powerful exposé of the Irish church
About the Author
BRENDAN BOLAND grew up in
Dundalk, Co Louth, Ireland. Today he lives with his wife and childhood
sweetheart Martina in the UK, where he works with a multinational media
group.
DARRAGH MacINTYRE is an award-winning investigative
reporter with BBC Panorama, as well as a published author. He was the
reporter and the presenter of the BBC Panorama programme, The Shame of
Catholic Church, broadcast in May 2012. Originally from Celbridge,
County Kildare, Darragh now lives in Belfast with his wife and two
daughters.
Get your copy via these buy links:
p.s. You'll find me out guesting at my friend Francine Howarth's blog. She's asked me some brilliant questions, but also surprised me today by adding her excellent 5* reviews for all 3 of my Celtic Fervour Series of historical adventures! Catch the post at http://tgunwriter.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/the-interview-nancy-jardine-celticroman.html (I really think she likes my writing *winks*)
Slainthe!
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