NORTHERN IRELAND
The Irish News
ALLISON MORRIS
03 July, 2017
OF the thousands of victims of Northern Ireland’s troubles few have been more badly let down than the children of murdered mother of ten Jean McConville.
At just six years-old Billy McConville and his twin brother Jim were the youngest of the family of orphans abandoned after their mother was abducted by the IRA in the mouth of Christmas 1972.
When they were eventually taken into care they were sent to children’s homes across Northern Ireland, including Nazareth Lodge and Nazareth House in Belfast and the De La Salle Boys’ Home at Rubane House in Kircubbin.
Sir Anthony Hart found child abuse was systemic at these Catholic Church run institutions, the McConville children were among the terrified young victims.
Some of the children suffered physical and mental neglect, others were also sexually abused by staff and older boys, Billy suffered among the worst possible abuse.
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