Christine Buckley

Christine Buckley is the director of the Aislinn support and education group for survivors of Industrial Schools in Ireland.^[1] She was raised in St. Vincent's Industrial School, Goldenbridge.^[1]

Early life

She was the daughter of a Nigerian medical student and a married Dublin woman.^[2] She was abandoned at three weeks old and grew up in Goldenbridge industrial school.^[2]

She went through primary and, unlike many industrial school children, secondary school, eventually qualifying as a nurse.^[1]

Adult life

In 1985 she contacted her mother and in 1988 she contacted her father.^[1]

Gay Byrne Show interview

Christine Buckley spoke about her childhood on The Gay Byrne Show in November 1992.^[3] During the interview she was asked about her childhood and she described her experience of Goldenbridge.^[4]

Dear Daughter

Christine Buckley worked with Louis Lentin on the documentary Dear Daughter which dealt with the experiences of her and others in Goldenbridge.^[2]

Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse

See also: Abuse and Child abuse

In 2003 Christine Buckley called on then Minster for Education Noel Dempsey to resign after he proposed that the Commission investigate only sample allegations of abuse instead of the 1800 complaints.^[5]

After the Commission report was published, Christine Buckley said that she was filled with anger though she should have been filled with hope.^[6]

In June 2009 Christine Buckley took part in a wreath-laying ceremony and a march of solidarity with victims of abuse in industrial schools.^[7] Up to 10,000 people took part in the march.^[7]

In June 2009 she criticised a letter to priests by Pope Benedict XVI on the grounds that it used vague language and that it may have concealed rather than acknowledged the wrongs done.^[8]

Aislinn support and education group

Christine Buckley and Carmel McDonnell Byrne Director & Co-Founder of The Aislinn Centre in a voluntary capacity for Survivors of Institutional Abuse. Both founded the Aislinn education and support centre to support former residents of industrial schools.^[9]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} A long journey in search of justice for victims of abuse, Christine Buckley, The Irish Times, 19 May 2009, retrieved 4 November 2009
2. ^ ^{a b c} Dear Daughter, Irish Film and TV Research Online, Trinity College Dublin
3. ^ St Vincent’s Industrial School, Goldenbridge (‘Goldenbridge’), 1880–1983, Volume II, Chapter 7, section 7-63, Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse
4. ^ St Vincent’s Industrial School, Goldenbridge (‘Goldenbridge’), 1880–1983, Volume II, Chapter 7, section 7-64, Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse
5. ^ Dempsey defends record on Laffoy, RTE News, 3 September 2003, retrieved 4 November 2009
6. ^ 'We can't get on with our lives. It's just not that easy. . .', The Irish Times, 21 May 2009, retrieved 4 November 2009
7. ^ ^{a b} Thousands march in solidarity with abuse victims, The Irish Times, 10 June 2009, retrieved 4 November 2009
8. ^ Pope is slammed over vague abuse response, The Irish Post, June 2009, retrieved 4 November 2009
9. ^ http://ie.linkedin.com/pub/carmel-mcdonnell-byrne/16/b47/143

Persondata
Name	Buckley, Christine
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death