Orphanage Survivor - Fred's Loughrea to Letterfrack Story

Historical Archive: The account of young Fred's referral by the NSPCC to an industrial school at age seven, studied via related oral history projects and family advocacy at the University of Galway. Fred is not of Tuam town, however Letterfrack (where he was held as a boy, plus unpaid local labour. See "boarded-out" / farm experience) is in the parish of the Clifden deanery of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Tuam in County Galway, Ireland.

Fred was not in a baby "home". Nor was his mother in any institution. However his case was one of forced family separation, not voluntary surrender. Young Fred committed no crime to be admitted to Letterfrack by referral. Young Fred was at his own home with his maternal grandparents and maternal aunt. His own Uncle (in-law) went on to become a lead painter, decorator also handyman at University College of Galway in the late 1950s. The University offered Uncle accommodation on campus, however Fred's Uncle stayed at Loughrea, Co. Galway. His uncle (by marriage) had been in "home" for boys in North Galway, as an unaccompanied minor.

The location of the "home" or name of institution remains unnamed due to perceived culture / notions around "shame". However his in-law nephew's story lives on in the archives of the Christian Brothers, Gov. Dept. Education and Barnardos Ireland "Origins", as well as the archive library of the University of Galway - thanks to the advocacy of family of Fred, with the kind permission and consent of Fred.