St Joseph's Industrial School, Salthill

bobbyss

I used to know a fella who occasionally played football with out team who was always a bit wild. Always in trouble. I didn't know him well at all but I had heard he 'ended up' in Letterfrack. Never heard any more about him but when I hear Letterfrack in the news I always think of him and what became of him.

We once played a game against the lads in St Joseph's Industrial School from Salthill. 'School' with a pinch of salt that is, as the lads used to be called, I believe, inmates. There must have been a pitch or rough ground or something inside there as that is where it took pace. Our understanding at the time was that the lads there were hard cases in trouble with the Guards or orphans or abandoned. Something along those lines.

I remember nothing about the game itself just the feeling of being a bit scared when we went in there. I just remember the boys being very shabbily dressed and being stared at. That's all.

Does anyone have any memories of St Joseph's Industrial School?

GalwayGaillimh

Remember a fella in primary school in St Pats who was living there, got a tour inside of it off him once, was a big dorm with about 10 beds and they had a gold fish.

Think he was an orphan...

banie01

There will be lots of people with memories of St Joseph's and Letterfrack. I don't think that many will be happy ones and some will be traumatic, abuse and so on.

Not to be outright dismissive of you Bobby or your reasons for this thread.

But, looking for memories of industrial schools and children's detention centres on the back of playing football with a lad who was a bit wild? It's dismissive at best of what was inflicted upon some within those walls.

bobbyss

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117784253#Comment_117784253

That's interesting. I thought it was like a prison or something. I didn't think you could get a tour of the place at all.

Thanks for sharing your memory of that.