Dear Archbishop,

Thank you very much for your email letter, in particular for your statement that “It is right that any complaint made by such victims should be investigated”.

In that regard I will be calling on the heads of Protestant churches to support my demand that the Bethany Home be placed within the Irish government’s redress scheme, that the home be investigated, and that abused residents be eligible for compensation.

May I take it that you will be the first to support me in that call?

It will give the demand a tremendous lift, would be a signal of support, and would undoubtedly be picked up by the newspapers. When he presided at the opening o the Home in 1922, your predecessor, Archbishop Gregg, termed Bethany an ‘open door’ for ‘fallen’ women. You could reverse the stigma of that appellation by creating an open door for risen victims of abuse.

With regard to the Bethany Home itself, can you:
• Give me the names of those who were members of the Trust concerned with running Bethany?
• Tell me if any Church of Ireland clergy were involved (if you are aware)?
Archbishop Gregg, wrote in the Irish Times in 1939 that Bethany Home was managed by an “interdenominational committee”.
• Are there references to this Committee in Church archives or in other documentation?
• Who would be the best person to speak to further on this and do you have their contact details?

Finally, due to the confusion surrounding my fostering (unresolved to this day), I was told that my family name was ‘Linster’ at age 18. I subsequently found out that that should be ‘Leinster’ (as in the province) with an ‘e’, though my relations on my mother’s side hail from Ulster, County Cavan. It’s all a bit Irish, just like me. So ‘Leinster’ if you please (despite my email address), but you can call me Derek.

Yours sincerely,
Derek Leinster

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Dear Dr Pilkington,

Thank you very much for your email. I followed up with a letter to the Protestant church heads this week (below - see also attached Archbishop Neill correspondence). Unfortunately, not having much luck with the Irish Times again, and neither is David Norris (sent them letter, also below, asking why). Maybe if The Guardian do another article, the IT might feel the need to do one again.

Last Wednesday in the Dail Joe Costello from the Labour Party and Caoimhin O Caolain from Sinn Fein mentioned the  Bethany Home - no coverage.

Anything at all you might be able to do to publicise the issue would be very much appreciated - I have no problem if you want to send on the material below to anyone who might be interested.

Regards,
Derek


Lionel Pilkington
derek linster