The Irish James Frey?
The Guardian features an article today about Kathy O’Beirne, whose bestselling memoir Don’t Ever Tell (sold as Kathy’s Story in Ireland) came under fire yesterday from seven of her brothers and sisters, who “denounced the book as a work of fiction.”
The memoir is an account of O’Beirne’s life from the age of eight to 21, during which time she was allegedly placed in various Catholic foster services, including one of the notorious Magdalene laundries. The Guardian describes the book as “a grim catalogue of sexual abuse, beatings and rape.”
Her siblings are looking to have the book taken off shelves, but Mainstream, her publisher in Edinburgh, supports the book, insisting that they “took steps” before publishing that “included working closely with Kathy O’Beirne and providing the opportunity for comment or correction to the archdiocese of Dublin by submitting relevant material to it.”
However, one of the institutions implicated in the book, the Sisters of Our Lady of Charity, has also dismissed it as unreliable.
Quillblog wonders: who is Ireland’s equivalent to Oprah?
Related links:
Read The Guardian story here
I believe Kathy entirely & feel utter shame & anger that anyone could treat any living animal or person in such terrible ways. My best wishes and thoughts are forever with Kathy & every other person who have been & are being treated in such ways.