Jersey must resist calls for Compensation Tribunal-author

Jersey Evening Post
on 2 September 2008 (page 7).

by Elaine Byrne

JERSEY must resist calls for a compensation tribunal into child abuse claims at all costs, says the author of a best-selling book on false allegations in Ireland.
Hermann Kelly who wrote Kathy's Real Story, which examines some of the accusations against religious people in both Ireland and Britain and the effects a €1bn Government compensation scheme, is urging the States of Jersey not to follow Ireland by setting up a financial redress board.
'As it stands, the Irish Redress Board has become a state-sponsored ATM machine, where virtually anybody who keys in a claim, gets a pay out,' he said.
'It is now the Irish taxpayer who is being abused by this ill-thought out compensation scheme.'
On Saturday three former residents of Jersey children's homes announced they are seeking redress through the courts for the alleged abuse they suffered while in care.
The Irish Redress Board's show that the average pay-out is €76,500 and it is estimated that the Redress Board will have paid out at least €1.1 billion euro by the time it has completed its work.
Mr Kelly who worked at the Irish Catholic for three and a half years says that all claims should be investigated by the police.
'There have already been a number of occasions when charges of abuse or sexual assault have been found without any basis whatsoever in Irish courts, yet the complainant, has gone on to make the same accusations against the same person at the Redress Board and received money.
'Researching for my book - 'Kathy's Real Story' I met a number of men who have been declared totally innocent in court who found that their accuser struck gold at the Redress Board for the same allegation - they were devastated of course.'
Mr Kelly said that he has sympathy for all those who were abused but said that it is important that the courts handle their cases to stop people making false allegations.
'In Ireland, there is no doubt that physical and sexual abuse of children and minors has been carried out in a very brutal manner by a number of people, including professed religious in residential institutions. I hold that those people who were abused should receive compensation, just as those who wickedly carried out abuse should be jailed for their criminal offences. But I hold this should be done via the courts where justice can be seen to be done for all.'

Launch of Kathy's Real Story at the Tara hotel, London on May 5th.

Author of 'Kathy's Real Story', Hermann Kelly at the launch of his book at the Tara hotel, Kensington. It was published by Prefect Press on May 5th 2008.

For larger photos - go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/89494821@N00/ or contact publisher: info at prefectpress.com

Media interest anticipates UK book launch

In the last two weeks, Kathy's Real Story has been subject of large news feature articles in The Daily Telegraph, the Catholic Herald, The Irish Post as well as being mentioned in The Observer.
The UK launch date for the book is Monday May 5th 2008 in London.

The Daily Telegraph Wednesday 5th March 2008
Mis lit: Is this the end for the misery memoir? by Ed West.

The Observer
Oh no, not another psychopathic nun
by Catherine Bennett, Sunday March 9 2008

The Irish Post
Wednesday, February 20th, 2008
Feud between warring authors set to hot up
by Fiona Audley

The Catholic Herald
Church abuse memoir was fictional, says investigator
Feb 8, 2008 page 2

The Daily Mail (UK)
Just before the book's publication in Ireland, it was featured in a two page spread in the UK's Daily Mail.
Lies of Little Miss Misery - memoir of abused girl is a fake, says new investigation


On the one day, Wednesday 5th March 2008 there were three major articles in The Independent, The New York Times and The Daily Telegraph about fraudulent "misery memoirs". Kathy's Real Story meets the zietgeist head on.
Ride the wave, order the book from Gardners.

O'Beirne Family happy after High Court challenge

Letter of Mary O'Beirne (sister of Kathy) to editor of The Irish Daily Mail

Dear Sir,

On behalf of the O’Beirne family I wish to say thank your newspaper for your part in exposing the hurtful lies and baseless alegations made by our sister Kathy O’Beirne in her book 'Don’t Ever Tell.'
We greatly appreciate your decision in 2006 and 2007 print news articles exposing her school records, which alone show her story to be untrue.
What our sister has done is defame many innocent people with an eye to making money - nothing else. If people wish to know the startling truth about what Kathy O’Beirne was really up to in her life they should read the book, ‘Kathy’s Real Story’ by one of your journalist Hermann Kelly, he who she tried to beat up on TV3 before Christmas. ‘Kathy’s Real Story’ will open their eyes to the malice and greed behind her fabricated stories.
In last week’s Daily Mail, Kathy is quoted as being happy, vindicated, and not bothered if the case went ahead - all bluff of course.
Last week at the High Court, we had a large number of powerful witnesses lined up in court to rip her story to threads. Seeing this, our sister agreed to vacate the family home within six months that it be sold and divided among the nine siblings. - Why would she be happy about vacating a house she has lived in for over a decade?
This is a major climb down on her part, and it shall not be the last until our father is fully vindicated.
This matter is not yet over because we shall not rest until everyone who read her claims is made aware of the real story. Many thanks for your paper’s part in ripping down the wicked web she weaves.
Yours sincerely,

Mary O’Beirne - O’Gorman.
Clondalkin,
Dublin 22

25/2/08

cf
The Irish Independent 20/2/08 *article 1

The Irish Independent 20/2/08 * article 2

FINAL SHOWDOWN IN BATTLE OF THE BOOKS

Kathy's Real Story versus Don't Ever Tell / O'Beirne Family versus Kathy O'Beirne.

The final legal battle between bestselling Mis Lit author, Kathy O'Beirne and her family over which side is telling the truth will take place in the Dublin High Court starting on Tuesday 19th February at 11am.
The case, which hinges on the competing claims between two books, Don't Ever Tell by Kathy O'Beirne and 'Kathy's Real Story' by journalist Hermann Kelly.
A number of witnesses from book 'Kathy's Real Story' have been subpoenaed to give evidence by the O'Beirne family.

The High Court case is listed at www.courts.ie - legal diary- high court - advance warning
as 2006 92CA O'B & ANOR V O'B (4D)

It shall take place in Court 2, Distillery Building, Church Street, Dublin.
Justice Hedigan shall be presiding.

It is down for 4 days.
It promises to be interesing few days.

February Court Battle over veracity of rival books

The O'Beirne siblings are taking Kathy O'Beirne to the Dublin High Court on February 19th 2008 ostensibly over the carrying out of their late father's will but outcome shall depend on competing claims to veracity of two opposing books.
Three years ago, Kathy O'Beirne garnered sympathy with a circuit court judge telling him she had suffered a lifetime of abuse and here was a copy of her book to prove it - Don't Ever Tell. She claimed her father told her verbally that he would leave her the family home after he and his wife died. However his written will said the family home was to be sold and proceeds to be divided equally among the nine siblings.
Now her family are challenging her story completely, saying she was never abused by her father, and never in a Magdalene Laundry. 'Here, is another book, Your Honour, called 'Kathy's Real Story' which tells the truth and shows what she was really up to.'
Seats at ringside in the High Court should be in high demand.

About barney on Irish TV3 (Nov 5th 2007)

She can beat my back, but not my book says author of Kathys Real Story

The author of new book claiming to expose false allegations of abuse, remained defiant today after being assaulted on national television on Tuesday.
Hermann Kelly, the journalist who wrote Kathys Real Story which claims to discredit a book called Kathys Story by best-selling author Kathy OBeirne said, she can beat my back, but she cant beat my book.
Describing the violence which erupted during an interview on TV3's Ireland AM which pitted himself against OBeirne, Kelly said, -The woman went ballistic when I pulled out documents on live television totally discrediting her story, as she was losing the argument, she quickly turned to violence.

She can beat me all she likes, - Kelly said - but she wont beat the proof and top grade witnesses I have in Kathys Real Story. This is now a battle of the books, and I am going to win.
 "People will be able to see that what Kathy OBeirne actually did in real life is more astonishing than the allegations she has already made," said Kelly who called  book by author Kathy O'Beirne, a wholesale fraud and tissue of lies.

In Kathys Real Story I uncover an incredible train of events and show that Kathy O'Beirne is not an abused, put-upon victim but the aggressor, and the perpetrator of  false allegations against perfectly good and innocent people. Its a complete reversal of how she portrays herself in her book.

Effect of 1.3 billion euro State compensation scheme.

Quotes:

It has become clear over recent years that the short
step in Ireland between allegation and compensation has had lethal
consequences for the reputation of many innocent people.

The Irish Government must take a good part of the blame for the creation of this culture, for it is this Government which chose to provide the taxpayers money to fund the Redress Board, compensating some who were abused but in addition, creating a financial incentive to others who were not abused, to make false allegations for the sake of monetary gain.

When the State launches a compensation [Redress] scheme which is estimated will pay out over 1.3 billion euro, surely it is right and proper that people should provide proof that they were abused before they can receive any money. Otherwise, some unscrupulous people will simply make a false allegation to get more money.

The State which provides the honey pot, to provide sustenance for the bees, shouldn’t be too surprised when some hungry bears turn up to dip their paws at will. Especially as there are so few safeguards against this happening. Yes, the State, taking money from the Irish taxpayer, provides compensation to people who were resident in certain institutions, some of whom were abused, yet this does not justify allowing those who were not abused or suffered no harm to a bag load of money. Nor should it encourage them to destroy someone’s reputation among their religious peers and ensure that they, as innocent persons wrongly accused, are put through the mincer emotionally.
As it stands, the Redress Board has become a State-sponsored ATM machine, where virtually anybody who keys in a claim, gets a pay out. It is the Irish taxpayer who is being abused, it is the Irish taxpayer who is being financially raped by this ill-thought out compensation scheme.