In recent days I visited the graves of the boys who died whilst residents of St.Joseph's school in the village of Letterfrack. The school opened in 1887 and closed in 1974. Today the building is used to make furniture and part of a college. The Christian Brothers ran the school in Letterfrack. 

Several Christian Brothers were convicted of very serious and heinous crimes. Lay teachers were also involved in various types of abuse at the school. Letterfrack is well known in Ireland and around the world because of a minority of brothers, who betrayed the ideals of Blessed Edmund Ignatius Rice. 

Many visit Letterfrack because of the national park but people should take the time to visit the graves of these boys. In ways the Free State of Ireland has continued to fail children and religious are the scapegoats. In the 1990s the Christian Brothers apologised to those hurt and failed whilst in their care. Perhaps the school in Letterfrack should have been closed much earlier. The remote location was a factor in the school closing in 1974. The area is rugged and isolated.