[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:07.06,0:00:09.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[Cormac Leonard] Hello!
Dialogue: 0,0:00:09.04,0:00:19.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In this presentation I will tell you the story of a Deaf man from Wexford, called Patrick Byrne.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:19.10,0:00:22.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,His story is an extraordinary one.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:22.02,0:00:28.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He was sent to jail many times, to several different jails, and was often transferred from one to another, and then back again!
Dialogue: 0,0:00:28.00,0:00:29.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He had a remarkable life!
Dialogue: 0,0:00:29.01,0:00:35.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Patrick was born around 1840 in New Ross, Wexford.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:44.03,0:00:48.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Like most Deaf people he grew up in a hearing family.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:48.10,0:00:53.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He didn’t go to Dublin to school, and so never attended school for the deaf, where he would have been taught sign language.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:53.01,0:00:57.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We know he was deaf, but it is not known if he was a sign language user.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:57.01,0:01:06.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That said, at that time in Wexford (from the 1850s to the 1870s) there were many Deaf people living in the area.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:06.02,0:01:13.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We know this from the prison register, which lists the names of several Deaf people.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:13.02,0:01:16.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I’m certain that Patrick would have known some of these Deaf people,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:16.03,0:01:20.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and that they would have been able to communicate with each other through gesture and sign.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:20.05,0:01:23.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It is likely that before the Deaf schools in Cabra were established, people would have been using an early “version” of ISL.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:27.10,0:01:35.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Patrick grew up to become extremely strong and broad; he was very well built.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:35.08,0:01:46.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Prison records list his height at 5 feet 10 inches, which was exceptionally tall for the middle of the 19th century.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:46.04,0:01:49.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The records also mention his weight; he was very heavy.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:49.02,0:02:00.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Later prison reports describe him as being “a very powerful man”, and that he was quick to lose his temper and hit out at others.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:04.07,0:02:11.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Around the age of 18 years old Patrick started getting involved in fights.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:11.10,0:02:15.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Sometimes he drank heavily also.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:15.03,0:02:17.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But mostly he got in trouble for fighting.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:17.02,0:02:19.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Often he attacked policemen.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:19.09,0:02:26.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It is not known why he attacked policemen in particular. It is possible that he had had a bad experience with the police, but there is no way of knowing.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:26.02,0:02:28.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,However, as a result, Patrick often ended up in court.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:28.01,0:02:34.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Frequently he was sentenced to serve time in the local jail in Wexford.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:34.02,0:02:37.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Former Wexford County Jail)\N
Dialogue: 0,0:02:37.08,0:02:46.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Usually these stays were short, maybe a week or two, or maybe a month, but they were a regular occurrence
Dialogue: 0,0:02:51.00,0:03:00.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,until 1870 when he committed a very serious assault.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:00.00,0:03:06.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It was then that Wexford court realised that Patrick needed a long and severe prison sentence.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:06.03,0:03:14.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He was given 5 years “penal servitude”.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:14.03,0:03:21.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Consequently, he was sent to Mountjoy Gaol in Dublin, where he served the first part of his sentence.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:33.10,0:03:39.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He spent 9 months in Mountjoy Gaol.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:39.02,0:03:42.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,During his time there Patrick did not mix or communicate with other prisoners.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:42.04,0:03:43.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He had his own cell.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:43.08,0:03:47.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Cell in Mountjoy Prison)
Dialogue: 0,0:03:47.06,0:03:58.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He was confined to this cell all day, except for one hour per day when prisoners were allowed out to the yard.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:58.02,0:04:00.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,To reach the yard, prisoners walked in a long line.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:00.02,0:04:03.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Once there, they walked around the yard. This was their exercise.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:03.01,0:04:04.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,However, it was impossible for prisoners to talk or even whisper to each other.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:04.02,0:04:07.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Communication between prisoners was strictly forbidden.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:10.09,0:04:15.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,At the end of the hour, prisoners had to return to their cell.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:15.05,0:04:17.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Prison life was very tough!
Dialogue: 0,0:04:17.02,0:04:22.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There was no work; prisoners were not given any tasks and there was very little to do.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:22.02,0:04:26.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Prisoners were expected to serve their time with nothing to occupy them,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:26.01,0:04:30.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,except to reflect on the past and find remorse for the crimes they had committed.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:34.08,0:04:40.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Imagine what it must have been like for deaf man as he entered the prison, as the door closed behind him...
Dialogue: 0,0:04:40.01,0:04:43.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with no-one to talk to and not allowed to talk to anyone!
Dialogue: 0,0:04:43.03,0:04:47.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,At times Patrick’s behaviour was bad.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:47.00,0:04:50.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,On these occasions he was thrown into a special cell…
Dialogue: 0,0:04:50.01,0:04:58.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,where he was in darkness, surrounded by high stone walls;
Dialogue: 0,0:04:58.02,0:04:59.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,no matter how much he tried, the steel door wouldn’t budge;
Dialogue: 0,0:04:59.02,0:05:01.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,there were no windows.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:01.01,0:05:02.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It must have been a terrifying experience for a deaf man.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:02.07,0:05:06.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Special cell)
Dialogue: 0,0:05:14.09,0:05:28.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Nine months later Patrick was transferred to Spike Island prison, in Cork, where he stayed for about 3 years.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:28.01,0:05:33.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,On Spike Island cells were not locked, and prisoners were able to walk around, chat with each other and work.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:37.01,0:05:42.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,After some time there, Patrick’s behaviour was considered good enough for him to be sent to Lusk prison, in Dublin.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:42.10,0:05:45.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Patrick had been sentenced to 5 years. However, in Lusk this was reduced to 4.5 years for good behaviour.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:45.02,0:05:51.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,At that time it was possible for sentences to be reduced and prisoners to be released early under licence.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:51.08,0:05:53.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A licence permitted prisoners to be released early.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:05.04,0:06:14.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Patrick was given a licence and so left Dublin and returned to Wexford, where his family lived.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:14.03,0:06:19.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Time passed, but it wasn’t too long before he broke the law again.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:19.01,0:06:26.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There was no other choice but to send him straight back to Dublin to finish out the remainder of his sentence.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:26.02,0:06:31.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Once he had served a total of 5 years he was free to return to Wexford.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:31.09,0:06:33.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But in no time at all Patrick was in trouble again.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:33.01,0:06:40.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,At the beginning it was just small incidents, such as drunkenness and other minor offences.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:40.01,0:06:44.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Until, once again, in 1877 he committed another serious assault.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:44.01,0:06:49.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The judge had no option but to hand down another 5 years of penal servitude.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:50.00,0:06:52.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Patrick was sent back to Mountjoy Gaol, and the process started again.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:56.05,0:07:00.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,An interesting incident took place during this time.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:00.02,0:07:01.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As we know, Patrick was very strong and
Dialogue: 0,0:07:01.03,0:07:05.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,on one of the numerous occasions that he spent in the local prison in Wexford,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:05.09,0:07:12.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,–this time for only for a short period, approximately one or two months–
Dialogue: 0,0:07:12.00,0:07:13.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,he became very agitated and was desperate to get out.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:13.10,0:07:18.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In fact he was in a small cell next to the police station, which was used as a holding cell for short periods of time,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:18.02,0:07:22.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,such as the days before prisoners were transferred to prison.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:22.01,0:07:24.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Patrick was desperate to get out.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:24.05,0:07:33.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, despite the very high walls, he started to climb, in an attempt to scale the wall and escape over the other side.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:33.02,0:07:37.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Another prisoner saw what he was doing and alerted the guards,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:37.08,0:07:41.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who rushed to the wall and pulled him down.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:49.06,0:07:52.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That was in 1877.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:52.02,0:07:56.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Five years later Patrick returned home to Wexford.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:56.07,0:08:06.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But by this time a serious problem had arisen: any time Patrick saw a policeman he attacked him.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:06.02,0:08:12.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Prison staff and other people related to the case started to pay attention, suspecting that he had mental health problems.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:12.03,0:08:19.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You start to see these suspicions being mentioned in the prison records from the time.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:19.03,0:08:24.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,During that period a special “lunatic asylum” was in operation in Dublin.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:24.10,0:08:30.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This was a closed facility where people with mental health problems were sent and kept.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:30.10,0:08:36.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In Dundrum there was a lunatic asylum specifically for criminals.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:36.08,0:08:41.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Patrick was sent to this asylum, initially to be examined, to find out if he did indeed have a mental health problem.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:41.01,0:08:46.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,On this first trip to Dundrum it was concluded that he was not insane,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:46.02,0:08:48.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and so he was sent back to “normal” prison.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:48.08,0:08:58.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,However, some time later, in 1898, Patrick committed another very serious assault, and he was summoned back to Wexford court.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:58.05,0:09:08.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The judge heard the evidence from both sides but, on questioning Patrick, he decided that Patrick was not able to plead,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:08.08,0:09:16.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that is, when the judge asked Patrick if he was guilty or not, Patrick could not give an answer.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:16.02,0:09:22.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Consequently, the judge had to send Patrick back to the lunatic asylum in Dundrum.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:22.10,0:09:30.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, in 1898 Patrick was committed to this asylum, where he remained.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:30.02,0:09:34.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In the 1901 census Patrick is listed in the asylum,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:42.01,0:09:45.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,he is also in the 1911 census.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:45.08,0:09:50.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This means that he spent 13 years or more in this mental hospital.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:02.07,0:10:12.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In the many prison records I have examined, Patrick’s name is associated with breaking the law and beating people up.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:12.01,0:10:19.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Prior to his first 5 year sentence, he had broken the law 33 times.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:19.08,0:10:25.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He had committed a series of 33 assaults and other offences! Wow!
Dialogue: 0,0:10:25.07,0:10:31.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So from this presentation you may have an image of Patrick Byrne as some kind of monster or savage;
Dialogue: 0,0:10:31.00,0:10:33.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you may think that consequently, and because he had no education, and couldn’t read or write,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:33.02,0:10:36.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that he should have been locked up in some kind of institution.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:36.08,0:10:41.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But there was another side to Patrick.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:41.06,0:10:50.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As mentioned already, every time Patrick was released from prison in Wexford he returned home to his family.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:50.09,0:10:54.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It appears that his family looked after him and cared for him.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:54.02,0:10:57.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They were always willing to take him back.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:57.07,0:11:02.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The attitude, at that time, was that Deaf people could simply be dumped in an institution and left there,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:02.05,0:11:04.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and families could wash their hands of the situation.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:04.03,0:11:05.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But Patrick’s family didn’t do that.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:05.06,0:11:08.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They took him back every time, which is really astonishing.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:08.02,0:11:16.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,During Patrick’s time in Mountjoy Gaol his family in Wexford wrote letters to him.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:20.02,0:11:25.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And he replied. They exchanged letters more than once.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:25.07,0:11:27.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Remember, this is a man who could not read or write.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:27.02,0:11:29.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So how was he able to correspond with his family?
Dialogue: 0,0:11:29.02,0:11:39.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Maybe someone in the prison, for example a guard, was able to transcribe and translate these letters using basic gestures.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:39.02,0:11:41.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I don’t know how they did it, but they sent letters to each other regularly.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:45.02,0:11:52.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There are also accounts from prison inspectors, who, on making enquiries about this Deaf prisoner,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:52.00,0:11:55.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,were told by staff that Patrick was a decent man, but quick-tempered,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:55.06,0:11:59.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but nonetheless that he was a hard and willing worker,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:59.03,0:12:03.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,completing quickly and with a high level of concentration any work that was given to him.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:03.09,0:12:08.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It is also reported that he was pleasant, patient and very quiet once he had enough to do.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:08.04,0:12:12.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So Patrick definitely had two sides to him.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:12.04,0:12:16.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(What happened after he was sent to Dundrum?)
Dialogue: 0,0:12:16.06,0:12:20.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What happened to him after that?
Dialogue: 0,0:12:20.03,0:12:27.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We don’t know. But new information is due to be made available shortly from the National Archives.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:27.02,0:12:30.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It may be possible to go through other files (there may even be photographs!)
Dialogue: 0,0:12:30.04,0:12:33.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and find more information.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:33.04,0:12:34.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I am looking forward to it!
Dialogue: 0,0:12:34.07,0:12:36.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, overall a sad story.