My experience in an Irish rehab
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Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Kildare
Posts: 1
My experience in an Irish rehab
Hello guys and girls. I'm sober 1 year which is the longest i have ever achieved in my 18 years of Alcoholism.
Honesty is a big thing for me in general, and not just recovery. Therefore I have come to this forum in an attempt to both share my experiences of the treatment towards vulnerable down and out alcoholics in Cuan Mhuire (Rehab in Athenry) and at the same time be balanced and try to give some hope.
After hitting my low with nobody else to turn to i gave this centre a call. They asked my circumstances, told me i needed 200 euro deposit and would pay 140 euro weekly for the full 12 week program. I had no choice, i was a broken man.
On arriving i was nervous and sceptical. I was placed into the detox unit and told i would be there for 2 weeks. A very nice and welcoming man whom i shall call M.M looked after me. Later found out he himself was alcoholic but had stayed on there for five years (long term resident)
The first week there men, particularly older in the 50s and 60s arrived and we were placed into a 'group' for the 3 months.
I had never laughed so much in my entire life sharing our pathetic yet comical and tragic stories.
It seemed like it was going to be OK after all, even if it were another 3 months in there.
But, very quickly i started to grasp the actual reality of how and who was running the place.
Almost immediately we were given 9.30 pm bedtime curfews, threatened with expulsion from the program for simply acknowledging female residents, strict and rigid routines where expected and everybody had to participate in the strict Catholic practices there.
For me personally i had no choice and nowhere to go and tbh some firm routine and discipline didn't bother me. It did however force alot of other people to leave. But hey, that's their own struggles. I guess one can only take so much of being talked down to like your a 2nd class citizen or an evil disobedient child before they snap.
Anyhow. I was ushered in on the Monday to Mr D. He was presumably a professional whom was tied in with the social welfare department. He was the rehabs money man.
I was disappointed when i met him because he told me he doesn't deal with the swd. Instead, he told me he needed my bank card and PIN number in order to withdraw the weekly 140. He told me to trust him. (For the record he never took more then the 140 weekly) but still it didn't sit right with me.
Perhaps i got the wrong impression from the doctors who previously recommended i do the program. I expected qualified councillors and doctors/nurses.
Instead it quickly became clear that this was a charity run organisation set up in the sixties by Sister Concilio.
Literally everybody who presented as professional or 'qualified' were none other than recovering alcoholics whom chose to never leave the place after their own programs. Some were clearly institutionalised men living there over 20 years.
Now, dont get me wrong. There were a couple of very decent staff there who were very sincere and caring but they were simply not trained or qualified to be delving into the annals of each residents inner core, and 'rebuilding' them for the 'outside'. They were quite frankly, men, whom had serious serious issues who simply can not cope living sober outside of that rehab so their advice was very rigid and Cuan Mhuire orientated.
We were basically drilled from the getgo that this 'program' that we were to study in our group sessions was the absolute solution to all our problems. Basically was our bible.
The program booklets were clearly printed in the eighties and littered with made up words, poor grammar and sometimes incoherent and repetitive sentences and questions which required one word obvious replies.
The general jist of this doctrine was that we are all God's children and we are good. "I am good, i was always good, god made me good'
Thats grand, and its something every 7 year old should be taught imo. But that was the bulk of the 3 months.
We were told daily that we are lucky to be taken in (Probably true) and that we must be eternally grateful to Cuan Mhuire and go out and fund raise for the rest of our days to show gratitude...
I made the mistake early on by challenging a so called councillor during spirituality week. I desperately wanted to 'get' this program and grasp this concept of higher power that he proclaimed to have which apparently had kept him sober for 4.5 years at that point. (later transpired that he was in fact only sober a month after relapsing at Christmas) A close friend in my group was in his 2nd attempt at this rehab and had been living in the halfway house run by said councillor. We shall call him Mr O.
Anyway, i told him that this higher power wasn't working and sounds like a cop out, BUT, i want to get it!
He told me i had no chance, clearly had an agenda, was not well mentally and spiritually and would relapse soon.
From that point on i was bullied by staff and threatened with being made homeless. Followed around and intimidated for the next 6 weeks.
Im now going to touch on stuff in bullet points because im rambling.
. The head nurse J. She was struck off the registrar for abusing prescription meds a decade earlier. She was in there practising. She was a very rigid and domineering bully who was completely cold and uninterested. For example, she refused to take blood pressure from several people with heart history's. One such resident was rushed to A&E and another had to leave and make his own way to hospital.
. A chronic relapser who lived in the institution over 20 years was nothing less than a sexual predator who inappropriately preyed on vulnerable woman. Sexual assault and touching was rife with him. He relapsed twice there in my stay. He has close ties to The owner. So he got a free pass.
- They had some doctor call around once a week who would literally only give you a 5 min window. No interest and treated us like we were diseased.
- Councillor M. I found him very good tbh. But, he was actively sleeping with a female resident at that time. They are still together but, very unethical. Then again, he's not actually a qualified councillor so maybe that's OK?
- Resident T. He was a man in his sixties living there a decade. I witnessed him head butt a resident and threaten two others with violence. All 3 victims mysteriously left the next day.... (Ejected)
- A lovely schizophrenic man was admitted. He required diabetic treatment. He was soon ejected.
-The admittance of criminals and prisoners with no real vetting system. One such man was hiding from a charge of rape and two stabbings.
-Travellers were discriminated against and ejected.
- They allowed one 5 minute phone call per week costing 2 euro a minute. 1 such resident was refused to use the phone to call his daughter in her birthday. He snapped, left, begged to come back a week later, refused. HUNG HIMSELF.
- A man committed suicide the week i got there. Brushed under the carpet. Cant even google his name. In fact, you cant even google ANY reviews of any of the Cuan Mhuire's
- Money man MM. He runs a little shop in there cashing in on the alcoholics. He imports tax free tobacco and sells marked up. Also sells cheap but necessary goods that cost 5x the rrp on the outside.
- Women are treated like 2nd class citizens.
-They take all medication off people on arrival and mix and distribute them to new residents particularly Librium.
- We each are assigned our work details such as Kitchen, toilets, upholstery, sewing, cafe etc etc. The bosses of each of these details are people working on a back to work programme from the outside. All but one of these people were foul, condescending, bullies who enjoyed their little sense of power over the vulnerable 'alkies' they had under them.
- Residents are taken out and dropped all around the country to collect in high vis tops for the cause. Sometimes stranded for 12 hours with no food/water provided unless you had a few euros
- Money collected from their 2 weekly AA meetings went straight into Cuan Mhuire tills after.
Thats just to name a few. My memory is fading now and i am beat in terms of trying to highlight the issue. I have been stonewalled by the HSE and all relevant bodies when i complained. Not even the tabloids want to touch this story.
- They own a transitional house with 8 beds. If you basically kiss up to them and bend over backwards and degrade yourself with things they themselves wouldn't do you may be given this wonderful opportunity....
I was fortunate to be given this bed. It was the same as inside.
Expected to say the rosary twice a day in a group. Go to AA everyday. Go out collecting in the streets. Be expected to drop all plans and go back to rehab and clean toilets or help in the kitchen should the big boss beckon you.
I didn't last long. I went back to finish my degree in Kildare which meant i would have to miss weekly house meetings (These were 1 hour meetings where you were expected to speak of how amazing and grateful the house was and proclaim how hard your addiction is)
Very quickly i became ostracised by both the long term residents in the house and MR O (from earlier itt) and ex con Mr G who runs the house like a dictatorship.
Seems that my being in college and working alot was disrupting the longer term residents who sat inside, curtains closed talking war stories.
'I was slipping' 'Underestimating my addiction' 'not being grateful to Cuan Mhuire'
Well, i was getting on with life. They forced me into a situation where i had to leave because they were holding those house meetings to vent about me when i were not there. LOL. Jealousy.
Well, 7 of those residents have since gone back drinking.
I, am a year sober, am in full-time college, making a few pound, have a girlfriend and a new life which i value.
One day at a time. Sorry for the long message. I just really needed to get that out there.
Honesty is a big thing for me in general, and not just recovery. Therefore I have come to this forum in an attempt to both share my experiences of the treatment towards vulnerable down and out alcoholics in Cuan Mhuire (Rehab in Athenry) and at the same time be balanced and try to give some hope.
After hitting my low with nobody else to turn to i gave this centre a call. They asked my circumstances, told me i needed 200 euro deposit and would pay 140 euro weekly for the full 12 week program. I had no choice, i was a broken man.
On arriving i was nervous and sceptical. I was placed into the detox unit and told i would be there for 2 weeks. A very nice and welcoming man whom i shall call M.M looked after me. Later found out he himself was alcoholic but had stayed on there for five years (long term resident)
The first week there men, particularly older in the 50s and 60s arrived and we were placed into a 'group' for the 3 months.
I had never laughed so much in my entire life sharing our pathetic yet comical and tragic stories.
It seemed like it was going to be OK after all, even if it were another 3 months in there.
But, very quickly i started to grasp the actual reality of how and who was running the place.
Almost immediately we were given 9.30 pm bedtime curfews, threatened with expulsion from the program for simply acknowledging female residents, strict and rigid routines where expected and everybody had to participate in the strict Catholic practices there.
For me personally i had no choice and nowhere to go and tbh some firm routine and discipline didn't bother me. It did however force alot of other people to leave. But hey, that's their own struggles. I guess one can only take so much of being talked down to like your a 2nd class citizen or an evil disobedient child before they snap.
Anyhow. I was ushered in on the Monday to Mr D. He was presumably a professional whom was tied in with the social welfare department. He was the rehabs money man.
I was disappointed when i met him because he told me he doesn't deal with the swd. Instead, he told me he needed my bank card and PIN number in order to withdraw the weekly 140. He told me to trust him. (For the record he never took more then the 140 weekly) but still it didn't sit right with me.
Perhaps i got the wrong impression from the doctors who previously recommended i do the program. I expected qualified councillors and doctors/nurses.
Instead it quickly became clear that this was a charity run organisation set up in the sixties by Sister Concilio.
Literally everybody who presented as professional or 'qualified' were none other than recovering alcoholics whom chose to never leave the place after their own programs. Some were clearly institutionalised men living there over 20 years.
Now, dont get me wrong. There were a couple of very decent staff there who were very sincere and caring but they were simply not trained or qualified to be delving into the annals of each residents inner core, and 'rebuilding' them for the 'outside'. They were quite frankly, men, whom had serious serious issues who simply can not cope living sober outside of that rehab so their advice was very rigid and Cuan Mhuire orientated.
We were basically drilled from the getgo that this 'program' that we were to study in our group sessions was the absolute solution to all our problems. Basically was our bible.
The program booklets were clearly printed in the eighties and littered with made up words, poor grammar and sometimes incoherent and repetitive sentences and questions which required one word obvious replies.
The general jist of this doctrine was that we are all God's children and we are good. "I am good, i was always good, god made me good'
Thats grand, and its something every 7 year old should be taught imo. But that was the bulk of the 3 months.
We were told daily that we are lucky to be taken in (Probably true) and that we must be eternally grateful to Cuan Mhuire and go out and fund raise for the rest of our days to show gratitude...
I made the mistake early on by challenging a so called councillor during spirituality week. I desperately wanted to 'get' this program and grasp this concept of higher power that he proclaimed to have which apparently had kept him sober for 4.5 years at that point. (later transpired that he was in fact only sober a month after relapsing at Christmas) A close friend in my group was in his 2nd attempt at this rehab and had been living in the halfway house run by said councillor. We shall call him Mr O.
Anyway, i told him that this higher power wasn't working and sounds like a cop out, BUT, i want to get it!
He told me i had no chance, clearly had an agenda, was not well mentally and spiritually and would relapse soon.
From that point on i was bullied by staff and threatened with being made homeless. Followed around and intimidated for the next 6 weeks.
Im now going to touch on stuff in bullet points because im rambling.
. The head nurse J. She was struck off the registrar for abusing prescription meds a decade earlier. She was in there practising. She was a very rigid and domineering bully who was completely cold and uninterested. For example, she refused to take blood pressure from several people with heart history's. One such resident was rushed to A&E and another had to leave and make his own way to hospital.
. A chronic relapser who lived in the institution over 20 years was nothing less than a sexual predator who inappropriately preyed on vulnerable woman. Sexual assault and touching was rife with him. He relapsed twice there in my stay. He has close ties to The owner. So he got a free pass.
- They had some doctor call around once a week who would literally only give you a 5 min window. No interest and treated us like we were diseased.
- Councillor M. I found him very good tbh. But, he was actively sleeping with a female resident at that time. They are still together but, very unethical. Then again, he's not actually a qualified councillor so maybe that's OK?
- Resident T. He was a man in his sixties living there a decade. I witnessed him head butt a resident and threaten two others with violence. All 3 victims mysteriously left the next day.... (Ejected)
- A lovely schizophrenic man was admitted. He required diabetic treatment. He was soon ejected.
-The admittance of criminals and prisoners with no real vetting system. One such man was hiding from a charge of rape and two stabbings.
-Travellers were discriminated against and ejected.
- They allowed one 5 minute phone call per week costing 2 euro a minute. 1 such resident was refused to use the phone to call his daughter in her birthday. He snapped, left, begged to come back a week later, refused. HUNG HIMSELF.
- A man committed suicide the week i got there. Brushed under the carpet. Cant even google his name. In fact, you cant even google ANY reviews of any of the Cuan Mhuire's
- Money man MM. He runs a little shop in there cashing in on the alcoholics. He imports tax free tobacco and sells marked up. Also sells cheap but necessary goods that cost 5x the rrp on the outside.
- Women are treated like 2nd class citizens.
-They take all medication off people on arrival and mix and distribute them to new residents particularly Librium.
- We each are assigned our work details such as Kitchen, toilets, upholstery, sewing, cafe etc etc. The bosses of each of these details are people working on a back to work programme from the outside. All but one of these people were foul, condescending, bullies who enjoyed their little sense of power over the vulnerable 'alkies' they had under them.
- Residents are taken out and dropped all around the country to collect in high vis tops for the cause. Sometimes stranded for 12 hours with no food/water provided unless you had a few euros
- Money collected from their 2 weekly AA meetings went straight into Cuan Mhuire tills after.
Thats just to name a few. My memory is fading now and i am beat in terms of trying to highlight the issue. I have been stonewalled by the HSE and all relevant bodies when i complained. Not even the tabloids want to touch this story.
- They own a transitional house with 8 beds. If you basically kiss up to them and bend over backwards and degrade yourself with things they themselves wouldn't do you may be given this wonderful opportunity....
I was fortunate to be given this bed. It was the same as inside.
Expected to say the rosary twice a day in a group. Go to AA everyday. Go out collecting in the streets. Be expected to drop all plans and go back to rehab and clean toilets or help in the kitchen should the big boss beckon you.
I didn't last long. I went back to finish my degree in Kildare which meant i would have to miss weekly house meetings (These were 1 hour meetings where you were expected to speak of how amazing and grateful the house was and proclaim how hard your addiction is)
Very quickly i became ostracised by both the long term residents in the house and MR O (from earlier itt) and ex con Mr G who runs the house like a dictatorship.
Seems that my being in college and working alot was disrupting the longer term residents who sat inside, curtains closed talking war stories.
'I was slipping' 'Underestimating my addiction' 'not being grateful to Cuan Mhuire'
Well, i was getting on with life. They forced me into a situation where i had to leave because they were holding those house meetings to vent about me when i were not there. LOL. Jealousy.
Well, 7 of those residents have since gone back drinking.
I, am a year sober, am in full-time college, making a few pound, have a girlfriend and a new life which i value.
One day at a time. Sorry for the long message. I just really needed to get that out there.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Ireland
Posts: 25,826
Welcome to the Forum!! 
I didn't attend rehab in Ireland, but know a few people that did.
Because there is very few public funded facilities the majority of places are charity based, and in Ireland that generally means the Catholic Church is involved somewhere along the line, and it seems that throughout history the "God or nothing" and "the do as I say without questioning" ethos is a running theme in Irish Catholic run facilities.
But anyways, you're Sober over a year which is fantastic, you'll find loads of support here on SR!!
I didn't attend rehab in Ireland, but know a few people that did.
Because there is very few public funded facilities the majority of places are charity based, and in Ireland that generally means the Catholic Church is involved somewhere along the line, and it seems that throughout history the "God or nothing" and "the do as I say without questioning" ethos is a running theme in Irish Catholic run facilities.
But anyways, you're Sober over a year which is fantastic, you'll find loads of support here on SR!!
Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: UK
Posts: 3
Hi
I was abused quite badly by staff and residents at Newry Cuan Mhuire, and the police were involved. It might go to court.
I'm Thomas, I'm 29 and from Co. Dublin, now living in N. Ireland.
Thomas Patrick Kevin Healy
I was abused quite badly by staff and residents at Newry Cuan Mhuire, and the police were involved. It might go to court.
I'm Thomas, I'm 29 and from Co. Dublin, now living in N. Ireland.
Thomas Patrick Kevin Healy
Last edited by ScottFromWI; 08-26-2016 at 05:13 AM.
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,432
I had to remove your email address Thomas.
We don't allow email addresses to be published here, for your safety as this is an open forum - anyone can read here...and any bot can harvest your email.
We discourage the use of real names too, for the same reason, but that we leave to your discretion.
Sorry for whatever happened in the past... but hows your recovery going now?
D
We don't allow email addresses to be published here, for your safety as this is an open forum - anyone can read here...and any bot can harvest your email.
We discourage the use of real names too, for the same reason, but that we leave to your discretion.
Sorry for whatever happened in the past... but hows your recovery going now?
D
Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: UK
Posts: 3
I'm doing really well, thanks Dee.
Before going into rehab, I had lived with the Hare Krishna's on their island for a month, so that helped a lot.
And then after coming out of rehab, I went off and did 10 days of silence with a Buddhist group (a meditation thing) so that really helped too.
Before going into rehab, I had lived with the Hare Krishna's on their island for a month, so that helped a lot.
And then after coming out of rehab, I went off and did 10 days of silence with a Buddhist group (a meditation thing) so that really helped too.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: UK
Posts: 3
Thanks guys.
I dunno about a movie but I wrote a letter to Oprah Winfrey so maybe she'll have me on her show, who knows.
My experience in rehab wasn't great..... I lasted 10 weeks until I told a staff member that I was afraid another staff member was going to indecently assault me (he was touching me when others weren't around) and they didn't take that well.
The Hare Krishna's are some of the kindest people I've ever met. I reckon I'll do another Vipassana course in future too (I've done two so far).
I dunno about a movie but I wrote a letter to Oprah Winfrey so maybe she'll have me on her show, who knows.
My experience in rehab wasn't great..... I lasted 10 weeks until I told a staff member that I was afraid another staff member was going to indecently assault me (he was touching me when others weren't around) and they didn't take that well.
The Hare Krishna's are some of the kindest people I've ever met. I reckon I'll do another Vipassana course in future too (I've done two so far).
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