[Fear of the Collar: The True Story of the Boy They Couldn't Break] [By: Touher, Patrick] [July, 2007]

by Patrick Touher

Very good Ex Community Library copy. Some wear to cover and crease in back end page.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

Paperback

First published June 1, 1991

Reviews

[Charlotte Dexter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book took me to new levels of emotions that I didn't know I had. I had a lot of compassion for the children in this book.
I couldn't put this book down until I had finished it, and finished it in two days.
Definatley worth a read, unlike many true life tradgedie books, this author went into many details where many would sencor or shy away from for one reason or another, which was somewhat disturbing, but I could not help but commend the author for being so honest.

[Love · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am very sorry to say that this book only deserves 2.5 stars in my eyes. I did not want to give it only 2 because it did deserve more than that. I had to force my self through this one. I read alot of books of this genre and rarely do I like to put them down. So this was hard for me. I do feel sorry for what these boys went through. I do believe Patrick is a very brave man to have gone through this and emerged a functional man. The fact that he did not even leave that school able to completely read and write is amzing he could write this book. For this I am amazed.

[Kieron · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book details what went on in Artane , both good and bad . I know Pat , as he is local to where I live , and many a time he has officiated in soccer games I have played in . It must have been very hard to have an upbringing in the system that was Artane , and Pat describes it very well in this book . Hopefully, times have changed.

[DaniColeman22 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some chapters felt a little rushed to me, and it was hard to read at times purely because of the nature of Patrick’s experience at Artane. Patrick did a good job of recounting the sexual abuse, without being too graphic I felt. It is a dark topic but worth the read to really appreciate what so many children have experienced in institutions like Artane.

[Sue Oshin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Memoir ini mengisahkan tentang penulis yang menjalani kisah hidup penuh kesengsaraan apabila beliau di tempatkan di sebuah sekolah berasrama ketika usianya berusia 7 tahun.

Penulis seorang anak yatim piatu dan beliau tidak langsung mengenali kedua orang tuanya. Beliau dijaga oleh keluarga angkat lalu keluarga tersebut menghantar beliau untuk berdikari sendiri dan jauh dari tempat tinggalnya.

Penderitaan demi penderitaan silih berganti ketika beliau bersekolah di sana sehinggalah deritanya itu berakhir apabila beliau berada di tahun akhir di sekolah itu.

Penderitaan yang paling memberi kesan kepada jiwa, emosi dan fizikalnya adalah penderitaan seksual. Hampir kebanyakan senior di sekolah tempatnya menuntut ilmu mempunyai hubungan sejenis dan mereka memaksa penulis serta rakan-rakannya untuk melakukan hal yang kurang menyenangkan.

Selain daripada kekerasan seksual, penulis juga berhadapan dengan kekerasan pukulan demi pukulan dan denda yang tidak sesuai untuk diterapkan kepada kanak-kanak di bawah usia 12 tahun.

Jika dilihat dari luaran, sekolah ini merupakan sebuah sekolah yang gah dan dihormati, tetapi apa yang berlaku sebaliknya hanya penulis dan penuntut di situ sahaja yang mengalaminya.

Tidak ada seorang pun yang berani membuka mulut untuk membuat sebarang aduan atau cerita kerana mereka sangat takut akan setiap ugutan yang dikeluarkan.

[Ka Ci · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t say I enjoyed reading the book due to its sad content, but it left me emotional in the end, particularly when reading about Patrick’s last day in Artane and how he is afraid of venturing out on his own, that although he suffered abuse in the hands of the Christian brothers in charge, Artane was nevertheless his home. Patrick writes in a very factual way, and it must have been difficult to relive all those memories during the writing princess.

[Evan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly unsettling story told well by Patrick Touher. I knew basically nothing about the industrial schools other than the main premise of boys being sent there, and it’s shocked me how little the likes of Artane and more are talked about. I think it’s important that everyone is aware of the suffering these kids were put through. It’s not that long ago.

[Billie-jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sad story about a young orphan boy who was sent to Artane industrial school in Dublin where he and others were physically and sexually abused by the Christian brothers who worked at the school. If you like true stories then I would recommend this book

[Rowlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heart breaking account of the physical and sexual abuse suffered by young boys at the hands of the Christian Brothers who ran the Industrial School Artane in Ireland.
These so called men of God were an absolute disgrace to the Catholic Church

[Irina Pekausiene · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a story this is really heartbreaking to read and to realise this was reality of many, many children and probably it was even worse for some.
But as a book it was written, I didn't enjoy it a lot.

[Caoilo · Rating 5 out of 5]

To angry to review right now

[Kara Ellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truly sadden book of ultimate pain and anger of a child and how people with power can take full advantage. Truly upsetting but a story very much needed to be told

[Kayleigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredibly hard read especially as this is the scoop my grandad went to, from the small stories my grandad has told me I believe he was the little boy who got caught playing English football

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of one boy's hellish childhood as an inmate, of sorts, in the Irish Artane Industrial School in the 1950's. This school was run by a group of Catholic monks, the Christian Brothers. Children were forcibly put into these industrial schools by the government if they were under the care of the state for any reason. The school has "become synonymous with the systematic and widespread abuse of children in Ireland in the 1940's and 1950's." The brothers and their schools became the subjects of formal inquiries in the late 1990's and early 2000's, many years after the schools closed.

What the book lacked in literary quality it more than made up for in the startling reality of what these young boys had to go through during their interments. "Artane demanded absolute obedience, absolute submission; Patrick's was an education in cruelty and fear."

Anyone who is interested in what a theocracy is capable of should read this book.

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

hmmm, I've read several books dealing with similar matters. I found this to be not as well written as some others, but I guess this is autobiographical and sometimes it is hard to be blunt and lyrical at the same time.

It is a rather disturbing piece of history, but I'm glad that the author had chosen to portray both the good and bad side of the school and not just focus on the bad, which some other books have done. It seems an honest recount.

Recommended for people who want an insight into life back then, not so much for people who want to read an excellent piece of work (or cannot deal with issues of child abuse)

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t make a habit of reading these types of books because I find them upsetting but while I cannot say I enjoyed this book, because who would, I thought it was really interesting and I’m glad I read it. I can’t imagine having to live through that kind of regime but I guess the human spirit has a way of enduring anything and that’s certainly a good thing. The writing was simple and easy to read and while the subject matter was distressing I found myself fascinated by the everyday details of the life he lived. Don’t read if you are easily triggered because it’s quite harrowing in places but it will make you feel like the human spirit is a wonderful, miraculous thing.

[J.J. Toner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Patrick Touher's first book. An autobiographical account of his life of constant fear as an orphaned child in the hands of sadistic child molesters who called themselves Christian Brothers. Brutal beatings for little or no reason were commonplace, everyday occurences, and sexual abuse was perpetrated on the boys by a number of the brothers over many years.

I couldn't recommend this book, except as a touchstone for anyone researching these events.

Patrick's second book "Scars that run Deep" covers his life after leaving Artane Industrial School.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Patirick Touher's book is an autobiographical heartbraking story about children's life in Artne Idustiral School in Dublin. Education held by Christian Brothers was tough regime full of punishments for no reason and strick discipline . As a matter of fact that wasn't the worse part of livnig there.
This little boy's story left me with nightmares for several weeks ,
couldn't stop thinking about Brothers cruelty; brutal beatings and even more painful - sexual abuse.

My heart goes to Patrick and to all the others who suffer from Catholic Church abuse.

[Cdmanejero1 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a written like a roller coaster with ups and downs. All the abuse he got was compressed in the first half of the book that the my mind wants to explode but at the second half almost nothing eventful happens, like the author lost steam in writing midway. The way he told his story felt like the abuse he got was due to the incompetent people who passed as "Brothers" but the structure of the school seems very good. There are many books in this genre but this book, which is sad, has still a lot to go through to fully wrench the heart of its readers.

[Mrs A Gott · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book heartrending. The amount of abuse suffered is horrendous and I feel sad that these people have been allowed to get away with this, especially priests. At no time did I feel that Patrick felt sorry for himself, only that these awful things just had to be endured. I wish with all my heart that somehow he find some find of happiness. I am going to follow his two further books in the hope that he does this. He is a great human being.

[Sylvia sloan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Appalling

This story is unbelievable but I am so glad collie got this book published this is an inspirational story and. He be applauded for having the courage to both relive it and let the world know what exactly goes on in places like that it also should be a lesson to the establishment that these children should be believed

[Meghana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Touher's memoir about his life at Artane, an orphanage and industrial school, is alternately uplifting and harrowing. Despite horrific abuse at the hands of his carers, his simple, no-frills writing celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and his ability for forgiveness. A memorable read, but only recommended for fans of memoirs and those who can stomach graphic descriptions of abuse.

[Rona · Rating 4 out of 5]

A memoir of a child in an industrial home in Ireland and his abuse at the hands of the Christian Brothers. He also talks about how he set about suing the Brothers for his abuse at their hands. A Heartbreaking story.

[Debbie Mortimer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very thought provoking and heart rending book. Sad that so many boys suffered all forms of abuse whilst under the care of the Catholic Church and that it went unrecognised for so long. My heart goes out to Patrick and to all the other boys that suffered.

[G · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read similar stories to this about schools in Ireland, boys and girls. It still amazes me the disturbing things that went on.

This story is different in that it is not all about the bad but also the good times had there.

[Jodi Scanlan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A compelling and heart breaking story. I really enjoyed the honesty of the authors writing. I hope he finds justice and peace. A haunting look into the secrets so many young boys had to keep for so long at the hands of people who claimed to be men of god.

[Unreliable Booknerd · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love every pages of this book! It's haunting, traumatic and grasping how those boys survived every tortures that keep them haunting and even were planted fears inside them but still they managed to appreciate to live and be grateful and learn a valuable lessons in their life.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book. Unreal what some of these kids went through. Highly recommend.