You know when life is just plodding along nicely and then a tornado arrives into your world and leaves you spinning? Yes? Well, so it has been for me over the past few weeks.
There I was, in my heavenly retreat, Allihies, West Cork, enjoying my holidays, when the word came through that my edits for my book were in. Excited and worried there was a lot to do, I was not sorry I’d no laptop on holidays with me in order to check them out. We agreed a one month turnaround and I put them out of my mind, enjoying fully the final few days of my holidays, most especially the final few days of time on my own with yer man before returning to a hectic full house of six.
Next on the hit list was the packing up of my eldest who was leaving for a year to work abroad. Inside, I wailed quietly (and by night when I was alone, not so quietly) as I smiled and chatted to her, delighted she was getting the chance to go, despite the arrival of Covid while wondering how I would live in my world without her. The call to go came quicker than I had hoped and before we knew it she was gone and all too soon so too was the lingering smell of her perfume and sound of her laughter.
Picking myself up two days later, I steeled myself for the first airing of the BBC Sounds podcast ‘Where is George Gibney.’ This is a podcast I’d agreed to take part in almost two years ago. As a thirteen year old Gibney was my swimming coach, he was also the brute who stole my childhood and the childhoods and innocence of many other young children.
Who among us likes to hear their own voice? Not I, but it was not the sound of my voice which made me cringe but the thought of my family and friends listening, many having no real understanding of my past.
When it was over I took some time to digest it all. I was no longer that little girl, alone and afraid. I’d spoken out. And as I watched the enormous reaction on social media I contrasted it to the first time I, and some of the other victims had spoken out, twenty-five years ago. Back then we had been denied justice and been disbelieved by many. How the world has changed. Within hours of the episode airing so many had offered their support and as I processed it all over the next few days and since, I smiled broadly.
It’s never too late to be heard.
Thank you to each and every person who has already listened, to the BBC Sounds team, to Second Captains and Ciaran Cassidy and most especially a huge thank you to Mark Horgan, who not only listened, but heard what I wanted to say.
You can listen to the podcast here, or download it from BBC Sounds.
My thoughts on a page. 
You’re an inspiration, Tric!!!
Thank you
triple play, tric! you have come so far, and think how you would have. handled even one of these situations earlier in life? you now are the master of each of them, and no longer a victim. bravo
Thanks Beth. You are truly a wise owl.
Greetings Tric,
There aren’t that many people out there that can truly inspire a man in his fifties – who thinks he’s seen plenty.
Your quiet resilience under all that’s going on around you is genuinely inspiring.
Gives hope in these times that people can come out the other side.
Thank you.
What a lovely message and hugely appreciated. Thank you for taking the time to message me. It’s been a hard slog at times but yes there is always hope. Thank you.
Tric,
I hope you’re keeping well. I was thinking about you yesterday as November 29 approaches and in the middle of the night the Where is George Gibney? podcast came on BBC 5 Live.
All I can say is well done on having the courage to speak out. You have done a huge service to Ireland and people across the world.
jx
Lovely to hear from you. Yesterday I did think of you too. I am doing good. I was a little shocked that the podcast has had over a million downloads and that the investigation has been reopened. But I’m good and hope those coming forward have the strength for whatever lies ahead. Thanks so much for caring and thinking of Daniel.
I hope they have the strength too. I suspect they will when they realise that they have a groundswell of support.
Stay well and take care. We’ll get to have that coffee eventually!
We sure will.
Currently on episode three and found your blog and what a sense of relief to read your reaction to the podcast here. There are some vague connections to some of the places and names mainly because we lived near Newpark School in Blackrock around the time.
Anyway, Trish I salute you! My best thoughts go out to you.
Thanks for listening,reading and caring.