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For Cora Desmond, Cinderella’s fairy tale story will always be a nightmare.
Neither his father nor his biological mother knew what was happening.
However, the young Cork found the remarkable courage to contact authorities for what she was subjected to for more than 10 years and, on Tuesday, her stepmother, Bridget Kenneally (49), was jailed for two years.
“I need you to know that you will never be forgiven for what you did to me, a little girl,” said Cora Desmond.
While Youghal’s part-time cleaner, Bridget Kenneally, pleaded guilty to a single count of assault dating back to 2009, Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin emphasized that he was taking the full background of the case into consideration when sentencing.
Bluntly, the judge warned that what he had faced was: “A case of ongoing brutality. This was cruelty and systemic abuse. She (Ms. Desmond) was deprived of a childhood due to the pain and misery to which she was subjected. “
“I was six when it started and I was 16 when I reported it,” Cora said.
Cora said she felt like over the years she became Bridget Kenneally’s personal punching bag.
“I met her when she was five and shortly after she was six when the beatings started. It started with a slap and a punch here and there. But it got worse and worse as time went on.”
“I was the youngest, I was thin and small, so it was the easiest target. It was scary, that’s what I remember.
“There were constant threats about what would happen if I told someone what was happening. It was constant fear.”
Cora said the beatings eventually normalized in some way.
“It happened so often that I thought it was normal until one day in elementary school I was chatting with a friend and was surprised when she told me that her parents never hit her. I thought it was absolutely normal for a girl to be hit. I couldn’t understand it. But she (stepmother) kept telling me that I deserved it. “
Her stepmother broke Cora’s thumb and, on a doctor visit, it was recorded that she had more than 50 bruises.
“They made me lie about my injuries and tell people that I was a clumsy girl,” she said.
“On one of the occasions when I ended up in the hospital, I received a pretty bad beating to the head that caused swelling on the right side of my head and face. It made me tell the doctors that I hit my head in Funderland, which I attended two weeks earlier. “
The emotional grip was finally broken when Cora was 16 years old and found herself alone with her biological mother, who had constant concerns for her daughter’s well-being.
“I was talking to my mother one night and I broke down. My mother didn’t know what happened … My father didn’t know either.”
“When I told her after breaking down, my mother immediately called the Garda station and made an appointment to take me to see some officers.”
Cora said she was overwhelmed to realize that the Gardaí believed her and launched an investigation.
“My father … was totally distraught to find out. He was so well hidden. He was basically living a double life: a happy life at school and then a different person when he was at home in fear of what might happen to her ( stepmother) “.
Cora said that what hurt the most was how much she tried to please her stepmother by working tirelessly and always trying to behave in the best way in the family home; now he knows that the beatings would have happened no matter what he did.
“It was just a punching bag for Bridget,” he said. “When I was at home, I worked non-stop to try to keep her happy and not get beat up. But Bridget gave me the name ‘Cora-Ella’ and told me I was like Cinderella because I was the one who was neither wanted nor loved.”
Cora said the support of friends and family has helped her over the past few years.
“It has been difficult, but I have been fortunate to have amazing family and friends. Now I have counselors to help me and the Gardaí were amazing the way they supported me and believed in me. “
“I have a job and I am doing the best I can to move on with my life. But yes, there are days when it is not easy ”.
Cora said she sees the prison sentence handed down to her stepmother as a form of closure.
For Cora, the courage to come forward and get in touch with Gardaí came from her burning desire for justice to be served and for other children to be saved from her ordeal.
“I have some justice. It’s better than nothing. But I wish none of this had happened. I know her and I know her customs, that apology was her trying to please the court.
“It’s easy to accept an apology and move on. But I need you to know that you will never be forgiven for what you did to me, a little girl. “
“I know that there are people who are going through horrible things, probably even a little worse than I endured. But if I can help a person by talking, then it is something. You may think that no one will listen or believe you. But that person might be the one to help you. They could be the ones to believe and support you. “
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