Recipients - Back row, second in
from left Aidan O'Toole, far right Bart Nolan
Front row - right Kaye O'Toole. Friends and family
Celebrating Irish Child Advocates
2010 Child Advocate of the Year award
On February 5 2010, One Child International celebrated their 2010 Child Advocate of the Year Awards in Bewley’s Hotel in Leopardstown, Dublin.
The people chosen by the board of One Child for the 2010 award have been a driving force for change in Ireland as they spearheaded the investigation and prosecution of multiple swimming coaches who sexually abused the children in their care.
Familiar names in the Irish news such as Bart Nolan, Aidan and Kaye O’Toole, Chalkie White, Gary O’Toole and Marion Leonard received an etched Dublin Crystal award, presented by One Child CEO Evin Daly. In presenting the award Daly said “there can be no award as great as the results of the work you have done over the years; the One Child Award are just a recognition of your efforts. The fact is that you are the keystone of the unraveling of child abuse secrets in Ireland.”
In the book “Deep Deception,” journalist Justine McCarthy recounts in painstaking detail the circumstances surrounding the bringing of the abuser coaches to justice. The book itself is an essential historical element in the recording of an era in Irish swimming that left hundreds, perhaps thousands of children with their lives disturbed and in some cases destroyed by the actions of sex offender swimming coaches against children entrusted to their care.
The lunchtime event was a cozy affair attended by well-wishers, family and friends. The Taoiseach Brian Cowen sent his regrets that he was unable to attend.
One Child International is a non-profit child abuse prevention group based in Florida and Dublin, Ireland and operates the Child AbuseWatch network. The Ware Foundation of Coral Gables, Florida, is a benefactor to One Child International.
Event Photos (click)
Sources:
One Child International Inc.
www.1child.net. Child
AbuseWatch
www.abusewatch.net
ButlerReport
