During a poignant ceremony in a woodland clearing outside Rathdrum, Co Wicklow yesterday, 30 victims of physical, sexual and mental abuse from institutions and elsewhere met for the dedication of a Grove of Relfection.
At this event, one of the final acts of the National Millennium Committee, Government Chief Whip Mr Seamus Brennan, who is chairman of the committee, apologised again on behalf of the State for the immeasurable suffering caused in institutions.
"This is not a place for politics but a place for peace and reflection which has been set aside so we can all remember the past and so it can never, never, happen again," he said.
He said the grove, in Ballygannon Wood, located where trees were planted as part of the millennium celebrations, was one of the four to be established for the purpose of remembering and commemorating victims of abuse in every province.
"This occasion is an opportunity to salute the bravery of individual victims who were determined to tell their stories and seek justice, and in doing so, shone a light into the dark corners of our past and present," he said.
As he spoke, many of the victims and their friends who had travelled for the occasion, broke down in tears.
One of them, Ms Carmel McDonnell, held a photograph of her two young brothers, Robert and Henry, who had died while in care, as did Ms Mary Howe, who held a picture of her sister.
Ms Christine Buckley, of the Aislinn Centre for the healing of victims of institutional abuse, who had gone public and told the harrowing tale of her life in care, said the idea of having a memorial of some sort was the brainchild of Ms McDonnell.
She said it was important to remember the progress which had been made in recent years.
A national counselling system had been put in place and a commission had been set up where victims could tell what happened to them.
"There is also the question of compensation but this was never about money.
"If each of us got £1 million it would not matter or make up for what we have gone through," she said.
"However, we are not happy about the contribution made by the religious," she said.
"We were telling the truth and you cannot go wrong if you tell the truth because it will always come out in the end," said Ms Buckley.
She said Aislinn would hold its summer outing to the grove this year.
There is a commemorative seat with the inscription: "This Millennium Grove is devoted to all victims of institutional abuse who have suffered immeasurably. May the future ensure that those most vulnerable will never again endure such pain and deprivation." However, for many, the pain is a daily event.
It had been planned to have a meal in Rathdrum after the ceremony, but for many victims memories associated with the town where they were sent on "summer holidays" to the local convent was unbearable, and so the meal was moved elsewhere.