Supporters of the convicted rapist, Nora Wall, say the picture of her which emerged in last month's court hearing bears no relation to the woman they know.
One of them, Mr Louis Doyle, who grew up in the Cappoquin centre run by Sister Dominic, as Wall was then known, says he would have no hesitation in placing his own four children in her care.
"She was very good to me and everyone who was there with me. We were spoiled by her . . . I couldn't sleep when I heard she had been convicted," he said.
Mr Doyle entered St Michael's childcare centre run by the Order of Mercy at the age of one in 1972, and remained there until the mid-1980s. He left before the rape for which Wall received a life sentence yesterday. A number of his brothers and sisters also grew up in the centre.
Like others close to Wall, he refers to her as "Dommo" and appears to have nothing but happy memories of being raised by her. "Dommo was the main figure . . . She was always there to listen, to help you, to ask you what was wrong with you, to give you a cuddle if you needed it."
The daily routine in St Michael's, as Mr Doyle describes it, was as close to that of "normal" family life as possible. Breakfast, before school each morning, was usually prepared by Sister Dominic. "The first up could help her and there was always someone trying to get there before someone else to help Dommo stir the porridge."
The boys attended the local national school, just a short distance from the childcare centre on Melleray road. "You came back at dinner time and you could have second helpings if you were able for them. After dinner you'd get an apple or an orange, pocket money or sweets or whatever. She'd always let you go with something. After school she hired out private tutors to help us with our lessons."
Mr Doyle, who says all the children were treated equally and he was not singled out for special treatment, has particularly fond memories of Christmas at St Michael's. "We had great Christmas parties. Santa would come and afterwards we'd have a little disco."
Sister Dominic, he adds, made sure everyone got the most appropriate gift possible. She took a great interest in every individual."
Mr Doyle never saw her physically or sexually abuse any child in the centre, and does not believe she would be capable of such an act. "If you were bold you got slapped and were sent to your room, but that was normal for the time."
Several other former residents of St Michael's, who chose to remain anonymous, say they have similar recollections.
Their views have also been supported by Ms Anne Curran, who was a fellow teacher of Wall's at St Anne's secondary school in Cappoquin in the late 1970s.