Solicitor acting on behalf of two of the former child residents, Tom Baker, of Kelso Lawyers, told the Central Western Daily the men, now aged in their 60s, had been scarred for life by their years spent in the institution and were seeking compensation and an apology from the Sisters of Charity.

“Their stories are not only terrifying but harrowing about their time at the orphanage when they were subject to sexual and physical abuse,” Mr Baker said.

Mr Baker said the men  had to “jump through hoops” to attend meetings with legal representatives of the religious order despite them being vulnerable and on disability pensions due, he said, to the impact of their years of abuse at the orphanage run by the Catholic order of nuns.

“These men have no money and they’ve had to fly to different places and pay for accommodation in these series of meetings which have so far come to nothing,” Mr Baker said.

“The Sisters of Charity have so far failed to accept any responsibility or offer an apology for what has happened to my clients - I think they are hoping it will just go away.”

Mr Baker said he had been touched by the stories of the men who had lived their lives marginalised in the community struggling with their demons from the past.

“They have been socially disadvantaged because they came out of Croagh Patrick not able to make their way in the world,” he said.

Mr Baker said lawyers representing the Sisters of Charity told him no money was available for compensation for the men who he said became vulnerable victims at a young age.

“One of the arguments put to us is that there is no record of complaints about the abuse, but the men have told me there was no point ... as children they would suffered even harsher punishments if they complained,” he said.

Mr Baker said if the men’s allegations were heard at the Royal Commission it would provide some form of vindication.

“This will be their last hope,” he said.

“It seems extraordinary that so much has been heard publicly now about the behaviour of priests in the Catholic Church and yet nothing about the nuns. Is it because they were women and people thought them not capable of the type of harsh treatment my clients say they received.”

Lawyers acting on behalf of the Sisters of Charity have been contacted by the Central Western Daily to provide a response to the claims of Mr Baker and Kelso Lawyers.

janice.harris@fairfaxmedia.com.au