Rugby campaigner fought for victims of abuse at children's home 'until the very end'

The daughter of a Rugby campaigner who fought for victims of appalling abuse at a children's home is offering people the chance to find out more about his life.

Derek Linster, 81, died suddenly at home in November last year.

He worked tirelessly for 20 years to highlight the abuse and torment he suffered at Bethany Home, in Rathgar, Dublin, where his unmarried mother, Hannah, was forced to spend the last four months of her pregnancy.

More than 200 youngsters died there between 1922 and 1949.

Derek suffered gastroenteritis, diphtheria, whooping cough and pneumonia as a child.– a result, he says, of the treatment at he and many others received at the home, which closed in 1970.

Mr Linster, also known as Leinster, campaigned for survivors of Bethany home and similar institutions to receive the same redress granted to survivors of industrial school abuse.

One of his daughters, Kerry, said her father fought a tireless battle for many years to gain justice for the mistreatment of babies born there.

His family said: “He was a remarkable and incredibly determined man who never surrendered on his fight until the very end.”

Derek wrote two books about his experience – Destiny Unknown and Hannah’s Shame. The books are being given away by his family in his memory.

If you would like a copy, please email [email protected]

He is survived by his four daughters - Deborah, Amanda, Gail and Kerry - and pre-deceased by his wife, Carol.