Mother heartbroken as Chicago toddler sent home to Ireland to live with father

The mother in this case is playing the media. The family were residing in Ireland when the parents relationship broke down. That's why the Irish court system had jurisdiction. When the custody case didnt go her way she abducted the child and brought him to America.

The child was born in the US and that is where he should stay. If his father wants to be a part of his life he should be in the US.

irislegalperson: Just curious as to where you got the idea that an American elementary school has thrity classrooms in it? It si an intriguing thought.

This is sad on both sides. The irish-Americans would like to see the cjhild raised with his mum in the US while the only-Irish would like the child raised by his father in Eire. Because most (not all it looks like) people see value in both countries, it sheds light on the American children taken to live in the Middle East with thier dads. Racism and politics in those cases indicate that the child should be raised in the states by the white parent. But is that true, Sadly, this incident highlights the dichotomy of beliefs so that "right" is only in the eye of the beholder. I am sure both parents would want the boy to be near. I wish somethingcould be arranged if only for the sake of the child.

Give the dad a chance to be with his son. I admire him for his fight for his son. Sounds to me that Mom may be putting her son in the middle here when it probably has nothing to do with her son and more to do with her and her personal feelings for the dad. Custody battles are ugly and should be avoided at all costs for the sake of children. There is nothing wrong with this little lad going back to " the tiny village of Ballymurphy, and have him attend a two room schoolhouse"?? I wonder would it be better for him to attend a public school or private in Chicago with more than 30 rooms and 30 to each class? To the writer of this story that is a bit ignorant on your behalf. What does it matter where the lad goes to school as long as he is getting a good education and love from both his parents and he will get a good education in Ireland. Hope his mom can adjust and move to Ireland for her son and have the family together. The courts have ruled regardless who is right or wrong and now its time to move on. Ireland is not such a bad place to have-to move to.

Derek Redmond is the most gentle and loving father any child could ever have, he has never harmed anyone. I know Derek for the last 4 years as we have both fought together to have our sons returned to their homes. All he wants is for his son to have both his parents in his life. Derek and Jack have suffered greatly in the last 4 years at the hands of Mary and her family. She stopped Jack from having any sort of a meaningful relationship with his father. She has blackened Dereks good name by wrongfully accusing him of terrible things, none of which she was ever able to prove in any court. She has financially destroyed him and broken his heart. The courts got it right, she maybe able to fool the media but she didn't fool the Irish courts or the American courts. I got my son back too and now our two boys will play together this summer for the first time. Something we thought impossible 4 years ago, but it's amazing what a fathers love can do, we have been through hell and back. Well done Derek and congratulations to Jack for having one of the best Dads on the planet. Thankfully the good guys normally win, honesty always win, liars will always be found out. Mary if you are reading this, stop fighting, the Irish court is not going to lock you up as you claim, come back to Ireland and be a mother to your child, he won't be a child for very long and he needs both his parents.

Terrible story. I feel so bad for this child. Woman...go face the courts, serve your time and be with your son. She had to have known this would happen when she decided to go leave Ireland with him? I don't know anything about International law, but did the father get the boy because he is the father and he is living in Ireland? Someone please explain this to me as the article only said that it was under Irish jurisdiction therefore that's why he has to be in Ireland...thx