FEARS were growing among victims that the
former principal of a Co Cork boarding school could leave the country
permanently after a deluge of victims spoke out about his alleged reign
of terror.
Senator Mark Daly used Seanad privilege to
name Fr Donncha Mac Cárthaigh as having openly flouted restrictions on
his ministry — following allegations of child sexual abuse — by
travelling to Rome and Fatima in the past year.
It has since emerged
that he regularly travels to the United States.
The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart have refused to confirm the number of new sexual and physical abuse complaints that have been made in the past week against Fr Donncha Mac Cárthaigh and Fr Tadgh Daly who were principal and dean at Coláiste an Chroí Naofa in Carrignavar. However, it is understood a number have been made.
The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart have refused to confirm the number of new sexual and physical abuse complaints that have been made in the past week against Fr Donncha Mac Cárthaigh and Fr Tadgh Daly who were principal and dean at Coláiste an Chroí Naofa in Carrignavar. However, it is understood a number have been made.
A number of alleged abuse
victims are also planning to meet up in Dublin later this month to
discuss how they should be best process civil and criminal complaints.
It has also been revealed that despite the first complaint of sexual abuse being made against him in 1986 and another seven over the next 12 years, Fr Mac Cárthaigh trained underage teams at St Vincent’s Hurling and Football Club in the early 1990s.
It has also been revealed that despite the first complaint of sexual abuse being made against him in 1986 and another seven over the next 12 years, Fr Mac Cárthaigh trained underage teams at St Vincent’s Hurling and Football Club in the early 1990s.
He was also able to work as a
counsellor at the Dominican Centre in Cork city in the mid 1990s. At the
same time, he also trained under age teams at Scoil na nÓg in Glanmire.
In 1996, with the volume of complaints growing increasingly alarming, he was put on restricted ministry. Last year, the order began efforts to have him laicised.
Fianna Fáil TD, Carrignavar local and former Coláiste an Chroí Naofa pupil, Billy Kelleher, last night said that "if people have genuine grievances with former staff at the school, they should make statements to gardaí".
Meanwhile, his party colleague, another past pupil of the school, Senator Denis O’Donovan said he had "no first-hand evidence of sexual abuse taking place at the school while he was there".
Mr O’Donovan was a pupil of the school in 1971 and 1972, attending in fifth and sixth year.
"I’d have seen people getting a belt in the ribs or a slap in the face but with my hand on my heart I have no recollection of sexual abuse in the school," he said.
The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart’s incoming Provincial Superior, Fr Joseph McGee, will visit Coláiste an Chroí Naofa in Carrignavar in September to begin a process where he "will personally contact and interview past and present members of staff and past pupils" as part of an investigation by the order into the alleged abuse.
In 1996, with the volume of complaints growing increasingly alarming, he was put on restricted ministry. Last year, the order began efforts to have him laicised.
Fianna Fáil TD, Carrignavar local and former Coláiste an Chroí Naofa pupil, Billy Kelleher, last night said that "if people have genuine grievances with former staff at the school, they should make statements to gardaí".
Meanwhile, his party colleague, another past pupil of the school, Senator Denis O’Donovan said he had "no first-hand evidence of sexual abuse taking place at the school while he was there".
Mr O’Donovan was a pupil of the school in 1971 and 1972, attending in fifth and sixth year.
"I’d have seen people getting a belt in the ribs or a slap in the face but with my hand on my heart I have no recollection of sexual abuse in the school," he said.
The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart’s incoming Provincial Superior, Fr Joseph McGee, will visit Coláiste an Chroí Naofa in Carrignavar in September to begin a process where he "will personally contact and interview past and present members of staff and past pupils" as part of an investigation by the order into the alleged abuse.