The Vincentian Community, which runs several schools across Ireland including Castleknock College, has disclosed 46 people had previously reported being allegedly abused by priests of the order.
Seventeen of those alleged victims said they had been abused in the schools run by the Vincentians. The order said it has paid out more than €1 million in compensation to settle legal claims from people who alleged they had been abused.
The statement follows a report in The Irish Times of alleged sexual abuse in the fee-paying Castleknock College, west Dublin. Tom Maher (59) said he was sexually assaulted by a priest teaching in the former boarding school on two occasions in the 1970s. His alleged abuser, who is living abroad where he had been serving as a priest until recent years, said he had no comment to make when questioned about the claims.
The religious congregation said over the past 15 years it had received allegations of abuse by priests at Castleknock College, St Paul’s in Raheny, St Peter’s National School in Phibsborough and St Patrick’s College, Co Armagh. “We deeply regret and sincerely apologise for the suffering people have endured or experienced as a result of abuse.”
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[ Past pupil alleges sexual abuse by priest in Castleknock CollegeOpens in new window ]
In light of the recent revelations “it is possible that the congregation may receive further allegations”, it said. It later said one further alleged victim reported abuse by another now deceased priest following its statement.
A number of other pupils came forward to The Irish Times on Thursday to disclose past alleged sexual and physical abuse in the former boarding school.
One man, who did not wish to be named, claimed he was abused by the same priest alleged to have assaulted Mr Maher. The man, who attended the school in the mid-1980s, alleged the priest sexually assaulted him while claiming to be treating sporting injuries.
“I just froze, I didn’t know what to do. It happened twice,” he said. “You could see him floating around the dormitories when we were getting ready for bed ... After sports training he’d be in the middle of the showers, when we’d come in after rugby.”
He said there had been a level of awareness among classmates to try to avoid the priest. The man said he had not reported the alleged abuse to gardaí or the Vincentians. “You just push it away mentally,” he said.
Three former Castleknock College pupils who spoke to The Irish Times detailed alleged physical abuse by another priest, who is now deceased.
One man, who attended the school in the 1970s, described the priest as a “brute”, while another pupil at the same time said he had been physically punished for answering a question incorrectly. A third former pupil, who was in the school in the early 1990s, recalled one incident where the priest punished him for misspelling a word by pinching him on a pressure point. “I just remember the pain of it,” he said.
[ Blackrock College abuse: ‘Code of omerta’ finally shattered by brothers’ braveryOpens in new window ]
Vincent Browne, former journalist and broadcaster, who attended the school in the late 1950s, said he had not seen evidence of abuse during his school days.
Commenting on the revelations, Mr Browne said he was not surprised: “If this was a practice in other schools, it is hardly likely our school was immune.”
Mr Browne said he suspected there may have been a “reluctance” from past pupils in more “posh schools” to come forward about alleged abuse, in order not to “blacken the name” of the institutions.
Meanwhile, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar told the Dáil on Thursday that the Government was looking at the most appropriate model for an inquiry into abuse at religious-run educational institutions.
