Kilkenny school sexual abuse: 29 victims identified

It has now come to light that a Christian brother who sexually assaulted seven boys while teaching at Kilkenny Primary School over 40 years ago had also sexually abused an additional 22 boys.

73-year-old Martin O’Flaherty of Rosmeen Gardens, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin, was convicted earlier this year of 4 counts of indecent assault and one of attempted indecent assault, which occurred between 1978 and 1981.

O’Flaherty lectured at the Christian Brothers school on Stephen Street in Kilkenny from 1976 to 1981 and had been a member of the Christian Brothers.

Detective Sergeant James Neary informed Fiona Mcgowan BL that the gardai conducted an extensive investigation at the school between 1976 and 1981 to determine precisely what was happening there. Students who were present at the school at the time were given questionnaires.

O’Flaherty taught the seven pupils who he sexually assaulted at the time. Upon completing their questionnaires, they came forward with their statements. Four pupils were in the fourth class while the others were in the sixth class.

The sexual abuse the boys encountered was in the form of inappropriate touching. Using the pretext of checking their homework, O’Flaherty would summon the boys to his desk. O’Flaherty would insert his finger inside the boy’s trousers waistband during the attempted indecent assault, but he did not touch the genital area.

In Court, Ms McGowan read aloud five impact statements. They outlined the lasting impacts of the abuse and how it has made them feel guilty and ashamed. It interfered with their schooling and caused problems in their subsequent relationships.

One man commented about the way O’Flaherty’s religious attire made him nervous. He spoke about how the year transformed his life, “altered my life forever”. He was ashamed that he had attracted abuse and was holding himself responsible for what had occurred. Considering that he found it difficult to accept that a “man of God” could have committed such acts, he had completely lost trust in God.

He “kept this shameful secret hidden for 4o years,” but he plans to be released from this secret by telling the truth now. He commented that although he has now regained his faith, he still feels that O’Flaherty is not prepared to accept the reality of what he did and seek forgiveness.

According to another victim, O’Flaherty did glimpse at him as he was testifying in court, but he turned his head away, “luxuriating hidden in the cloak of anonymity.” He anticipated that O’Flaherty would be vilified. The idea that the “sentence administered by the court of public opinion will outlast your death” consoles him.

Another victim talked about how the assault took away half of his life. He “ended up living a half-life” and finds it hard to discuss the events. He was “robbed” of immense joy and his normality.

In addition to having 103 prior convictions for the indecent assault of 22 boys, O’Flaherty has been on trial since 2022. With a release date of August 2028, he is serving an 8-year, 2-month, and 3-week sentence for this offence. Restrictions on reporting that were put in place to prevent future trials from being affected have been removed, as there are no more charges against O’Flaherty.

After hearing the most recent information on the 7 young men, Judge Elma Sheahan sentenced a global 5-year sentence to O’Flaherty. Currently, O’Flaherty is guilty of sexually abusing 29 boys.

O’Flaherty cooperated with the investigation; however, he dismissed all abuse claims. He identified his writing in role books and said he remembered lecturing some of the complainants while he was a teacher at the Kilkenny school.

Detective Sergeant Neary concurred with Ronan Kennedy SC that his client taught at other schools, and the only complaints he had at the time came from the Kilkenny School. Mr Kennedy informed the court that his client had no plans to appeal and believed this would provide solace and closure in due time.

The court was presented with a medical report. Mr. Kennedy requested that the court consider the client’s age, health conditions, and the challenges elderly individuals face in custody. According to a governor’s report, which was also presented in court, O’Flaherty’s prisoner status was in the training unit at Mountjoy prison, where he worked in the kitchen and helped other inmates.

The victim impact statements, according to Judge Sheahan, demonstrate the psychological harm the men suffered and how they have had to live with this for years.

She considered the concepts of proportionality and totality while outlining specific punishments for each count on the indictment. She commented regarding how O’Flaherty took advantage of the circumstances in which the children were under his supervision to “fulfil his own perverse need.”

If you have been affected by the Kilkenny school sexual abuse case or have experienced similar abuse, please know that you are not alone. Our team at Coleman Legal is here to listen and support you in complete confidence. Call us in confidence on our Freephone line at 1800-844-104 or email us at [email protected]