IRELAND
The Irish Times
March 12, 2018
By Vivienne Clarke, Patsy McGarry
Ex-president says sibling only recently revealed abuse by Fr Malachy Finnegan
Former president Mary McAleese is calling for an independent inquiry into physical and sexual abuse at St Colman’s College in Newry, Co Down.
She told RTÉ’s Today with Sean O’Rourke show that her youngest brother had only recently revealed to her, at the age of 49, that he was abused by Fr Malachy Finnegan for all the years he attended the school.
She said her brother, Clem Leneghan, had been “seriously, physically, sadistically” abused, and her 90-year old mother had only learned of the abuse by reading a letter which he had published in the Belfast Telegraph some weeks ago.
Ms McAleese, who became upset as she spoke at the topic, said she had always thought that her brothers could speak to her about anything. She had been very distressed to think that her brother had suffered for so long and did not feel he could tell anyone.
The abuse went on for all the years he was at St Colman’s, she said. There were many people who knew what was going on and could have done something but did not do so.
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