DistantNews
Support us
Survivors feel ‘vindicated’ by judge’s report on response to Bill Kenneally abuse
🇮🇪 Ireland /Crime & Justice

Survivors feel ‘vindicated’ by judge’s report on response to Bill Kenneally abuse

From Irish Times · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • Survivors of child sexual abuse by Bill Kenneally expressed vindication after a judge's report found serious dereliction of duty by senior police officers and health officials.
  • The commission of investigation, chaired by Judge Michael White, detailed failures to act on abuse complaints against Kenneally, who was convicted for crimes between 1979 and 1990.
  • Victims highlighted that the report confirmed their fears and established who knew about the abuse and why no action was taken, marking a difficult but ultimately happy day for them.

Survivors of child sexual abuse inflicted by Bill Kenneally described feeling “vindicated” following the publication of a long-awaited report that detailed serious derelictions of duty by senior police officers and health officials. The commission of investigation, chaired by Judge Michael White, found that the Garda Síochána (Irish police) and the South Eastern Health Board failed to adequately address complaints about Kenneally's crimes.

Smile lads

— a relativeA relative makes a lighthearted comment to survivors posing for a photograph.

Paul Walsh, one of Kenneally's victims, was among a group who had strongly advocated for the inquiry into what they alleged was a cover-up of the abuse. The report, published Tuesday, confirmed their suspicions that authorities knew about Kenneally's actions as far back as the mid-1980s. Kenneally, from a prominent political family, was convicted for abusing children between 1979 and 1990.

Oh, we forget this is a happy day.

— Paul WalshOne of the survivors, Paul Walsh, responds to a relative's comment about smiling.

Jason Clancy, whose 2012 complaint triggered an investigation, noted that his name was on a list of boys Kenneally provided to gardaí in 1987, admitting to abusing them. Clancy stated that Kenneally's abuse of him continued for six months after that. Colin Power, another survivor, said the report validated their fears stemming from the 2016 prosecution, calling the entire process “traumatic” but ultimately leading to vindication and relief.

We knew there was so much more to this than just Bill Kenneally on his own.

— Jason ClancySurvivor Jason Clancy explains the motivation behind pushing for the inquiry.

"This guy was left to abuse children even though people went to the gardaí about him," Power said, referencing a 1985 report of abuse to police. "When we set out to do this [inquiry] it was to find the truth: who knew what when – and why they did nothing. We know that now, so there is no doubt [it is] vindication," he added. Kevin Keating, who was assaulted by Kenneally in 1987, called the report's publication an “extremely happy day” and a conclusion to the ordeal, stating, “The monster which is Bill Kenneally is in prison.” Despite the relief, survivors expressed anger over the short timeframe between seeing the report and its public release.

This guy was left to abuse children even though people went to the gardaí about him.

— Colin PowerSurvivor Colin Power criticizes the inaction of authorities despite reports of abuse.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Irish Times. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog