The newly published Chapter 19 of the Murphy report gives details of how five of Ireland’s most notorious clerical child abusers developed close links with one another during the periods they were raping and molesting their victims.
This new evidence has prompted grave concern that there was a priest pedophile ring in the Dublin archdiocese.
Prominent abuse survivor Andrew Madden told the Tribune the very thought “sends a chill down the spine”.
Those involved include Ballyfermot’s “singing priest” or “Fr Filth” Tony Walsh, Fr Bill Carney, Fr Noel Reynolds, Fr Francis McCarthy and Fr Patrick Maguire.
Chapter 19 of the Murphy Report which was published last Friday gave details of Walsh’s crimes. It also explained how Walsh used a room provided by Reynolds in Kilmore to abuse his victims. Reynolds had given him a key.
Walsh then took over leading altar boy’s trips to Clonliffe College from Carney and McCarthy. They were bought convicted of child abuse. The report described how these two men brought children on holidays and shared accommodation with two complainants. It states “A boy who was initially abused by Fr McCarthy was subsequently abused by Fr Carney.”
The report also describes how Carney abused children at swimming pools and was sometimes accompanied by a fifth abuser, Maguire, according to the Tribune.
This information, for the first time, shows the extent of interaction between the five abusers.
Madden said that his new information gives another dimension to what is known. He said “The only thing that is missing is a record of the private conversations between these men…Pedophile rings are informal by nature. While somebody who is determined to abuse children will do so regardless, if there are people there who know the other will not say anything, then it facilitates the sexual abuse of children.
"It is certainly no coincidence that these five men appear together in the report and knew each other."
The report itself stated that there was “no direct evidence” of a pedophile ring but noted that they found “worrying connections” between the five priests.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.caseuoffspring | Dec 26, 2010, 08:30 PM EST
This is to "SINGLE DONALD" and others who do not know the meaning of pedophile. Pedophiles and ONLY INTERESTED IN CHILDREN - not women or adults. It has NOTHING to do with celebacy. I believe Priest SHOULD BE ABLE TO MARRY IF THEY WANT TO. I do not allow any of my contributions to my Church to go to my Archodioces. I will NOT pay for this mess any longer. The Catholic Church needs to STEP UP AND ACKNOWLEDGE THERE SIN AND ASK FOR FORGIVINESS.
Tomassotucson | Dec 23, 2010, 04:04 PM EST
I can't understand why the catholics in the US have not flooded the US Justice Department with request to investigat the USCCBs' organizations for the crimes they have commited. One has to wonder if the Justice Department is afraid to confront them. Can the Bishops in this country really more powerful than the Mafia was in the timwe of Frank Costeeo and CApone. I hopt the Irish Catholic can get their Civil authorities to investigate the bishops in Ireland. Show us the way. Dominic Tomasso Advocate for Bishops Accountability tomassotucson@cox.net
SingleDonald | Dec 22, 2010, 11:12 AM EST
2 Commemts: 1) I did not post the first comment below, about regretting the ban on crucifixion. 2) I agree that it is high time to allow priests to marry, and to permit them to select dating partners from there own parish, if such women reside there. While it is true that some pedophiles have a side interest in sub teen boys, while otherwise liking women, the option to marry would attract a different type of man to the priesthood. This type of man would greatly reduce the # of pedophile possibilities, both straight and gay.
1934Máirín | Dec 22, 2010, 10:54 AM EST
It makes me heart sick, the more I hear the more it hurts. When I am in I can't help but wonder about every priest's history. Did this priest abuse anyone? It is a great shame I have to feel this way. I still go to church every Sunday, but less and less people are.
Liamkeyes | Dec 21, 2010, 07:15 PM EST
In reply to rehobothbeach, if they allowed Priests to marry that would probably be a good idea but it would;nt cure pedophiles. Whether they are Laymen or Religious Pedophilia is a sick condition. They are not interested in Marraige.
Liamkeyes | Dec 21, 2010, 07:12 PM EST
The more this goes on the worse it gets. Over the Years, I've known great Brothers and Priests in Ireland and I still do as a matter of fact. My Heart goes out to the Good ones.
Searlit | Dec 21, 2010, 05:26 PM EST
I feel shell-shocked from all of this! I used to feel sick in church when I was little, I finally had to stop going after I fainted twice.
barneyjo | Dec 21, 2010, 05:04 PM EST
In view of the recent remarks made by the Holy Father on Monday evening in Rome, can it be that reality is finally dawning on the Vatican? In a pre-christmas address to members of the Curia in which he referred to the Clerical Abuse issue, he had this to say; "We must ask ourselves what was wrong in our proclamation, in our whole way of living the Christian life, to allow such a thing to happen." Now it would seem to me that in that statement, the Pope is clearly stating that he is now viewing the causes and course of Clerical abuse across the Catholic world as being more than just the actions attributed to a "minority" of priest offenders. He went even further in his address. Quoting the vision of the 12th-century saint Hildegard of Bingen, the pope said that “the face of the church is stained with dust”, adding: “We must accept this humiliation as an exhortation to truth and a call to renewal . . . We must ask ourselves what we can do to repair as much as possible the injustice that has occurred." To those that post on this site and suggest that priest abusers within the church form only a small "depraved" rump using the Church for cover, the Holy Father to my mind is clearly saying "we have to think again about this!!"
yorkville | Dec 21, 2010, 04:53 PM EST
Its not about being married!! they are pedophiles!they are priests because it allowed them access, they are also being supported by the catholic church, pensions etc. Thats why any catholics should boycot putting money in the basket, see if they will pay it themselves out of their "ample" wage packet!!
rehobothbeach | Dec 21, 2010, 04:33 PM EST
To all the Roman Catholics who read this comment: As a Roman Catholic myself, isn't time that the Roman Catholic Church allow our priests to get marry?
chialando | Dec 21, 2010, 04:32 PM EST
Punish them no matter where they are. Take their pensions put them on trial, convict them. They ruined numerous lives. Ruin theirs.
ciarrai | Dec 21, 2010, 04:06 PM EST
Throw these bastards in jail and throw the key away. That would be easy way out.
Intercessor | Dec 21, 2010, 02:03 PM EST
I wonder how many of the above mentioned priests are still being supported financially by their archdioceses, with your tithes and offerings ,,,,,,,,,, If it's anything like life in the USA, probably close to all of them, in addition to the bishops, archbishops, etc., who moved them form parish to parish and who are still living in "princely" accommodations. So much for the vows of poverty, which so few of the members of the Hierarchy took. Changes will never be made, until members of the Hierarchy and offending, abusive priests feel the financial crunch of "No Support," from the Faithful.
pacifist | Dec 21, 2010, 12:17 PM EST
It wouldn't surprise me if there was-is paedophile ring. But a monsignor at the centre of this case referred to Fr. McCarthy's "problems". Not the problems the children he had raped or otherwise sexually molested. This mind-set must certainly be the crux of the matter - the attitude the offending cleric has "a problem ". However the latest statment from Pope Bendict can give us a further glimse into the minds of RCC clerics. He said that it had been RCC understanding that there was nothing evil in itself and there was nothing good in itself. What planet is he on? Of course the fact that the RCC has a term for lying that doesn't define lying as not telling the truth, but as " mental reservation ". Enough said!
SingleDonald | Dec 21, 2010, 10:24 AM EST
Correction: "German", not "Germain", below!
SingleDonald | Dec 21, 2010, 10:22 AM EST
I am sick, sick to my stomach! The only redeeming fact is that Father "Filth", and presumably his cohorts, have FINALLY all been defrocked! People, however, should not think that this problem is confined to Ireland. Here in the U.S., I'm sure similar pedophile rings existed too. Their members were Irish, Italian, Germain, Hispanic, etc. Pedophilia knows no ethnic bias!
SingleDonald | Dec 21, 2010, 09:27 AM EST
Its at times like this that you regret the ban on crucifixion.