‘Waterford’s Big Dirty Secret’

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From top: Bill Kenneally, Jason Clancy and Colin Power 

Before Christmas.

On December 15, 2017.

Colin Power, Barry Murphy, Paul Walsh and Jason Clancy – who were abused by former Waterford basketball coach  Bill Kenneally – created a Facebook video in which they urged people with any information about the cover-up in relation to Kenneally’s abuse to come forward.

They also say they feel let down by the Government – and all political parties – as there has been no firm date set for an inquiry into the matter.

Readers will recall how Kenneally was convicted and sentenced to 14 years last February, for abusing 10 boys in the 1980s, after Jason Clancy, who was abused by Kenneally more than 300 times over a three-and-a-half year period, came forward in 2012.

However, certain Gardaí knew about the abuse as far back as 1985.

In the video, Colin Power stated that they know of at least 50 boys who were abused by Kenneally, all aged between 12 and 16.

Mr Power also said:

“We know that two boys – 13/14 years old – were in counselling in the South Eastern Health Board. They were referred there by a teacher in school, whom they went to and told about the abuse. Yet, they were in counselling and we were still being abused at the same time.

“Now, it wasn’t just the counsellors knew that. There was a teacher. There was people in the South Eastern Health Board. The gardai, the clergy as well, members of the clergy, there was politicians from the political party that he was affiliated to [Fianna Fail] – all the way up to 2012, when Jason went to try and get this over the line and get this investigated and again the doors were shut in his face until he had to go public.

“None of us, ever, wanted to go public. We were told, at the, around the time of the court case, that Kenneally would not be named unless we went public. That’s the only reason any of us went public.”

Jason Clancy said:

The gardai are involved in this. The politicians are involved in this. The church is involved in this. The South Eastern Health Board is in charge of this, or involved in this. There are a number of business people in Waterford who knew this was going on. They knew we were being abused, they turned a blind eye. There are a huge amount of people who do not want to see this inquiry going ahead.”

“If this was in Dublin, there would be huge media coverage of this story.”

Previously: Bill Kenneally on Broadsheet

H/T: Saoirse McGarrigle

Update:

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19 thoughts on “‘Waterford’s Big Dirty Secret’

  1. Fatima

    “If this was in Dublin, there would be huge media coverage of this story.”

    Not necessarily at all. Cover-ups happen everywhere.

    1. Sheik Yahbouti

      No, there wouldn’t. Same rules apply in Dublin. The powerful and the ‘well to do’ cannot be questioned or inconvenienced. Get over this urban/rural thing – the same injustice applies – country wide. The “Great and the Good” have a RIGHT to prey on your children, you oiks – get over it.

  2. GiggidyGoo

    That last paragraph, in bold, summarizes not only the atrocity of Kenneally, but if you take the various arms of the gang (and that it what it was – a gang – the Politicians, Clergy, Government Department, the ‘business people’ (a word for committees that Kenneally would have been a member of,in my opinion), and take various scandals that have been highlighted ( Mary Boyle, Tuam, McCabe, Fr. Molloy etc. etc), there are various concoctions of those gang members involved.
    So is anything ever going to change? The Apex Preditor of that gang that the rest succumbs to is?

      1. GiggidyGoo

        in my opinion – yes. McCabe isn’t historical per se as it’s still in progress. And what sections of the ‘gang’ are i. the limelight? The Gardai (Commissioner 1 replaced by a clone) Politicians (resignation and replacement also having to resign), Government bodies (Tulsa etc.).

        The other cases you may call historical, but they’re still not finalized so in reality they can’t be termed historical. Because there are people still trying to get to the truth, these are also current. And the bodies that know are included in the ‘gang’ i alluded to.

        So in my opinion, nothing has changed. Change will only come about when charges are preferred against members of these gangs. Take the two Gardai that tried to stitch up McCabe. No charges. And there won’t be because it may hang out superiors to dry. Who decides to charge or not? Gang members?

        1. Go A Way

          Yeah fair enough
          Not sure what happened to McCabe was strictly a criminal rather than civil wrong but take your point

  3. bisted

    …doesn’t Waterford have a minister who claims to be independent…claims no allegence to the big parties or the church…whose electors are more likely to be related to the victims rather than those with vested interests in covering up…

  4. gorugeen

    What a grubby history we weave. These poor, brave souls having to go public is a disgusting betrayal of them. I sincerely hope all involved have their names dragged through the mire… repeatedly.

  5. Catherine costelloe

    Its abusing victims . Its repulsive that no politician or senior garda attempts to get justice for victims. Its rotten and the emotional stress put on victims is a disgrace.

    1. postmanpat

      Surely there’s room on the internet for a wiki out of reach from the authorities and libel laws. Nonceleak or Wikiperv. It could be run by volunteer mods who can verity stories. Start with convicted abusers with links to all associates, government people, clergy, civil servants. Just name and shame and have moderators verify the accused before uploading. If a name keeps popping up in stories then there’s no smoke without fire. Its not like these guys ever do any real time the way the judges go on in this country. At least if one could find out the name and address of the Gardaí, Judge, Civil Servant, Health authority personnel. politicians, coaches etc, they could ostracize them and shout at them on the street. I mean a 14 year conviction (of which he will serve 4 or 5 years) is peanuts for what could have been 50 x 300 instances of abuse? Due process be damned, the writing is on the wall and everyone ignores it. these guys will always get away with it in the current system. . This can all be sorted out ourselves through technology. I would sooner have the likes of Bill Kenneally out of prison “free” and walking around with a big sign over his head, metaphorically streaking, so that everyone on the street knows who and what he is. Refused entry to establishments, shops. everyone ignoring him. Black Mirror style . let him wander the earth alone for the rest of his days. The same with the enablers. Surely there’s enough nerds out there to make a app that recognizes “that’s that politician who covered up that pedo thing”

  6. Angry supporter

    There should be a law to have everyone sick paedophile named and shamed why is this country so happy to still protect them even when there found guilty of repeatedly raping or abusing innocent children don’t care if it’s 50 years ago stop the cover up anyone 1 who is involved or covers up are just as guilty if not more for hiding it and should be tortured just as the victims were all the lifes and the hell they and there family’s have gone and still go through till the day they die the hurt fear and angry lives withbtou for ever

  7. MRoche

    Usually, the only reason these crimes are not properly investigated ie: via a proper inquiry is that the people who are guilty are “pillars of the community”. Simple as that.
    Most are alive, well and walking the streets with their heads held high. Very possibly polishing the pews of their local churches with their knees EVERY Sunday.
    Sickening to think these brave victims who revealed their identities have still got NO justice in any real terms.
    A through investigation MUST take place without delay so these pew polishers can be named, shamed & brought through the courts to answer to their crimes

  8. Ominous Jack

    Why is there a regime of untouchable vermin in Ireland ? This should destroy the lives of those who covered up

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