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:

Susie Q – Home

Ruairí McKiernan writes:

Limerick-born musician, singer and songwriter Susie Q, also known as Susan Quirke, is a co-founder of the A Lust For Life organisation alongside Bressie. In her debut track ‘Home’, she takes on some of the challenges facing the world and offers a powerful appeal for peace and understanding.

The video features footage from around the world, expressing some of the chronic suffering that has emerged from the war in Syria and the resulting refugee crisis.

Susie Q

This afternoon.

Dundalk, County Louth.

RTE reports:

A 24-year-old man has died and two others were wounded in a stabbing incident in Dundalk.

The incident happened on Avenue Road at around 9am. The victim, who is from Japan, was attacked on the street and fatally stabbed.

Two other Irish men were subsequently attacked with an iron bar.

Gardaí who were called to the scene confronted and disarmed the attacker, who was armed with a number of weapons.

He is believed to be 18 and from Egypt.

One dead, two wounded in Dundalk attack (RTE)

Pic: Stephanie Grogan

Meanwhile…

On The Liberal…

The Liberal

Meanwhile…

Namawinelake tweetz:

Say what you like about Michael Lowry, but during the State’s worst ever trolley crisis, for the 2nd day in a row, there wasn’t a single person on trolleys or waiting to be admitted in Michael’s surprisingly well-resourced local hospital.

Related: Hospital overcrowding increases to record level of 677 patients (RTE)

Broadsheet.ie