[Kincora Boys’ Home in East Belfast]

The launch of an inquiry into allegations of an elite paedophile ring operating in children’s care homes in the UK has prompted calls for the inclusion of  Kincora Boys’ Home in Belfast.

In  January, 1980, the irish Independent revealed a cover-up in relation to child abuse at the home. Subsequently three members of staff, William McGrath, Raymond Semple, and Joseph Mains, were convicted of a number of child sexual abuse offences.

McGrath, who had been prominent in the Orange Order until expulsion due to his paedophilia, was the founder of a far-right Unionist organisation known as ‘Tara’.

It has been alleged by former M15 officer Colin Wallace – who had been attempting to leak details of Kincora to the press since 1973 – that McGrath was a long-term M15 operative and his handlers wer fully aware of his activities.

Shortly after the Kincora story broke, Wallace was arrested and convicted of the manslaughter of an acquaintance, a conviction subsequently quashed in 1996 on the basis of new evidence.

Allegations in the Irish Times about a political paedohphile ring associated with Kincora led to an Inquiry by Judge William Hughes (with Mr W.J. Patterson and Mr Harry Whalley).

Their report published in 1985 and available (in pdf form)  here dismisses this allegation, preferring to characterise Kincora as an example of a general malaise in institutional care generally.

The Report does however contain reference to at least one boy being taken to a location in the Republic of Ireland.

The location is not identified but quotes attributed to Wallace have indicated it may be in County Offaly.

Joshua Cardwell, a prominent Unionist, committed suicide after being questioned regarding a visit to Kincora.

Meanwhile, recent allegations regarding the alleged paedophile ring operating from the Elm House guest house in London also implicate a number of Northern Ireland politicians, including a named ‘Sinn Fein MP’ 

No references to the MP in question – a ‘Gary Walker’ – appear online other than in relation to the Elm Guest house and he is not included among the list of present and past MPs appearing on the Sinn Fein wikipedia page.

He does however appear on a Google Books search of Dod’s Parliamentary Directory although the party which he represents is not identifiable from the clipping available online. A possible peeodophile ring nom de plume?

Anyone?

Kincora: Time We Knew The Truth (Belfast Telegraph)

Thanks Sibling of Daedalus

(BBC)