A former teacher at Terenure College in Dublin has been jailed for eight years for abusing 23 boys at the private school between 1973 and 1990.
John McClean, of Casimir Avenue, Harold’s Cross, Dublin, abused them through his roles as teacher, rugby coach and costume fitter for school plays.
In 1979, six years after the first boy was sexually assaulted by John McClean, a complaint was made to the then principal of Terenure College.
Aside from removing him from his role as costume fitter for the school plays, the court heard no further action.
In 1996, McClean admitted abusing one boy.
The then head of the Carmelites Order of Ireland, which runs the private school, was made aware of his admission, but it wasn’t brought to gardaí.
Before handing down sentence today, Judge Pauline Codd commended the 23 survivors for their “immense courage” in coming forward.
She said it’s not easy to make such a complaint and she lauded them for their resilience and strength.
McClean wore a black face mask in the dock and protected himself from the glare of the public gallery by covering the rest of his face with his hand.
Before jailing him for eight years, Judge Codd rejected his application to delay sending him to prison until he is vaccinated for COVID-19.
Last week, the court heard harrowing evidence of how the abuse impacted the lives of the survivors, with one of them describing McClean as “evil personified”.
One of the survivors, Damien Hetherington, waived his right to anonymity so he could speak to the media after the sentence was handed down today.
Addressing other victims of historical abuse, he said it’s never too late to come forward.
He said: "I would say never give up - I'd have never thought 47 years later I'd be standing here. 47 years it took me to get this.
"Don't give up, and follow it up. The gardaí put in the work... and this is the result."
Terenure College apology
In a statement, Terenure College and the Carmelite Order said: "Fr Éanna Ó hÓbáin, Principal of Terenure College, and Fr Michael Troy, Provincial of the Carmelite Order in Ireland, acknowledge the courage of the men who gave harrowing accounts to the court of the abuse they suffered.
"They recognise the devastating and long-lasting impact this has had on the lives of the victims and survivors and the lives of their families and friends.
"Fr Ó hÓbáin and Fr Troy said that on behalf of Terenure College and the Carmelite Order they are deeply sorry and apologise unreservedly to the former pupils who were abused as young students."
The statement adds that the school and order are "wholly committed to providing effective and meaningful support to former pupils who are victims and survivors of abuse".
