SHOCKING REVELATION: CHRISTOPHER O’MAHONY OF LIMERICK EXPOSED AS MONSTER WHO ABUSED DAUGHTER AND SISTER-IN-LAW

In a harrowing case that has sent shockwaves through the community of Limerick, the man identified as Christopher O’Mahony, aged 67 and residing in Kerrykyle, Ardagh, has been publicly exposed as a predatory abuser who inflicted unimaginable suffering on his own family members. The details of his crimes, which span over several decades, have been laid bare during a recent court hearing, revealing a pattern of sexual, psychological, and physical abuse that has left deep scars on his victims.

O’Mahony faced a total of 54 charges on indictment, but he ultimately pleaded guilty to 18 of these counts, which involved the sexual assault and indecent assault of two young girls, his daughter Emma O’Shaughnessy (née O’Mahony) and her aunt Helen Costelloe. The assaults reportedly took place during the 1980s and 1990s, beginning when the victims were as young as nine and ten years old. The court proceedings took place at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court, where the victims chose to waive their right to anonymity, allowing their names and identities to be publicly disclosed.

Emma O’Shaughnessy, who was visibly distressed, broke down in tears as she recounted the horrors she endured at the hands of her father. She described her father as a “monster” and a “paedophile,” and detailed how his abuse tore her family apart. “My mother and two sisters have chosen to support my abuser,” she said, her voice trembling. “Now I am fatherless, I am motherless, and I no longer have sisters, which is unimaginably cruel.” Her words underscored the profound and lasting impact of the abuse on her life.

Prosecutor Lily Buckley provided a detailed account of the abuse, stating that O’Mahony “depleted and degraded” his daughter through years of sexual, psychological, and physical violence. The court heard that the sexual assaults on Ms O’Shaughnessy began under the guise of applying ointment for a rash, which O’Mahony insisted had to be administered in the privacy of the family bathroom. Once inside, he would remove her clothing and carry out the abuse, both physically and verbally. The court was told that O’Mahony had instructed his daughter to keep the abuse a secret, warning her not to tell her mother, who was often away working.

Ms O’Shaughnessy vividly described the emotional and physical toll the abuse took on her. She recounted how she became a “quiet and compliant child,” often feeling cold, shuddering uncontrollably, and doubled over at the sink as she tried to block out the trauma. “It hurt and stung, I was scared, frozen, and I stared blankly into the soapy water, trying to erase what was happening,” she said. In her victim impact statement, she expressed that her father’s actions “erased” her as a person, leaving her feeling “disgusting, dirty, and full of shame.”

She described her desperate attempts to cleanse herself, washing until she was raw and bleeding, yet still feeling unclean. The abuse ceased when she, then 13, fought back by pushing her father away at their family home. Despite this, the court heard that the physical and psychological abuse persisted, with O’Mahony maintaining strict control over the household. Ms Buckley detailed how he would kick his daughter, call her derogatory names such as “scourge” and “bitch,” and express his hatred for her. Her speech was also affected, as her father belittled her manner of speaking, leading to lifelong trauma.

Further trauma was inflicted through controlling behaviors, such as restricting her toilet paper use and denying her permission to go to the toilet, which resulted in urinary tract infections. Her father also sought to destroy her passions, including her love of music. She recounted how, when a school teacher donated a piano to her, her father locked it away in a shed, where it remained for over 20 years.

The abuse by O’Mahony was finally brought to light after a family meeting on July 4, 2021, when his sister-in-law, Helen Costelloe, disclosed that she had also been sexually abused by him from the age of nine until she was 15. Three days later, O’Mahony voluntarily surrendered himself at Henry Street Garda Station, confessing to the authorities that he was “handing himself in.”

Ms Costelloe, now aged 52, recounted that O’Mahony began abusing her after moving into her family home following his marriage to her sister, who was 12 years his senior. Her abuse included incidents within the family home and in his car during work rounds around Limerick, where he was employed as a rent collector with Limerick County Council. The assaults continued until she was 14, when she fought back after he forced himself on her in a public toilet during a work trip.

She described the profound and lasting impact the abuse had on her life, stating that her innocence was robbed and that her “complex trauma” affected every aspect of her existence. The trauma contributed to her marriage breakdown, and she revealed that her sister and two nieces were no longer part of her life, which she described as “heartbreakingly” painful.

The court heard that the victims’ families continue to grapple with the truth of what happened, with Garda Detective James Muldowney from the Limerick Garda Divisional Protective Services Unit emphasizing the division within the family. Both victims expressed their gratitude to Gardaí and the legal team involved in bringing O’Mahony to justice, acknowledging the efforts of Detective Muldowney and his colleagues, as well as the support from the Director of Public Prosecutions and prosecutor Lily Buckley.

During the hearing, O’Mahony showed no visible emotion and, through his legal representative, stated that he did not dispute any of the evidence presented against him. He was remanded in custody and is scheduled for sentencing on Thursday, March 20. The victims, having chosen to waive their anonymity, expressed their desire for O’Mahony’s name to be publicly known, a decision supported by the court.