PATRICK MCDONAGH'S SHOCKING ABUSE IN DUBLIN, LIMERICK, AND ROSCOMMON: PRIEST SENTENCED IN IRELAND

In December 2007, a disturbing case involving a 78-year-old priest named Patrick McDonagh has come to light, revealing a long history of sexual abuse spanning over two decades across multiple Irish locations, including Dublin, Limerick, and Roscommon. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where Judge Patrick McCarten delivered a sentence that reflected the gravity of the crimes committed.

Patrick McDonagh, who resided on Grove Road in Newbury, Berkshire, England, pleaded guilty to eight counts of sexual and indecent assault involving four young girls. These offenses took place between 1965 and 1990, with the victims coming from different parts of Ireland. The court heard that McDonagh, a member of the Salvatorians religious order, had initially admitted to abusing six additional victims, although he did not provide further details about these cases.

Sergeant Gerard Daly, who testified during the trial, informed the court that McDonagh voluntarily disclosed the names of three other girls he had assaulted during his arrest in December 2006. The arrest was prompted by allegations of abuse from a girl in 1996, but McDonagh’s confessions revealed a broader pattern of misconduct. Sergeant Daly explained that McDonagh had refused to identify all his victims, stating there were six more victims beyond those he named.

The earliest abuse was reported to have begun in 1965 when McDonagh would visit a young girl’s home in Dublin. During these visits, he reportedly fondled her on at least three occasions, often putting his hands inside her dress. On one such occasion, he attempted to insert his finger into her. The girl, who was only seven at the time, started wearing trousers instead of skirts to avoid these encounters, and shortly thereafter, the visits ceased.

Further allegations detailed in court revealed that McDonagh visited the home of two sisters, aged six and ten, in Limerick during long weekends in 1984. After saying their prayers, he would climb into bed with them, placing his arms around the younger girl and touching her bottom. On another occasion, the older sister was sitting on his knee in the living room when McDonagh began to fondle her beneath her underwear, further illustrating a pattern of predatory behavior.

The most recent abuse was reported to have occurred in Roscommon in 1990, involving a girl aged six or seven. One night, while visiting the family’s home, the girl accidentally wandered into McDonagh’s bedroom. He then asked her to get into bed with him, kissed her on the mouth, and proceeded to fondle and penetrate her with his finger while thrusting against her. The girl’s mother became suspicious after hearing her enter the room and called her out. When questioned, the girl denied any wrongdoing by McDonagh.

Additional accounts described how McDonagh would sit beside the girl during dinner and rub her thigh beneath the table, prompting her parents to ensure they did not sit next to each other during meals. These incidents further underscored the manipulative and abusive nature of his conduct.

Upon his arrest in 2006, McDonagh admitted to the offenses but claimed he had abused his position of authority without any sexual motivation. The court was also informed that McDonagh had been under strict supervision since his retirement in 2004, with the Salvatorian order instructing him to undergo counseling and prohibiting him from being near children or performing Mass.

Father Alec McAllister, Vicar Provincial of the Salvatorians, testified that McDonagh had been part of their order since 1955, serving in various roles including teaching in boys’ schools and seminaries, and being stationed in Rome and Australia. He added that even if McDonagh were to be defrocked by the Vatican, he would still remain under the Salvatorian’s care for child protection reasons.

During the sentencing hearing, defense lawyer Mr. Patrick Gageby SC, urged the judge to consider the conditions under which McDonagh had been kept since his retirement, as well as his remorse and early guilty plea. However, Judge McCarten emphasized the profound damage inflicted on innocent children and described the crimes as an immense breach of trust. Ultimately, he sentenced McDonagh to a term ranging from one to four years in prison, suspending all but 18 months on the condition that he adhere to the directives already issued by the Salvatorians.