The former Irish president’s brother was sadistically abused for years by a disgraced priest. The former head of state has shared her feelings about the vile crimes for the first time.
Victims claim that the police in Newry school were alerted to the allegations against Fr Finnegan in 1996 but failed to interview the priest.He died 2002.
She has called for an independent inquiry into the Catholic Church’s response to the allegations.
Ms McAleese now wants people who knew about the horrific crimes of Fr Malachy Finnegan and never stopped him be held to account, the Irish Mirror reports.
Struggling to hold back tears, McAleese said: “My youngest brother, my baby brother, the youngest of nine was seriously, physically and sadistically abused by Malachy Finnegan.
She added “What frightens me is that we only find this out all these decades later, I’m the oldest of nine children and I always said my brothers could tell me anything but he didn’t because the culture of silence was so oppressive and these children were so frightened.”
Source: BBC
