Shock at extent of Ó Lubhlaí abuse accusations

A former colleague of Clonkill native Domhnall Ó Lubhlaí said local Irish-language enthusiasts are shocked by the level of child abuse accusations coming out about the former Irish teacher and television presenter.

Since Ó Lubhlaí’s death on March 20 there have been growing calls for gardaí to order a review into allegations against him of sexual abuse dating back more than five decades.

A TG4 investigation also alleges that Ó Lubhlaí, who has been dubbed by some as Ireland’s answer to Jimmy Savile, admitted to gardaí that he abused children, but despite a number of court cases he was never convicted.

It has been claimed that the former teacher, who taught for years in Clondalkin, Dublin and founded a children’s camp in the Galway Gaeltacht as well establishing the Tearmainn Lir Irish school in Coole in the early 1990s, molested dozens of boys during his career.

Speaking to the Westmeath Examiner on Tuesday morning, the former colleague of Ó Lubhlaí’s said that while “stories had been circulating” for years regarding his alleged abuse of boys, the Irish language speaking community in Westmeath are shocked by recent revelations.

“Some mud did stick but we didn’t think it was anything like the numbers that are coming out. He didn’t circulate a lot in recent years. He lived a solitary life in Mullingar and there was a cloud hanging over him since the cases were taken. 

“From our point of view it’s not doing the Irish language movement any good and not a good story for Westmeath or Mullingar. What he is alleged to have done was terrible. These people’s lives were destroyed and their whole families’ lives destroyed.”

While the garda press office said that it could not comment on named individuals, a local garda confirmed to the Examiner on Tuesday that an allegation in relation to the late Mr Ó Lubhlaí was lodged in January by a person who does not reside in Mullingar.

The local garda spokesperson said there were no allegations of any wrongdoing on Mr Ó Lubhlaí’s part relating to Mullingar or Westmeath.

Fiona Neary of the Rape Crisis Network Ireland said gardaí should review all their files on Ó Lubhlaí: “He has allegations against him that date from 1955 up to the present day. We ask the Garda Commissioner to ensure a full review to ascertain if the gardaí utilised the opportunity of the investigation in 1991 to examine whether abuse had taken place, as was practised elsewhere in such incidents.

“Questions also surround the loss of vital evidence from this 1991 case which then impacted on an investigation in 1998, when five men came forward and reported sexual violence by Ó Lubhlaí.”

“It is vital that all allegations of sexual abuse are investigated fully by authorities in order to ensure the best response to survivors and to prevent future acts of sexual violence being committed by perpetrators.”

The CEO of one of Coláiste na bhFiann Irish school in Rosmuc, Galway, which was founded by Ó Lubhlaí, also supports a review of garda files.

Update - Garda to review Ó Lubhlaí files

The gardai announced yesterday, Wednesday, that they will review Ó Lubhlaí's files.

Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan said that he has ordered the force's domestic violence and sexual assault unit to review allegations of abuse against the Westmeath native, some of which stretch back to the 1950s.