Blackrock College

Two Dublin brothers have spoken of how both were sexually abused by priests at Blackrock College in the 1970s and how it was 2002 before either became aware ...

The venue was at the brothers’ request and they described the meeting as “very successful”. David recalled how “he violated my whole body” and how “I was unable to fight him off. It even took place in Fr O’Byrne’s bedroom at Clareville, the residence of priests and teachers on the school campus. When he returned, he got David a summer job in Blackrock College’s library and the abuse resumed. He spoke to the principal at Blackrock College and Fr O’Byrne disappeared for a few months. Retrospectively, he realises he was being groomed by the priest but at the time and even though Fr O’Byrne would take pictures of him at the swimming pool and other boys referred to the priest as “a bender”, Mark “didn’t know what it meant”. She recalled how at the time four friends would go along but she was soon distrustful of Fr O’Byrne, who would ask her to sit on his knee in the pool. Speaking in the RTE Radio I Documentary on One series on Monday, David related how he began to bring along friends to these swimming sessions, including Maura Harmon, who remains a close friend of his to this day. He recalled how the priest always locked the pool door and wore thongs. When Mark was 14 another priest would join in the abuse, which now also took place at the school library. Two Dublin brothers have spoken of how both were sexually abused by priests at Blackrock College in the 1970s and how it was 2002 before either became aware of the other’s abuse. “My parents thought he was fantastic,” said Mark, who is now based in London.