Terenure College

Paul Kennedy's victim impact statement as court told how Terenure College was a 'safe place for paedophiles'

Your honour, when I was at school in Terenure College it was a very safe place; for paedophiles. Holding my infant son in my arms, I gravely realised that laughing it off and saying ‘ah sure I survived’ was weakness and talking about the theft of my innocence and the enduring stain of paedophilia was in fact strength. It does, however, give me great solace and pride to read this out and in so doing honour the young boy Paul Kennedy who was defiant and who did his damn best to dodge and sidestep your tackle and run out the gates of Terenure College into a tough old world but a safer one. I took responsibility, I realised that often the Joker is the thief and yet you had stolen my innocence and there I was laughing it off as if it never mattered. I faced my past in Terenure College, I stopped running, I took my power back and remembered you in all your poisoned glory. Is it any surprise I quickly became truculent or aggressively defiant and sought to outmanoeuvre the constant bullying, humiliation, and sexual sleaze that was our daily lot in Terenure College, epitomised by John McClean?

The recidivist paedophile John McClean will be sentenced tomorrow for sexually abusing 22 boys at Dublin's Terenure College over three decades from the ...

Others mitched in parks and in town or left the school altogether. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. He says he is deeply ashamed and apologises to parents, the college, the community and staff for the damage he has done. The victims also criticised the authorities at Terenure College for "facilitating" the abuse. McClean hid his face from his victims today as one of them faced him, reminded him of his "poison" and criticised the college authorities for "facilitating the abuse". One of his victims Paul Kennedy, waived his anonymity and accused the other teachers and adults at the College of also offending "by not speaking up."

Former teacher and rugby coach John McClean has admitted sexually assaulting 20 boys between 1971 and 1992.

“You had stolen my innocence and there I was laughing it off as if it never mattered. He described it as “inexorable erosion of my innocence for his own callous warped desires.” Something profound happened: I faced my past in Terenure College.” And so began a lifetime distrust of authority. For the price of one cup of coffee each week you can help keep paywalls away. More than 5,000 readers have already pitched in to keep free access to The Journal.