In Blackrock, County Dublin, government-appointed investigators looking into historical abuse at schools across the country were handed 185 allegations of misconduct at Spiritan-run junior and senior facilities. Willow Park Junior School was implicated in 130 of these reports against 24 accused abusers, while Blackrock College, its post-primary counterpart, was involved in 55 allegations against 13 accused abusers.
In a publication released on Tuesday, these schools were two of 308 implicated in a report exploring claims of abuse at religiously-run schools. The substantial 700-page report delivers an analysis of 2,395 complaints of historical sexual exploitation by schools.
The nature of the allegations span across primary and post-primary institutions, as well as special needs and community schools. In particular, the report discloses 528 claims of abuse made against 194 accused abusers at disability specialist schools.
Nearly 2,400 claims from over 300 faith-led institutions were reported. One of the most heavily implicated facilities was Lota, a special education school in Glanmire, County Cork, operated by the Brothers of Charity. There were 166 allegations of abuse against 50 accused individuals.
Additionally, at the Holy Family School, another special education facility also run by the Brothers of Charity in Renmore, County Galway, a staggering 119 allegations of abuse were disclosed against 49 separate individuals.
Other heavily implicated institutions include St Mary’s School for Deaf Girls in Cabra, County Dublin, with 63 allegations of abuse against 44 accused, and the Saint John of God Hospitaller Ministries schools, with reports of 144 claims of abuse against 36 accused individuals.
Terenure College in County Dublin, operated by the Carmelite Fathers, received 89 allegations against 11 accused in both primary and secondary education. The Jesuit-run Belvedere College in Dublin had 64 allegations reported against 11 accused perpetrators.
The Spiritan-managed Rockwell College in Cashel, Co Tipperary, has disclosed an additional 60 abuse allegations against 18 supposed perpetrators. Creagh Lane, an amalgamation of St Senan’s and a Christian Brothers-run national school, revealed 55 abuse charges against five suspected abusers.
51 abuse claims against seven assumed abusers were reported by those that attended the Christian Brothers primary school on Sexton Street, Limerick. On the other hand, in Crumlin, Co Dublin, the Christian Brothers-operated Scoil Cholim primary school has revealed 49 allegations of sexual misconduct involving 23 suspected perpetrators.
A secondary school named Colaiste an Chroi Naofa, managed by the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in Carrignavar, Co Cork, revealed 42 allegations against four presumed perpetrators. Meanwhile, Scoil Mhuire, a Christian Brothers-managed primary school in Marino, Co Dublin, reported abuse allegations against 15 alleged perpetrators.