Donal Collins
Encyclopedia
Donal Collins was a priest of the Diocese of Ferns
. He was appointed principal of St Peter's College, Wexford
by Bishop Brendan Comiskey
in 1988 despite his removal by Comiskey's predecessor, Bishop Donal J. Herlihy, following allegations of Collins sexually abusing pupils in his charge. The knowledge relating to the earlier allegations does not appear to have been made known to Comiskey.
Collins was a science teacher in St Peters when allegations against him of sexual abuse involving pupils in the school dormitory were made in 1966. He was transferred to a parish in Westminster
but the Bishop of Ferns, Donal J. Herlihy did not disclose that allegations had been lodged against Collins, an omission described by The Ferns Inquiry as warranting very serious criticism. Collins returned to St Peters in 1968 and was allowed to fully take up all duties associated with a teacher in a boarding school including mentoring pupils for the Young Scientist's Exhibition.
Fourteen pupils are cited in the Ferns Report as being abused by Collins between the 1960s and early 1990s.
The first report subsequent to the 1966 allegations came to Bishop Comiskey's attention within seven months of his appointment as Principal in 1988. Collins resigned as principal in 1991 after an anonymous letter was sent to Comiskey. Comiskey sent Collins for counselling to Florida in 1991. Collins was attached to a parish in Florida during that period.
Collins admitted the abuse in 1993. He was charged in 1995 with 21 counts of indecent assault
and gross indecency
and one of buggery
against four former pupils. Collins served a one-year jail sentence on conviction. He was laicised in 2004 (38 years after sex abuse allegations against him first surfaced)..
He took civil proceedings by way of judicial review in May 1996, seeking a prohibition of the hearing of the charges. That application was refused.
In March 1998, he pleaded guilty to four charges of gross indecency and one of indecent assault. He was sentenced to four years imprisonment and served one year at the Curragh prison. He was released in 1999.
Donal Collins was found dead in his home in County Wexford this evening the 9th April 2010
as one of 12 priests involved in 100 cases of child sexual abuse in the diocese between 1962 and 2002. The Report explains that at least six priests in the Diocese of Ferns
and associated with St Peters College were aware of troubling rumours concerning the reasons for Collins removal in 1966 but they did not notify Church authorities in the diocese of the potential danger posed by Collins when his appointment as Principal was suggested. No diocesan records were maintained concerning the removal of Collins from Ferns in 1966. When anonymous allegations against Collins first emerged and in the face of denial by Collins of the sexual allegations against him, Comiskey spent two years seeking evidence to substantiate these. Collins was finally removed in 1991. Comiskey also made erroneous statements to the Gardaí and media concerning Collins against the background of information available to Comiskey.
Diocese of Ferns
Diocese of Ferns can refer to:*The Roman Catholic Diocese of Ferns*The Church of Ireland diocese of Ferns within the united Diocese of Cashel, Waterford, Lismore, Ossory, Ferns & Leighlin...
. He was appointed principal of St Peter's College, Wexford
St Peter's College, Wexford
St Peter's College, Wexford is an Irish secondary school and former seminary located in Summerhill, overlooking Wexford town. It is a single sex school for male pupils. Currently its school population is approximately 700. The current principal is Mr. Patrick Quigley and the current vice-principal...
by Bishop Brendan Comiskey
Brendan Comiskey
Brendan Comiskey, is the Roman Catholic Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Ferns. He was born on 13 August 1935 in Clontibret, County Monaghan, Ireland.He resigned on 1 April 2002, over charges that he had failed to deal adequately with allegations that Fr...
in 1988 despite his removal by Comiskey's predecessor, Bishop Donal J. Herlihy, following allegations of Collins sexually abusing pupils in his charge. The knowledge relating to the earlier allegations does not appear to have been made known to Comiskey.
Collins was a science teacher in St Peters when allegations against him of sexual abuse involving pupils in the school dormitory were made in 1966. He was transferred to a parish in Westminster
Westminster
Westminster is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, southwest of the City of London and southwest of Charing Cross...
but the Bishop of Ferns, Donal J. Herlihy did not disclose that allegations had been lodged against Collins, an omission described by The Ferns Inquiry as warranting very serious criticism. Collins returned to St Peters in 1968 and was allowed to fully take up all duties associated with a teacher in a boarding school including mentoring pupils for the Young Scientist's Exhibition.
Fourteen pupils are cited in the Ferns Report as being abused by Collins between the 1960s and early 1990s.
The first report subsequent to the 1966 allegations came to Bishop Comiskey's attention within seven months of his appointment as Principal in 1988. Collins resigned as principal in 1991 after an anonymous letter was sent to Comiskey. Comiskey sent Collins for counselling to Florida in 1991. Collins was attached to a parish in Florida during that period.
Collins admitted the abuse in 1993. He was charged in 1995 with 21 counts of indecent assault
Indecent assault
Indecent assault is an offence of aggravated assault in many jurisdictions. It is characterised as a sex crime.Indecent assault was an offence in England and Wales under sections 14 and 15 the Sexual Offences Act 1956...
and gross indecency
Gross indecency
Gross indecency is a UK and Canadian legal term of art which was used in the definition of the following criminal offences:*Gross indecency between men, contrary to section 11 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1885 and later contrary to section 13 of the Sexual Offences Act 1956.*Indecency with a...
and one of buggery
Buggery
The British English term buggery is very close in meaning to the term sodomy, and is often used interchangeably in law and popular speech. It may be, also, a specific common law offence, encompassing both sodomy and bestiality.-In law:...
against four former pupils. Collins served a one-year jail sentence on conviction. He was laicised in 2004 (38 years after sex abuse allegations against him first surfaced)..
He took civil proceedings by way of judicial review in May 1996, seeking a prohibition of the hearing of the charges. That application was refused.
In March 1998, he pleaded guilty to four charges of gross indecency and one of indecent assault. He was sentenced to four years imprisonment and served one year at the Curragh prison. He was released in 1999.
Donal Collins was found dead in his home in County Wexford this evening the 9th April 2010
The Ferns Report
Collins was cited in The Ferns ReportThe Ferns Report
The Ferns Report was an official Irish government inquiry into the allegations of clerical sexual abuse in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ferns in County Wexford, Ireland.-Scope:...
as one of 12 priests involved in 100 cases of child sexual abuse in the diocese between 1962 and 2002. The Report explains that at least six priests in the Diocese of Ferns
Diocese of Ferns
Diocese of Ferns can refer to:*The Roman Catholic Diocese of Ferns*The Church of Ireland diocese of Ferns within the united Diocese of Cashel, Waterford, Lismore, Ossory, Ferns & Leighlin...
and associated with St Peters College were aware of troubling rumours concerning the reasons for Collins removal in 1966 but they did not notify Church authorities in the diocese of the potential danger posed by Collins when his appointment as Principal was suggested. No diocesan records were maintained concerning the removal of Collins from Ferns in 1966. When anonymous allegations against Collins first emerged and in the face of denial by Collins of the sexual allegations against him, Comiskey spent two years seeking evidence to substantiate these. Collins was finally removed in 1991. Comiskey also made erroneous statements to the Gardaí and media concerning Collins against the background of information available to Comiskey.
See also
- Roman Catholic Church sex abuse scandal
- Roman Catholic priests accused of sex offenses
- Crimen sollicitationisCrimen sollicitationisCrimen sollicitationis is the title of a 1962 document of the Holy Office codifying procedures to be followed in cases of priests or bishops of the Catholic Church accused of having used the sacrament of Penance to make sexual advances to penitents.It repeated, with additions, the contents of an...
- Pontifical SecretPontifical secretThe pontifical secret or pontifical secrecy or papal secrecy is the code of confidentiality that, in accordance with the canon law of the Roman Catholic Church, applies in matters that require greater than ordinary confidentiality:...