Donal Collins

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Donal Collins was a priest of the Diocese of Ferns. He was appointed principal of St. Peters 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.

Collins was a science teacher in St Peters when allegations against him of sexual abuse involving pupils in the school dormitary 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 ommission described by The Ferns Inquiry as warranting very serious criticism. Collins returned to St Peters in 1968 and was subsequently put in charge of swimming lessons.

Fourteen pupils reported abuse by Collins between the 1960's and early 1990's.

Comiskey received a first allegation of sexual abuse against Collins within seven months of his appointment as Principal. 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 but Comiskey did not disclose to the bishop of that diocese that allegations had been made against Collins.

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).^[1].

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^[2].

[edit] The Ferns Report

Collins was cited in The Ferns Report^[3] 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. When anonymous allegations against Collins first emerged and in the face of denial by Collins of the sexual allegations against hum, Comiskey spent two years seeking evidence to substantiate these. But Comiskey never queried other priests who had previously indicated to Comiskey that a problem with Collins had existed in the past. When credible allegations did emerge in 1989 Comiskey did not remove Collins from active ministry. No diocesan records were maintained concerning the removal of Collins from Ferns in 1966. Comiskey also made erroneous statements to the Gardaí and media concerning Collins against the background of information available to Comiskey.

[edit] References

1. ^ "A Litany of Abise and Gross Indecency", Village Magazine, 2002-10-27. Retrieved on 2006-06-12.
2. ^ "Priest was sent to London when first allegationd emerged", The Irish Times, 2005-10-26. Retrieved on 2006-08-12.
3. ^ The Ferns Report. BishopAccountability.org (2005-10-25). Retrieved on 2006-08-12.

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