Newry man to receive £170,000 in damages in priest abuse case
Settlement includes a written apology from the archbishop; case against Diocese of Dromore and St Colman’s College Board of Governors remains without admission of liability
A Newry man is to receive £170,000 in damages as part of a High Court settlement over historic physical and sexual abuse by the late priest Malachy Finegan. The 57-year-old plaintiff, who cannot be identified and is referred to in court documents as CA, will also receive a written apology from the head of the Catholic Church in Ireland, Archbishop Eamon Martin, on behalf of the Diocese of Dromore. The case against the Diocese of Dromore and the Board of Governors at St Colman’s College in Newry was settled on Monday, with the action to be stayed on agreed terms and costs secured for CA.
CA alleges that Finegan groomed him and molested him at St Colman’s College between 1979 and 1985, under the guise of providing pastoral care. Finegan, who taught at the college and later served as the institution’s president, was accused of a long campaign of child abuse but was never prosecuted or questioned by police. Finegan died in 2002. In 2018, it emerged that the Diocese of Dromore had settled a previous claim made by one of his alleged victims. The Board of Governors at St Colman’s condemned the abuse in that earlier development.
In court on Monday, lawyers told Mr Justice Rooney that the action would be stayed on terms including a damages payment of £170,000 and CA’s legal costs. Claire McKeegan of Phoenix Law, who represented CA, confirmed the amount and said his client will also receive a letter of apology from Archbishop Eamon Martin on behalf of the diocese. The terms of the settlement do not constitute an admission of liability by either defendant.
Outside court, CA spoke about the long-lasting impact of the abuse. “I’ve suffered high levels of anxiety, nightmares and PTSD, and it almost cost me my marriage and family,” he said. He added that victims of Finegan had been treated “appallingly” and that he remained with questions about why no action was taken to stop the priest at the time.
Four other legal actions related to the campaign of abuse were adjourned until later this week, according to court updates.
The settlement adds to a broader reckoning with historic abuse within the Catholic Church in Ireland, where previous claims and inquiries have highlighted failures to protect children in church institutions. Finegan died in 2002, but the case underscores ongoing inquiries into historic abuse by clergy in Northern Ireland.
