PATRICK MCCABE CHILD ABUSE SCANDAL SHOCKS CO KILDARE AND DUBLIN

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the communities of Co Kildare and Dublin, former priest Patrick McCabe has been sentenced for serious child abuse offenses. Despite admitting to the heinous acts, McCabe is set to walk free from prison this weekend after serving a sentence that was ultimately reduced to time served.

Patrick McCabe, aged 77, was originally handed an 18-month sentence by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. However, given that he has already spent 21 months in custody, the sentence was commuted, allowing him to be released. McCabe had pleaded guilty to the sexual abuse of two young boys, both aged 13 at the time of the incidents, which occurred in the late 1970s.

The first victim, James Moran, who is now 50 years old, chose to waive his right to anonymity to speak out about the profound impact the abuse had on his life. Moran described how McCabe’s vile actions shattered his childhood innocence and led him down a dark path of despair. He recounted that he went from being a happy, carefree child to contemplating suicide by the age of 18. Moran expressed feelings of failure, stating, “I failed my Leaving Cert, failed attempts at relationships but most importantly, I felt I had failed my family. I experienced every emotion associated with self-loathing.”

McCabe, who previously resided in Alameda, California, was extradited back to Ireland in June 2011 to face justice. The court heard that he had been living in the United States since leaving Ireland in 1988, the year he was laicised from the priesthood. His departure from Ireland followed previous allegations, and he had been convicted last year of indecently assaulting five other boys.

Judge Margaret Heneghan highlighted the emotional toll inflicted on the victims, describing how both had been left “tortured, tormented and haunted” by McCabe’s abuse. One of the assaults took place within the parochial house of the pro-cathedral in Dublin, while the other occurred at a school in County Kildare. The court was also informed that in 2006, Irish police traveled to Alameda, California, to question McCabe about these offences. He was subsequently arrested in the United States in August 2010 and extradited to Ireland in June 2011.

During the proceedings, McCabe admitted to visiting James Moran at his boarding school in County Kildare after seeing a photograph of the boy at his parents’ home. He described the encounter as fulfilling his “fetish,” stating, “He met all the requirements to match my fetish. I embraced him and fondled him.”

Judge Heneghan emphasized that her sentencing took into account McCabe’s guilty plea, his admissions to Gardaí, his apparent remorse, and his advanced age. The case underscores the long-lasting scars left by abuse and the ongoing efforts of Irish authorities to bring perpetrators to justice, regardless of their location or the passage of time.