Former School Principal Aidan Clohessy Jailed for Four Years for Historic Abuse of Six Boys

 Dublin | June 24, 2025 — Aidan Clohessy, an 85-year-old former school principal, has been sentenced to four years in prison after being convicted of multiple counts of indecent assault against six male pupils at a Dublin special needs school over a span of three decades.

Clohessy, formerly principal of St Augustine’s School in Blackrock, Dublin, was found guilty last month by two separate juries at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of 19 counts of indecent assault, which occurred between 1969 and 1986. The victims were boys aged between 10 and 13 at the time of the abuse. The court heard harrowing accounts of repeated abuse involving inappropriate touching and physical humiliation, particularly targeting boarders at the institution.

During sentencing on Monday, Judge Elva Duffy condemned Clohessy’s dual existence as a respected educator and religious figure by day, and abuser by night.
“He was living a life full of good deeds during the day,” she remarked, “but was also an ogre… carrying out what can only be described as atrocities at night time, when no one could see that behaviour.”

In the first case, Clohessy was convicted of 14 offences—ten involving one boy and four relating to another—dating from 1983 to 1985. He received a cumulative sentence of four years. Judge Duffy acknowledged his age and medical condition but stated that the seriousness and repeated nature of the offences warranted a custodial sentence.

In the second trial, Clohessy was found guilty on five additional counts involving four boys between 1969 and 1986. He was acquitted of three charges. Sentencing in that case was deferred by Judge Martin Nolan to consider the facts.

The court heard powerful victim impact statements from all six complainants, many of whom described lifelong trauma resulting from the abuse.

One victim, addressing Clohessy directly, stated:
“Brother Aidan, I don’t forgive you but I don’t judge you anymore. That responsibility does not belong to me. One day, you will stand before the man you chose to serve. One day, you will stand before your maker, and on that day, you will be handed your judgement.”

Another survivor described being unable to recite wedding vows or read bedtime stories to his children. Others recounted years of depression, flashbacks, difficulty forming relationships, and obstacles in their education and employment.

The abuse took place while Clohessy served as principal at a school that catered to boys with mild to moderate learning disabilities. The assaults often occurred in isolated areas of the school such as storage rooms, dormitories, and Clohessy’s office. One victim described how Clohessy, after striking him, told him:
“Son, I hope no one knows.”
Another recalled Clohessy’s chilling instruction to undress in his office, followed by an assault and a whispered warning:
“Son, no one knows.”

A number of victims detailed how the abuse stunted their literacy development, disrupted their mental health, and eroded their confidence throughout adulthood. In one statement, a daughter of a victim said she only later understood why her father struggled with helping her academically and emotionally.
“He refused to let the abuse define his life,” she said.

Clohessy, originally from Co. Limerick, joined the religious order after his Leaving Certificate in 1958. He trained initially as a psychiatric nurse before retraining as a teacher and assuming leadership at St Augustine’s School in the early 1970s. He served there until 1993 and later led mental health projects in Malawi until 2013.

The court was told Clohessy voluntarily participated in Garda interviews and denied any wrongdoing. While acknowledging that corporal punishment was used in the school, he denied any indecent acts. Gardaí confirmed he was cooperative throughout the investigation, and the defence submitted that he had already endured significant reputational damage due to adverse publicity.

Defence counsel Ronan Kennedy SC stated that Clohessy “lives a humble and quiet existence” and continues to support members of his religious community. Medical reports and character testimonials were also submitted to the court.

“In many respects,” Mr. Kennedy said, “he was already condemned and judged in the court of public opinion before he was ever tried in this court.” He further noted that Clohessy would not appeal the jury verdicts.

Despite these submissions, the court held that the nature and gravity of the offences, committed against vulnerable children in a trusted institutional setting, demanded a custodial response.

Judge Duffy ordered that the sentences run consecutively and stated her hope that the absence of an appeal may offer the victims some sense of closure.
“These were vulnerable children entrusted to Mr. Clohessy’s care,” she said. “The offences were carried out in total secrecy, and over an extended period. That betrayal of trust cannot be understated.”