Rubane House (Northern Ireland) 1950 to 1985: De La Salle Brothers beat and abused boys; the order did not report brothers who confessed, to protect its reputation

Rubane House near Kircubbin was a boys' home run by the De La Salle Brothers from 1950 on behalf of the Diocese of Down and Connor. The state Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry heard 60 former residents. It found that the order failed to prevent excessive punishment and random violence amounting in some cases to serious assault, did not properly investigate allegations of sexual abuse, deliberately misled the authorities about the extent of one brother's abuse and did not report brothers who admitted abuse, in order to protect them and the reputation of the order; suspected brothers were moved to schools. The boys had to pick potatoes on neighbouring farms. The inquiry faults the diocese for failing to exercise oversight.

Period

1950-1985 (35 years)

Country

United Kingdom

Institutions

De La Salle Brothers
Diocese of Down and Connor

Category

Violence, Sexual abuse, Cover-up

Level of evidence

A Primary source · what does this mean?

Background

Course of events

1. In April 1950 Bishop Mageean asked the De La Salle Order to run a home in his diocese; on 25 May 1950 the diocese purchased Rubane House with 250 acres of land for 32,500 pounds. Ownership remained with the diocese. The inquiry heard 60 former residents who had lived there from the 1950s to the 1980s.
   Evidence: Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry, Northern Ireland, Kap. 11, Abs. 33

   „In April 1950, Bishop Mageean formally asked the Order to send five brothers to run a voluntary home and orphanage in his diocese.“

   Evidence: Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry, Northern Ireland, Kap. 11, Abs. 33

   „On 25 May 1950, the diocese purchased a large Victorian mansion, Rubane House, farm buildings, a coach house and 250 acres of surrounding land for £32,500.“

   Evidence: Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry, Northern Ireland, Kap. 11, Abs. 7

   „the Inquiry had the benefit of receiving evidence from 60 former residents of Rubane“

Response of the Church

1. According to the inquiry, the order failed to report serious assaults by a brother to police, in order to protect the brother and the reputation of the order rather than vulnerable children, and moved him to work in a school while police were investigating. It did not properly investigate allegations of sexual abuse, concealed its own investigations from the governing board, the ministry and the police, was not truthful about the extent of one brother's sexual abuse of boys and deliberately misled the ministry. Another suspect was moved to a school, where he abused children. Brothers who admitted sexual abuse were not reported to police, thereby protecting their position and the reputation of the order.
   Evidence: Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry, Northern Ireland, Kap. 11, Abs. 469

   „failed to report serious assaults by BR 77 to the police in order to protect the brother and the reputation of the Order rather than protect vulnerable children“

   Evidence: Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry, Northern Ireland, Kap. 11, Abs. 469

   „failed to curtail BR 77’s contact with children while he was subject to police investigations about physical assaults of boys in Rubane and instead moved him to work in a school“

   Evidence: Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry, Northern Ireland, Kap. 11, Abs. 469

   „failed to properly investigate allegations of sexual abuse“

   Evidence: Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry, Northern Ireland, Kap. 11, Abs. 469

   „failed to be truthful about the extent of BR 14’s sexual abuse of boys and deliberately misled the MoHA about it“

   Evidence: Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry, Northern Ireland, Kap. 11, Abs. 469

   „then moved him to a school where he would have continued trusted access to children which he ultimately abused“

   Evidence: Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry, Northern Ireland, Kap. 11, Abs. 469

   „failed to report brothers who admitted sexual abuse of children to the police and thereby protected the position of such brothers and the reputation of the Order rather than seeking to prevent further harm to children“

2. The inquiry faults the Diocese of Down and Connor for failing to meet statutory regulations for homes, for holding no meetings of the governing board for years, and for failing, through its chaplains, to find a way that respected the seal of confession but enabled the boys' reports of physical and sexual abuse to be passed to the bishop. State bodies, too, failed in supervision and inspection according to the inquiry.
   Evidence: Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry, Northern Ireland, Kap. 11, Abs. 469

   „failed to hold meetings of the governing board between 1968 and 1972 and between 1982 and 1985“

   Evidence: Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry, Northern Ireland, Kap. 11, Abs. 469

   „failed, through the chaplains appointed to Rubane, to find a means that respected the seal of confession but enabled information provided by boys about the physical and sexual abuse they were suffering to be shared with the relevant bishop and acted upon“

   Evidence: Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry, Northern Ireland, Kap. 11, Abs. 469

   „failed to inspect the standard of care being provided in Rubane between 1976 and 1981“

See also

• 1950-1983 · 33 years

  Scotland, boarding schools of the Marist Brothers in Largs and Dumfries 1950 to 1983 (Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry 2021)

  • United Kingdom
  • Violence
  • Sexual abuse
  • Cover-up
• 1950-1995 · 45 years

  Derry and Belfast 1950s to the 1990s: A state inquiry found systemic abuse in the homes of the Sisters of Nazareth, including sexual abuse by priests

  • United Kingdom
  • Violence
  • Sexual abuse
  • Cover-up
• 1951-1994 · 43 years

  Ireland, Northern Ireland, USA 1951 to 1994: Father Brendan Smyth abused children for over four decades; his order and dioceses did not report him, and a 14-year-old victim had to swear secrecy

  • Ireland
  • United States
  • United Kingdom
  • Sexual abuse
  • Cover-up

Original documents to read

1. Government report
   Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry, Northern Ireland: Report of the Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry, Volume 4, Chapter 11: Module 3, De La Salle Boys Home, Rubane House. Original · Archive copy (retrieved 30 Oct 2026)

Last changed on 30 October 2026. Is something missing or wrong? Suggest an addition or correction.