Kirchenakte1975-2004 · 29 years
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Abuse and cover-up in the Archdiocese of Dublin (Murphy Report)
A state commission of investigation under Judge Yvonne Murphy examined how the Archdiocese of Dublin dealt with abuse allegations from 1975 to 2004, using 46 priests; there were allegations against them from over 320 children. One priest admitted to having abused over 100 children. According to the commission, until the mid-1990s the archdiocese was concerned with secrecy, avoidance of scandal, the reputation of the Church and the preservation of its assets; the welfare of children and justice for victims were subordinated to this. As early as 1987 the archdiocese took out insurance against compensation claims.
- Period
- 1975-2004 (29 years)
- Report published
- 26 November 2009
- Country
- Ireland
- Institutions
- Archdiocese of Dublin
Archbishops of Dublin - Category
- Sexual abuse, Cover-up
- Level of evidence
- A Primary source · what does this mean?
- Persons
- John Charles McQuaid (Archbishop of Dublin)
Dermot Ryan (Archbishop of Dublin)
Kevin McNamara (Archbishop of Dublin)
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What happened to the people
Who was affected? Victims and numbers
- The commission received information about abuse by 172 named priests; 102 fell within its remit. For a representative sample of 46 priests it examined allegations from over 320 children, more than twice as many boys as girls.
Evidence: Commission of Investigation (Irland), Vorsitz Richterin Yvonne Murphy, Kap. 1, Nr. 1.8
„knowledge of child sexual abuse in respect of 172 named priests and 11 unnamed priests“
Commission of Investigation: Report into the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin, Part 1, Chapter 1 Overview, Kap. 1, Nr. 1.8. Original Evidence: Commission of Investigation (Irland), Vorsitz Richterin Yvonne Murphy, Kap. 1, Nr. 1.8
„the Commission concluded that 102 of these priests were within remit“
Commission of Investigation: Report into the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin, Part 1, Chapter 1 Overview, Kap. 1, Nr. 1.8. Original Evidence: Commission of Investigation (Irland), Vorsitz Richterin Yvonne Murphy, Kap. 1, Nr. 1.10
„The Commission examined complaints in respect of over 320 children against the 46 priests in the representative sample. Substantially more of the complaints relate to boys – the ratio is 2.3 boys to 1 girl“
Commission of Investigation: Report into the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin, Part 1, Chapter 1 Overview, Kap. 1, Nr. 1.10. Original - One priest admitted to having abused over 100 children; another admitted to having abused every two weeks during his ministry of more than 25 years.
Evidence: Commission of Investigation (Irland), Vorsitz Richterin Yvonne Murphy, Kap. 1, Nr. 1.9
„one priest admitted to sexually abusing over 100 children, while another accepted that he had abused on a fortnightly basis during the currency of his ministry which lasted for over 25 years“
Commission of Investigation: Report into the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin, Part 1, Chapter 1 Overview, Kap. 1, Nr. 1.9. Original
How were they charged and sentenced?
- Only 11 of the 46 priests were convicted by criminal courts or pleaded guilty. The archdiocese did not apply its own canon law rules and tried to avoid state law as far as possible; the church duty of secrecy was often cited as a reason for not informing the police about known crimes.
Evidence: Commission of Investigation (Irland), Vorsitz Richterin Yvonne Murphy, Kap. 1, Nr. 1.11
„Of the 46 priests examined, 11 pleaded guilty to or were convicted in the criminal courts of sexual assaults on children“
Commission of Investigation: Report into the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin, Part 1, Chapter 1 Overview, Kap. 1, Nr. 1.11. Original Evidence: Commission of Investigation (Irland), Vorsitz Richterin Yvonne Murphy, Kap. 1, Nr. 1.15
„The Archdiocese did not implement its own canon law rules and did its best to avoid any application of the law of the State“
Commission of Investigation: Report into the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin, Part 1, Chapter 1 Overview, Kap. 1, Nr. 1.15. Original Evidence: Commission of Investigation (Irland), Vorsitz Richterin Yvonne Murphy, Kap. 1, Nr. 1.27
„It was often spoken of as a reason for not informing the Gardaí about known criminal offences“
Commission of Investigation: Report into the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin, Part 1, Chapter 1 Overview, Kap. 1, Nr. 1.27. Original
What happened to those affected?
- Full support for victims was available only from 2003; according to the commission, this failure caused the victims additional suffering.
Evidence: Commission of Investigation (Irland), Vorsitz Richterin Yvonne Murphy, Kap. 1, Nr. 1.16
„its provisions on support services for complainants were not fully implemented until the establishment of the Child Protection Service within the Archdiocese in 2003. This failure caused added distress to complainants“
Commission of Investigation: Report into the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin, Part 1, Chapter 1 Overview, Kap. 1, Nr. 1.16. Original
Witness accounts and records
“The Church failed us. They failed us as Catholics. They failed me as a human being. They took my soul.”
“He destroyed a family and destroyed the children that came after the children of the family, because everybody was and still is, so badly affected by it”
“you deal with me when I‟m a threat to you legally but when I‟m not a threat to you, you ignore me”
Background
Course of events
- The commission investigated allegations and suspicions from the years 1975 to 2004.
Evidence: Commission of Investigation (Irland), Vorsitz Richterin Yvonne Murphy, Kap. 1
„over the period 1975 to 2004“
Commission of Investigation: Report into the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin, Part 1, Chapter 1 Overview, Kap. 1. Original
Why? Justification and motives (according to the sources)
- According to the commission, until at least the mid-1990s the archdiocese was concerned with secrecy, avoidance of scandal, the reputation of the Church and the preservation of its assets. Everything else, including the welfare of children and justice for victims, was subordinated to this.
Evidence: Commission of Investigation (Irland), Vorsitz Richterin Yvonne Murphy, Kap. 1, Nr. 1.15
„pre-occupations in dealing with cases of child sexual abuse, at least until the mid 1990s, were the maintenance of secrecy, the avoidance of scandal, the protection of the reputation of the Church, and the preservation of its assets. All other considerations, including the welfare of children and justice for victims, were subordinated to these priorities“
Commission of Investigation: Report into the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin, Part 1, Chapter 1 Overview, Kap. 1, Nr. 1.15. Original
Who received the assets, who profited?
- As early as 1987 the archdiocese took out insurance against compensation claims. At that time Archbishops McQuaid, Ryan and McNamara knew of allegations against at least 17 priests. For the commission, the insurance proves that abuse was known to be a potential major cost factor.
Evidence: Commission of Investigation (Irland), Vorsitz Richterin Yvonne Murphy, Kap. 1, Nr. 1.20
„The Archdiocese first made inquiries about insurance cover for compensation claims in the mid 1980s and such cover was put in place in 1987“
Commission of Investigation: Report into the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin, Part 1, Chapter 1 Overview, Kap. 1, Nr. 1.20. Original Evidence: Commission of Investigation (Irland), Vorsitz Richterin Yvonne Murphy, Kap. 1, Nr. 1.21
„had had, between them, available information on complaints against at least 17 priests operating under the aegis of the Dublin Archdiocese. The taking out of insurance was an act proving knowledge of child sexual abuse as a potential major cost to the Archdiocese“
Commission of Investigation: Report into the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin, Part 1, Chapter 1 Overview, Kap. 1, Nr. 1.21. Original
Response of the Church
- The commission considered untrue the archdiocese's claim that it had still been "on a learning curve" until the late 1990s.
Evidence: Commission of Investigation (Irland), Vorsitz Richterin Yvonne Murphy, Kap. 1, Nr. 1.14
„Having completed its investigation, the Commission does not accept the truth of such claims and assertions“
Commission of Investigation: Report into the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin, Part 1, Chapter 1 Overview, Kap. 1, Nr. 1.14. Original
See also
-
1914-2000 · 86 years
Abuse in Irish homes and industrial schools (Ryan Report)
- Ireland
- Violence
- Sexual abuse
-
1962-2002 · 40 years
Abuse and cover-up in the Diocese of Ferns (Ferns Report)
- Ireland
- Sexual abuse
- Cover-up
-
1996-2009 · 13 years
Cover-up in the Diocese of Cloyne and the attitude of the Vatican (Cloyne Report)
- Ireland
- Vatican City
- Sexual abuse
- Cover-up
Original documents to read
- Government report
Commission of Investigation (Irland), Vorsitz Richterin Yvonne Murphy: Commission of Investigation: Report into the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin, Part 1, Chapter 1 Overview, 26 November 2009. Original (retrieved 11 Oct 2026) - Government report
Commission of Investigation (Irland), Vorsitz Richterin Yvonne Murphy: Commission of Investigation: Report into the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin, Part 2, Chapter 58 Complainants, 26 November 2009. Original · Archive copy (retrieved 16 Oct 2026)
Change log (5)
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Last changed on 22 October 2026. Is something missing or wrong? Suggest an addition or correction.