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Irish Times
4 days ago
- Irish Times
Brothers' abuse of sisters was hidden in Dublin family for years
A 'fancier than usual' Easter egg is a welcome treat for most children but when Richard Brennan gave one to his 11-year-old sister Catherine, she feared what her older brother might expect in return. She woke that night to find him in her bed sexually assaulting her. Richard was aged 19 and studying for the priesthood when he began sexually abusing Catherine in their Rathfarnham home in Dublin on her ninth birthday. He put her sitting on her bed, instructed her to remove her underwear and sexually abused her. She vomited and cried in the bathroom later as she tried to scrub herself clean and was 'very confused' because her brother, who came home at weekends from Clonliffe College , was 'supposed to be a man of God'. After Catherine disclosed the abuse at the age of 13, it was dismissed by her father as 'just sexual curiosity' while her mother said she was 'lying' and being 'dramatic'. It continued until she was 14. READ MORE Richard Brennan arriving at the Central Criminal Court. Photograph: Collins Catherine was unaware until years later that Richard also abused her older sisters Paula and Yvonne, or that an older brother, Bernard, abused her two sisters. Now aged 67, Bernard Brennan was jailed last month for four-and-a-half years after admitting 11 indecent assault offences against Yvonne Crist and Paula Fay between 1972 and 1975. His sentence hearing was told that when aged 14, Bernard called then seven-year-old Paula into the house, forced her to take off her clothes in front of some local boys and touched her inappropriately. His abuse escalated to include oral rape. Yvonne was 13 and Bernard 15 when he started abusing her. He would wake her in the night, sexually assault her and make her watch pornography. Bernard subjected both girls to abuse in front of, and with, Richard, the court was told. Bernard's counsel said he grew up in a violent home, his only sexual education was from pornography, which he re-enacted, he had no previous convictions, and offered an unreserved apology to his sisters. [ Boy (13) uploaded sexual abuse photographs of sister (6) to Discord social media channel Opens in new window ] During his separate sentencing hearing for offences against Ms Crist, Ms Fay and Catherine Wrightstone, Richard claimed that from the age of three he was naturalised into sexually deviant behaviour by Bernard and was sexually abused by a friend of his father's. The family home was not a happy one. The children's mother had a history of mental illness and their father, a self-employed businessman, was an alcoholic who was sometimes violent to their mother and the children. The family was musical – especially the girls, who found some solace in their singing voices. 'My ability to sing became my refuge, my escape, my lifeline,' Ms Fay said. 'Music was something no one could take from me, and it carried me through the darkness.' Ms Wrightstone was first to break the silence about the abuse. In 1984, aged 13 and encouraged by her best friend Michelle Gubbins, she disclosed she was being sexually abused by Richard to a specialist educator linked to her school. 'Michelle said to me, if you tell a grown up, they will take care of it and it will stop.' Her disclosure was reported to the head nun, who called in her parents to inform them. 'Nothing happened,' Ms Wrightstone said. Her parents took no action, their physical beatings of the children worsened and the sexual abuse by Richard continued. [ Richard Brennan jailed for eight years for sexually abusing three of his sisters Opens in new window ] Later that year, she was admitted to Dublin's Meath Hospital with lower limb paralysis. Unable to identify the source of her condition, the hospital made a referral to St John of God's for family therapy. Ms Wrightstone said redacted, sometimes illegible, records of those meetings included references to her father defending Richard's actions as 'just sexual curiosity'. Her parents decided after five or six sessions not to continue with the family therapy. Ms Wrightstone had therapy for several more months but was 'very guarded'. She was not believed, and her sisters were then too frightened to disclose the abuse of them. A 'long and arduous' journey: From left, Paula Fay, Yvonne Crist and Catherine Wrightstone Back home, Ms Wrightstone said her mother was hostile when she tried to raise Richard's abuse, telling her to 'shut up' and 'move on'. When aged 15 or 16, her mother's response when told his abuse was escalating was to tell her she was 'lying' and being 'dramatic'. 'She said to move on and 'get a grip', that I would experience far worse things in life.' In 2019, all three sisters made formal complaints to gardaí, leading to an investigation and the prosecution of both brothers, who returned from the US to Ireland for their trials. [ Officials resist schools abuse redress scheme Opens in new window ] Richard maintained his not guilty pleas until after his three sisters gave evidence, and two had been cross-examined in his trial last March. He ultimately pleaded guilty to counts of indecent assault and rape of Ms Fay and Ms Wrightstone. He admitted one offence of indecent assault against Ms Crist relating to an incident when she was aged 20. Then singing professionally, she had toured in the United States and was staying in the family home while singing in Jury's hotel as a soloist. She woke during the night to find Richard naked in the bed on top of her and screamed at him to leave. Having initially refused, he left after she grabbed the phone, threatening to make an emergency call. Having been ordained a Catholic priest in 1989, Richard went to Montana in the US but left the priesthood in 1992 after meeting his wife Bridget, an emergency physician. They married in 1993 and he worked in sales and later as a chaplain in the hospital where his wife worked. Bridget Brennan, three of their adult children and two friends travelled to Ireland for the case. Ms Brennan asked the judge to receive 20 letters of support, plus testimonials from their children, on behalf of her husband, 'one of the kindest, most compassionate and trustworthy people I have ever met'. She never had concerns about leaving their children with him, she said. A theme in the sisters' victim impact statements was their sense of strength and empowerment now their abuser had 'finally been brought to justice'. They are survivors, the women stressed, and expressed deep gratitude for all who supported them, including their husbands and children. Ms Wrightstone, a licensed psychotherapist, stressed she was not seeking 'vengeance' but wanted recognition of the harm and lasting impact of the crimes on her life, 'and the immense courage it took to come forward as a child, a teenager and then as an adult'. She wanted, 'most important of all', her voice to matter 'because, for too long, it did not'. Catherine Wrightstone. Photograph: Tom Honan/The Irish Times While recognising the court has limited power to address the 'widespread systemic issue of sexual violence against young girls and women', it has power 'to show that the gross injustice of these types of acts will not be tolerated', she said. 'Thankfully, the Ireland of the 1980s is not the same as the Ireland of 2025.' The damage done by childhood sexual abuse and rape is 'a lifelong sentence of emotional pain, broken trust, and an ongoing struggle to reclaim safety and self-worth'. In her statement, Ms Fay said she was a child with 'no voice, no power, and no sense of worth', whose world was 'shaped by overwhelming fear'. This justice is not just for me, but for all those who have endured such pain and fought to be heard. Today I truly am a survivor — Paula Fay She was 17 when she finally broke free from this 'relentless' sexual abuse, having endured at least 10 years of it, beginning at just six or seven years old at the hands of Bernard and carried on through the rest of her childhood by Richard. The 'psychological torment' did not end with the abuse – it affected her mental, emotional and physical health. However, she was 'immensely proud' of the woman she has become, 'of her strength, resilience, and unwavering spirit'. The sisters' journey had been 'long and arduous'. The Director of Public Prosecutions' decision to press charges 'felt like an eternity', with legal obstacles between the women 'and the chance to finally speak our truth'. Ms Fay hoped her brother's sentence reflected the severity of his crimes 'and brings accountability long overdue'. 'This justice is not just for me, but for all those who have endured such pain and fought to be heard. Today I truly am a survivor.' In her statement via video link from the US, Ms Crist, a widowed mother of two, said she has recurring nightmares of the night Richard, aged 18, tried to sexually assault her, aged 20, as she slept. She was 'terrified' of his strength and regretted not calling gardaí then 'as you wouldn't have been able to continue your sexual behaviours towards my sisters'. He made her feel she was 'a filthy piece of dirt' who 'did not deserve to live'. [ Sisters lost half their family after reporting sexual abuse by older cousin, court hears Opens in new window ] She had overcome anorexia that developed in her teens but developed a mental illness at the age of 28, leading to extensive treatment over years. Her serious bouts of mental illness 'prove that incest lasts a lifetime'. Music was 'my saving grace' and her singing career helped take her away 'from my troubled self'. 'Now I can function very well, I survived and I am a survivor,' she said. Her message was: 'Never doubt and survive because you are so worth it. Life does get better.' On Monday, Richard Brennan was jailed for a total of eight years after admitting to indecently assault of three of his sisters and raping two of them when they were minors.
Irish Times
4 days ago
- Irish Times
‘Just sexual curiosity': Brothers' abuse of sisters was hidden in Dublin family for years
A 'fancier than usual' Easter egg is a welcome treat for most children but when Richard Brennan gave one to his 11-year-old sister Catherine, she feared what her older brother might expect in return. She woke that night to find him in her bed sexually assaulting her. Richard was aged 19 and studying for the priesthood when he began sexually abusing Catherine in their Rathfarnham home in Dublin on her ninth birthday. He put her sitting on her bed, instructed her to remove her underwear and sexually abused her. She vomited and cried in the bathroom later as she tried to scrub herself clean and was 'very confused' because her brother, who came home at weekends from Clonliffe College , was 'supposed to be a man of God'. After Catherine disclosed the abuse at the age of 13, it was dismissed by her father as 'just sexual curiosity' while her mother said she was 'lying' and being 'dramatic'. It continued until she was 14. READ MORE Richard Brennan arriving at the Central Criminal Court. Photograph: Collins Catherine was unaware until years later that Richard also abused her older sisters Paula and Yvonne, or that an older brother, Bernard, abused her two sisters. Now aged 67, Bernard Brennan was jailed last month for four-and-a-half years after admitting 11 indecent assault offences against Yvonne Crist and Paula Fay between 1972 and 1975. His sentence hearing was told that when aged 14, Bernard called then seven-year-old Paula into the house, forced her to take off her clothes in front of some local boys and touched her inappropriately. His abuse escalated to include oral rape. Yvonne was 13 and Bernard 15 when he started abusing her. He would wake her in the night, sexually assault her and make her watch pornography. Bernard subjected both girls to abuse in front of, and with, Richard, the court was told. Bernard's counsel said he grew up in a violent home, his only sexual education was from pornography, which he re-enacted, he had no previous convictions, and offered an unreserved apology to his sisters. [ Boy (13) uploaded sexual abuse photographs of sister (6) to Discord social media channel Opens in new window ] During his separate sentencing hearing for offences against Ms Crist, Ms Fay and Catherine Wrightstone, Richard claimed that from the age of three he was naturalised into sexually deviant behaviour by Bernard and was sexually abused by a friend of his father's. The family home was not a happy one. The children's mother had a history of mental illness and their father, a self-employed businessman, was an alcoholic who was sometimes violent to their mother and the children. The family was musical – especially the girls, who found some solace in their singing voices. 'My ability to sing became my refuge, my escape, my lifeline,' Ms Fay said. 'Music was something no one could take from me, and it carried me through the darkness.' Ms Wrightstone was first to break the silence about the abuse. In 1984, aged 13 and encouraged by her best friend Michelle Gubbins, she disclosed she was being sexually abused by Richard to a specialist educator linked to her school. 'Michelle said to me, if you tell a grown up, they will take care of it and it will stop.' Her disclosure was reported to the head nun, who called in her parents to inform them. 'Nothing happened,' Ms Wrightstone said. Her parents took no action, their physical beatings of the children worsened and the sexual abuse by Richard continued. [ Richard Brennan jailed for eight years for sexually abusing three of his sisters Opens in new window ] Later that year, she was admitted to Dublin's Meath Hospital with lower limb paralysis. Unable to identify the source of her condition, the hospital made a referral to St John of God's for family therapy. Ms Wrightstone said redacted, sometimes illegible, records of those meetings included references to her father defending Richard's actions as 'just sexual curiosity'. Her parents decided after five or six sessions not to continue with the family therapy. Ms Wrightstone had therapy for several more months but was 'very guarded'. She was not believed, and her sisters were then too frightened to disclose the abuse of them. A 'long and arduous' journey: From left, Paula Fay, Yvonne Crist and Catherine Wrightstone Back home, Ms Wrightstone said her mother was hostile when she tried to raise Richard's abuse, telling her to 'shut up' and 'move on'. When aged 15 or 16, her mother's response when told his abuse was escalating was to tell her she was 'lying' and being 'dramatic'. 'She said to move on and 'get a grip', that I would experience far worse things in life.' In 2019, all three sisters made formal complaints to gardaí, leading to an investigation and the prosecution of both brothers, who returned from the US to Ireland for their trials. [ Officials resist schools abuse redress scheme Opens in new window ] Richard maintained his not guilty pleas until after his three sisters gave evidence, and two had been cross-examined in his trial last March. He ultimately pleaded guilty to counts of indecent assault and rape of Ms Fay and Ms Wrightstone. He admitted one offence of indecent assault against Ms Crist relating to an incident when she was aged 20. Then singing professionally, she had toured in the United States and was staying in the family home while singing in Jury's hotel as a soloist. She woke during the night to find Richard naked in the bed on top of her and screamed at him to leave. Having initially refused, he left after she grabbed the phone, threatening to make an emergency call. Having been ordained a Catholic priest in 1989, Richard went to Montana in the US but left the priesthood in 1992 after meeting his wife Bridget, an emergency physician. They married in 1993 and he worked in sales and later as a chaplain in the hospital where his wife worked. Bridget Brennan, three of their adult children and two friends travelled to Ireland for the case. Ms Brennan asked the judge to receive 20 letters of support, plus testimonials from their children, on behalf of her husband, 'one of the kindest, most compassionate and trustworthy people I have ever met'. She never had concerns about leaving their children with him, she said. A theme in the sisters' victim impact statements was their sense of strength and empowerment now their abuser had 'finally been brought to justice'. They are survivors, the women stressed, and expressed deep gratitude for all who supported them, including their husbands and children. Ms Wrightstone, a licensed psychotherapist, stressed she was not seeking 'vengeance' but wanted recognition of the harm and lasting impact of the crimes on her life, 'and the immense courage it took to come forward as a child, a teenager and then as an adult'. She wanted, 'most important of all', her voice to matter 'because, for too long, it did not'. Catherine Wrightstone. Photograph: Tom Honan/The Irish Times While recognising the court has limited power to address the 'widespread systemic issue of sexual violence against young girls and women', it has power 'to show that the gross injustice of these types of acts will not be tolerated', she said. 'Thankfully, the Ireland of the 1980s is not the same as the Ireland of 2025.' The damage done by childhood sexual abuse and rape is 'a lifelong sentence of emotional pain, broken trust, and an ongoing struggle to reclaim safety and self-worth'. In her statement, Ms Fay said she was a child with 'no voice, no power, and no sense of worth', whose world was 'shaped by overwhelming fear'. This justice is not just for me, but for all those who have endured such pain and fought to be heard. Today I truly am a survivor — Paula Fay She was 17 when she finally broke free from this 'relentless' sexual abuse, having endured at least 10 years of it, beginning at just six or seven years old at the hands of Bernard and carried on through the rest of her childhood by Richard. The 'psychological torment' did not end with the abuse – it affected her mental, emotional and physical health. However, she was 'immensely proud' of the woman she has become, 'of her strength, resilience, and unwavering spirit'. The sisters' journey had been 'long and arduous'. The Director of Public Prosecutions' decision to press charges 'felt like an eternity', with legal obstacles between the women 'and the chance to finally speak our truth'. Ms Fay hoped her brother's sentence reflected the severity of his crimes 'and brings accountability long overdue'. 'This justice is not just for me, but for all those who have endured such pain and fought to be heard. Today I truly am a survivor.' In her statement via video link from the US, Ms Crist, a widowed mother of two, said she has recurring nightmares of the night Richard, aged 18, tried to sexually assault her, aged 20, as she slept. She was 'terrified' of his strength and regretted not calling gardaí then 'as you wouldn't have been able to continue your sexual behaviours towards my sisters'. He made her feel she was 'a filthy piece of dirt' who 'did not deserve to live'. [ Sisters lost half their family after reporting sexual abuse by older cousin, court hears Opens in new window ] She had overcome anorexia that developed in her teens but developed a mental illness at the age of 28, leading to extensive treatment over years. Her serious bouts of mental illness 'prove that incest lasts a lifetime'. Music was 'my saving grace' and her singing career helped take her away 'from my troubled self'. 'Now I can function very well, I survived and I am a survivor,' she said. Her message was: 'Never doubt and survive because you are so worth it. Life does get better.' On Monday, Richard Brennan was jailed for a total of eight years after admitting to indecently assault of three of his sisters and raping two of them when they were minors.
Irish Times
08-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Hines submits new plan for 1,100 apartments at former Clonliffe College
The developer of a major apartment scheme in Dublin has dropped 'controversial' elements of the design have been dropped in a new planning application after a first attempt was refused. The revised planning application for just over 1,100 apartments at the former seminary site at Clonliffe College, Drumcondra , was submitted by developers Hines this week. Brian Moran, senior managing director for Hines in Ireland, said that a previously planned 19 story residential tower had been removed, while the new scheme would be less dense than its predecessor. An underground car park near the formal lawn of the former college has also been removed, as was an extension to the seminary building. 'The more controversial elements of the previous scheme have been taken out or modified,' Mr Moran said. READ MORE The number of apartments has also been reduced, down from 1,590 to 1,131, with a change in the mix of apartment types – there will be fewer studios and more three bedroom units, as well as the inclusion of some four bedroom units. Mr Moran indicated that Hines' preference was also to make apartments available for both rental and sale at the site, and that government schemes to assist viability for apartment development would likely play a role in bringing units to the market for sale. He also said the company envisaged affordable housing on some of the blocks. The scheme will have more public space than its predecessor, and incorporates mobility hubs where bike and car sharing schemes can be accessed by residents and the wider community. Mr Moran outlined that it was unlikely that the company would return to the drawing board with a fresh planning application even as government approved changes to apartment design standards on Tuesday. 'We're not planning to go and spend another 18 months on another application,' he said. His comments came as Hines partner fund, CWTC Multi-Family ICAV gave notice that it is to lodge plans in the coming days to Dublin City Council The new application comes four years after Hines lodged its original plan for the site. While An Bord Pleanála granted planning permission it was quashed by the High Court after a challenge was brought by Fionnuala Sherwin, a resident of Knocksinna Grove, Foxrock, Co Dublin. An attempt by Hines at the Supreme Court in April 2024 to overturn the High Court decision failed resulting in the new scaled down Large Scale Residential Development (LRD) plans to be lodged with the City Council. The statutory planning notice for the new scheme states that the 1,131 apartments are to be built across 12 apartment blocks. The apartments are to comprise 268 studios, 282 one bed apartments, 392 two bed apartments, 132 three bed units and 57 four bed dwellings. It is likely that the new scheme will be ultimately be decided by An Coimisiún Pleanála as applicants and third parties can appeal City Council LRD decisions to An Coimisiún Pleanála.
Irish Daily Mirror
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
New book tells story of world famous Irish journalist you've never heard of
He is one of the most famous journalists Ireland ever produced, but the name Emile Dillon is not widely known. Now a new book about the newspaperman who rose from the slums of Victorian Dublin to become a world renowned war correspondent brings him to life. Author Kevin Rafter tells Emile Dillon's story in his book Dillon Rediscovered, where he charts his life and career. He recounts how Dillon witnessed some of the most dramatic events in history, such as the assassination of a Russian tsar and bloody massacres in Armenia. Dillon was born Emile Joseph Dillon in 1854 and grew up near Dublin's Four Courts, the son of a hardware store owner. His father was a devout Catholic who wanted his son to be a priest, but Dillon had other academic ambitions. He travelled to Europe and then on to Russia, where he made his name as an authority on the vast country. He was friends with literary figures such as Leo Tolstoy. He rose to prominence as special correspondent with the Daily Telegraph. He was also a political advisor, author and academic. The book draws on never-seen-before letters and notebooks, to reveal a complicated personal life including marriages in Russia and Bulgaria and family conflict. He died in Barcelona in 1933. Here, author Kevin Rafter gives Irish Mirror readers the run down on the great Irish journalist. Emile was a famous newspaper journalist. He was born into a poor family in Dublin in 1854 but died a wealthy man in 1933. In between, he lived a remarkable life. He knew all the powerful politicians in Europe and beyond. For someone so influential, he actually had a soft voice and a quiet manner. He was an expert story-teller and was known for his vast store of anecdotes. He also loved Turkish cigarettes. The Dillon family lived in a small house behind the Four Courts. The house co-existed with a hardware shop owned by Emile's father. It was open from 7 am to 10 pm seven days a week. Tools cluttered the cobblestoned street outside the house. They also filled the living room in the house. Life was hard. Emile thought Dublin was 'dull and drab'. But he did have some happy childhood memories. He loved outings to the Strawberry Beds, the Phoenix Park and travelling by jaunting car to a fair in Donnybrook. He remembered the sights and sounds of bagpipes, tumblers of Guinness, ginger beer bottles, and the beating of drums. Emile's father was a deeply religious man and he desperately wanted his only son to become a priest. He. So in 1868, the 15-year old Emile arrived at Clonliffe College in north Dublin. He hated the experience, and he left a few months later. As a result, Emile fell out with his father and over the next decade he led a wanderlust life across Europe. He eventually settled in Russia where he lived hand-to-mouth by teaching English and translating documents. He was also writing for some local newspapers. His life then took another dramatic turn when he was appointed as a foreign correspondent with the Daily Telegraph of London. He became one of the giants of Fleet Street at a time when the papers were the only source of news. He reported on huge stories like the Armenia massacres in the 1890s, the Boxer Rising in China, the Russian Revolution and World War I. He also reported on the second trial of Captain Alfred Dreyfus. Many people believed Dreyfus had been wrongly convicted of treason for allegedly passing military secrets to the German embassy in Paris. It was a huge international story. Emile wrote three to six articles every day. One colleague said he was such 'a demon for work' that it was 'a marvel that his hand has not long ago been crippled with writer's cramp.' Emile was the highest paid foreign correspondent at the Daily Telegraph. His notebooks list purchases including, cigars a sailor suit for his youngest son, whiskey, writing paper, silk handkerchiefs, gloves, ink, collars, ties and a top hat. All these expenses were charged to his employer. I think it's fair to say these were the glory days of foreign correspondents. When he was on foreign assignments he often faced travel restrictions imposed on journalists. So he would dress up, sometimes as a woman, a priest, even a tribal chief. When he was reporting on a rebellion in Crete he dressed as a Greek monk. Because he spoke some Italian, Emile was thrust into ceasefire talks as an interpreter between the rebels and an Italian admiral who was part of an international peacekeeping force. The admiral was clearly convinced by the disguise. When they parted he picked up Emile's rifle and handed it to him. 'I gave him my blessing as devoutly as I knew how,' Emile admitted. He married a Russian widow and they had three sons. But he neglected his family. He was a workaholic and was always travelling to the next foreign story. His relations with his various secretaries were also a source of gossip. When he divorced his wife in Paris in 1913, a year later he married his secretary in Romania. He had 'serious misgivings' because of their age difference. Kathleen was only 26. Emile was turning 60. But it was a genuine love affair. He ordered a wedding ring for Kathleen made from 'the finest Russian gold'. Kevin Rafter is Full Professor of Political Communication at DCU and author of Dillon Rediscovered, which is published this week. The former journalist has worked for the Irish Times and RTE, among many others. His book Dillon Rediscovered is out this week, priced €20.
