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	Bitter Row Threatens to Tear Community Apart By Ralph Riegel Irish Independent December 19, 2009 http://www.independent.ie/national-news/bitter-row-threatens-to-tear-community-apart-1981695.html Families rally to their own as scandal casts a cloud over town Foley boasts a large pool of friends in Listowel, all of whom have very publicly stood by him TWO families stared across the abyss at each other last night in a bitter row that now threatens to tear a tightknit community apart. The Kerry town of Listowel finds itself gripped by an escalating controversy over a sex assault case that has already cost a parish priest his job, left the 22-year-old victim claiming she is being ostracised in her own home town and prompted the Kerry Rape Crisis Centre (KRCC) to query Circuit Court procedures that allowed 50 people to file past the shocked victim to express their sympathy with her attacker before he was even sentenced. The Listowel sex assault case has generated such headlines that even the Bishop of Kerry, Dr Bill Murphy, personally intervened over comments by a parish priest in favour of the convicted sex attacker and underlined the importance of supporting victims. "I hope what has happened will not undermine the progress that has been made in bringing perpetrators of sexual abuse to justice," Dr Murphy added. For Fr Sean Sheehy (67) -- who made the controversial comments in favour of the convicted sex attacker, Danny Foley (35) -- it was a devastating end to an idyllic working Irish retirement. Having worked in Louisiana in the US for more than 30 years, Fr Sheehy dreamed of returning to his native Kerry to take up a parish priest's job. He ultimately landed that job in July 2008 in Castlegregory. But last night the dream ended in a nightmare of controversy over newspaper headlines and radio soundbytes. As the Christmas lights twinkled around Listowel, the town was feeling anything but festive. The sex assault case was providing source material worthy of the greatest opus by the late, acclaimed local author, John B Keane. In fact, in John B Keane's pub -- now run by his son Billy -- the few locals willing to talk about the case drew parallels with another famous Kerry criminal controversy that ultimately spawned 'The Field'. Apparently, of such local controversies are epic sagas made. Yet the overwhelming majority of Listowel locals were deeply wary last night of commenting on a controversy involving such highly respected local families -- the friends and relatives of whom socialise in the many town-centre pubs. Controversy "You just don't know who you are talking to or who is listening," one patron of the Listowel Arms advised sotto voce. The controversy has shocked locals to the degree that it has even relegated the eagerly awaited North Kerry Gaelic football final between Listowel Emmets and Finuge in the local pub conversation stakes. Yet the case also has deep echoes in the Irish psyche with families rallying to support each other in times of need. The two families involved are from different social backgrounds -- and while one is urban based, the other traces its root to the countryside. Yet both families have lived in Listowel for generations and form an intrinsic part of the social fabric of the town and its surrounds. Danny Foley (35) -- who is now three days into serving his seven-year prison sentence, with two years suspended -- boasts a particularly large pool of friends in Listowel, all of whom have very publicly stood by him. A bouncer at Listowel's main fast-food outlet, Danny Foley had never come to garda notice before the sex attack last year. If anything he had been well regarded by gardai for the assistance he regularly offered via his door security job. Foley did not know his victim to any great degree before the attack last year -- though, coming from such a tightknit town, both knew of each other. A strong, heavily built man whose physique was perfectly suited to his work, Foley's physical state stands in total contrast to that of his 22-year-old victim. Thin and small, the young woman was described by locals as frail even before the appalling car-park attack. What was most shocking for Listowel residents was the sordid nature of the attack which occurred in a dark car-park, far to the rear of the nightclub where Foley worked, near a wall located just a stone's throw from the garda station and the local tax office. To complete the gruesome picture, the sex attack took place beside a large industrial skip filled with waste. Critically, the area was overlooked by a CCTV security camera which captured Foley carrying the young woman to the car-park on that fateful evening -- a fact that ultimately proved crucial during his Circuit Criminal Court trial. On the evening in question, Danny Foley was celebrating his 34th birthday though, unless his Court of Criminal Appeal challenge is now successful, he will be 40 before he celebrates his next birthday outside of custody. In a case that has generated extremes of emotion and loyalty, Danny Foley's fiancee, Michelle O'Sullivan (32), is now vowing to stand by him and be there waiting for him when he gets out of prison.
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