Irish Priest Convicted of Sexual Abuse for the Fourth Time - Victims Live with Nightmare

By Kerry O’Shea
IrishCentra
March 1, 2012

http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Irish-priest-convicted-of-sexual-abuse-for-the-fourth-time---victims-live-with-nightmare-141017763.html

A priest from Co. Down has been convicted for the fourth time of sexually abusing young boys. He has since been sentenced to four years in prison for his crimes.

BBC News reports that one of the victims of Fr. Daniel Curran’s abuse, a man who wishes to remain unidentified, has grappled with the trauma of the incidents that occurred between 1989 and 1994.

"It's been very traumatic, because you would spend your life in doubt, you would spend your life in fear, you spend your whole life questioning yourself, doubting your ability, you feel dirty,” said the man, who also added that he’s had nightmares most of his life about Curran.

The victim admits that coming forth about his abuse was no easy feat.

"Back then, being a Catholic and having a strong religious background you would never be able to go and tell anyone because you knew that it was wrong," he said.

The victim elaborated that Curran had a close and trusting relationship with his grandparents, making it simpler for the priest to lure boys into his grasp. Curran often abused altar boys at the victim’s family’s cottage near Tyrella Beach in Co Down.

"You knew back then that no-one would have trusted you, no-one would have believed you that this was going on. You didn't know any different, you thought it was only you."

The sentencing of Curran to prison, however, has offered some relief for the victim.

"I feel that the truth has eventually come out," he said. He urges other victims of abuse to speak out about their predators in hopes of delivering even more justice.