Mary McAleese’s brother abused by priest

By Ellen Coyne
Times
March 13, 2018

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/mary-mcaleese-s-brother-abused-by-priest-at-school-father-malachy-finnegan-bm6fgxjnh

Mary McAleese, Ireland’s former president, with Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican in 2007 Photo by Alberto Pizzoli

Father Malachy Finnegan is accused of abusing Ms McAleese’s brother at school

Mary McAleese has revealed that her youngest brother was “seriously, physically” and “sadistically” abused by Father Malachy Finnegan, head of a school in Co Down.

The former president said she only found out about the abuse suffered by Clem Leneghan, her brother, during his seven years at St Colman’s College in Newry in the past year.

Ms McAleese told RTÉ Radio 1’s Today with Sean O’Rourke about the abuse during an interview in which she indicated support for the reform of Ireland’s strict anti-abortion laws and claimed that her support for LGBT rights had had her banned from speaking in the Vatican.