A FORMER priest who grew up and was educated in Bunclody has been given a four year sentence, suspended for four years at Wexford Circuit Criminal Court for charges of sexual abuse in the 1960s.

Seamus O’Byrne (79), a native of Bunclody, pleaded guilty to eight counts of gross indecency against a boy who was 14 at the time the incidents happened up to 14 times between 1964 and 1966 in St. Peter’s College.

O’Byrne, who himself was educated in the college, was a Dean of Discipline at the time but in 1966 requested to leave the school, after indicating that he was unhappy with the sexual abuse and how he was living life as a priest.

He was appointed curate at Crossabeg on August 31 1966, moving onto Wexford in 1970. He remained a priest for over 45 years, up until his dismissal by the Pope in 2005.

Judge Pauline Codd described the ex-priest’s behaviour as a “gross breach of trust” and said it was on “the higher scale” of abuse.

For the full story, see this week’s Echo.