The prominent Galway publican who waived his right to anonymity as his sex abuser was finally convicted this week, said that he did so to finally claim justice for his nine- and ten-year-old self.

Paul Grealish, owner of the King’s Head pub, told Galway Circuit Criminal Court that he had struggled for the past 50 years after he was sexually abused by former Christian Brother, Thomas Caulfield, in 1972.

“I have carried the sexual abuse like a dark secret for the last 50 years. I felt huge regret and loss over the abuse; the loss of my innocence, the loss of my school friends, the loss of honesty with my parents, the loss of my education, the loss of my dignity, and the loss of my childhood,” he said in a powerful Victim Impact Statement.

“But I am here to place the blame, the guilt and all of the shame of that systematic sexual abuse, back where it truly belongs. . .with Mr Thomas Caulfield.”

Caulfield (77) was initially charged with ten counts of indecent assault at St Patrick’s Christian Brothers School, Tuam, between 1972 and 1973. He pleaded guilty to three charges in November – and will serve at least nine months in prison.

Read the full harrowing story and Paul’s Victim Impact Statement in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now, or you can download the digital edition from www.connachttribune.ie. You can also download our Connacht Tribune App from Apple’s App Store or get the Android Version from Google Play.