Almost fifty sexual predators were alleged to have abused dozens of vulnerable schoolchildren at a city school for pupils with special educational needs.

The Holy Family School in Renmore stands out in a shocking new report that documents a litany of historical sexual abuse of children attending schools across Ireland run by religious orders.

The ‘Report of the Scoping Inquiry into Historical Sexual Abuse in Day and Boarding Schools Run by Religious Orders’ catalogues 139 allegations of sexual abuse disclosed against 60 alleged abusers at eight Galway schools run by five Roman Catholic orders.

Published this week, the Inquiry revealed 119 allegations of sexual abuse by 49 alleged abusers at the Holy Family School in Renmore, run by Brothers of Charity. This accounted for 85% of all Galway allegations listed in the report and it had the second-highest number of allegations and alleged abusers of eighteen special schools across the state.

The Brothers of Charity indicated to the Scoping Inquiry that there were five allegations made against unnamed members of the order included in the total of 119 allegations in Renmore, but it was “likely” that those allegations related to “already named alleged abusers in that school”.

The report, by Mary O’Toole SC, included seven other schools in Galway, where allegations of historical sexual abuse were made.

This included allegations about the Jesuits’ two schools in Galway City – three allegations disclosed related to one alleged abuser in Coláiste Iognáid (post-primary), and there were two allegations against two alleged abusers at Scoil Iognáid (primary).

The Patrician Brothers, meanwhile, did not give a breakdown of allegations and alleged abusers per school, but the report recorded a total of 21 allegations and 18 alleged abusers in all its schools, including St Patrick’s National School in Galway City.

In Tuam, 11 allegations were disclosed about two schools run by the Christian Brothers – nine allegations against four alleged abusers in Tuam CBS (primary) and two against two alleged abusers in Tuam CBS (secondary).

The report included two allegations of abuse and two alleged abusers at Scoil Áine (post-primary) in Kylemore Abbey run by the Benedictine Nuns.

There was one allegation of abuse, and one alleged abuser disclosed in the report relating to St. Brendan’s BNS in Loughrea run by the De La Salle Brothers.

One survivor, who participated in a ‘Engagement Questionnaire’ as part of the report, said they were abused at Scoil na mBuachaillí, An Bóthar Íochtarach, in Clifden.

Nationally, religious orders recorded 2,395 allegations of sexual abuse in respect of 308 of schools run by them, with 884 distinct alleged abusers.

Pictured: The Brothers of Charity complex in Renmore.