Gardaí probe alleged sex assault at Leaving Cert party

GARDAÍ are investigating an alleged serious sexual assault on a 17-year-old girl at a Leaving Cert graduation party.

More than 50 pupils from Tarbert Comprehensive School, Co Kerry, attended the pre-arranged party on Monday night in a marquee attached to a private house, owned by the parents of one of the students.

The students travelled to the party just outside Listowel following a special Mass, despite attempts by the principal of Tarbert Comprehensive School and gardaí to have it cancelled.

A large amount of drink is believed to have been consumed at the celebration.

The alleged assault involved the girl and a teenage boy.

The traumatised student saw a doctor on Tuesday and was also treated at the sexual assault unit in Cork.

A number of people who attended the party have been interviewed by gardaí.

School principal Mary McGillycuddy yesterday said she was upset and stressed the school had nothing to do with the event.

She said she alerted the parents at the Mass and told them of her concerns about the party.

She was concerned about alcohol consumption and the fact that exams were coming up.

“We’re very concerned about the allegation itself, about the victim and about all the other students who have their exams to think about and who will now be part of the garda investigation,” she said.

Schools, she said, had been worried for some time about what was happening after graduation Masses and the latest incident had brought to light the kind of fears they had.

“It’s a major problem,” Ms McGillycuddy said.

She said the school would hate to have to discontinue the graduation Mass because of what happened afterwards.

Supt Frank O’Brien said gardaí were taking the allegation “very seriously” but investigations were still at a very preliminary stage.