Rape crisis group: Poet ‘playing with words’

THE Rape Crisis Network has rejected an apology by poet Cathal Ó Searcaigh as having only the “appearance” of remorse.

Mr Ó Searcaigh, who is battling suggestions that he sexually exploited teenage boys in Nepal, said yesterday he was sorry if his gay lifestyle and relationships had offended anyone.

However, Fiona Neary, director of the Rape Crisis Network, said Mr Ó Searcaigh was clearly not sorry. “Ó Searcaigh has made a disturbing appearance of an apology which included a further failure to recognise any wrongdoing. Indeed, Ó Searcaigh seeks to defend his actions,” she said.

“These words are put together by a man of words, a man who knows how to measure each individual word for its meaning and intention. To deliberately and intentionally confuse the sexual exploitation of boys in a poverty-stricken country with a ‘gay lifestyle’ is insulting to gay men and women, and a ploy to confuse matters.”

The Donegal poet, whose work is on the Leaving Certificate curriculum, has been at the centre of a storm since a documentary maker filming his charity work in Nepal voiced concerns about his relationships with Nepalese teenagers whose education he was helping to fund.

The row has proved embarrassing for Education Minister Mary Hanafin who assisted the poet in getting an entry visa for a Nepalese youth he adopted and wanted to bring to Ireland to live.

Ms Hanafin also conceded it could cause difficulties if Leaving Cert students studying Mr Ó Searcaigh’s work were asked exam questions about the poet himself. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment is reviewing the inclusion of his poetry on the Leaving Cert course.

Fiona Neary said she welcomed the review and Mr Ó Searcaigh’s “continued justifications and denials” should be taken into consideration.

“Ó Searcaigh continues to describe his sexual exploitation and grooming of 16-year-old poverty-trapped boys as ‘relationships’.

“He accuses those who recognise his actions as being that of sexual exploitation of having misinterpreted his actions — I do not believe this to be the case.

“He fails to recognise that his victims were not in a position to give fully informed and free consent.”

She added: “The fact that Ó Searcaigh is gay has nothing to do with this matter. Had his sexual exploitation involved 16-year-old girls, whom he befriended outside their place of education while providing much needed money for that education to continue, the Rape Crisis Network would be issuing the same statements.”