Accused Cork priest worked with counsellors

A COUNSELLING centre in Cork has confirmed that a priest, against whom seven allegations of sexual abuse have been lodged, worked as a volunteer with them in the early 1990s.

The Cork Counselling Centre said it was never informed by the Sacred Heart Missionaries that there were any complaints against Fr Donnacha Mac Carthaigh, who was controversially denounced using Seanad privilege last month.

Fr Mac Carthaigh, a former selector with Cork GAA and principal of Carrignavar College, was accused of sexual abuse against at least seven minors and was removed from ministry in the late 1990s. However, his removal from ministry was never properly supervised by the order and he regularly flew out of the country.