'It is like the universe has sent us full closure': Bill Kenneally victims react to death

Child abuser died in Midlands Prison less than 48 hours after news of a promised State apology emerged

Bill Kenneally’s victims, with solicitor Darragh Mackin, outside Leinster House in Dublin in June. Picture: Bairbre Holmes/PA

Coming quickly on the heels of a ministerial apology to his victims, the death of paedophile Bill Kenneally brings mixed feelings for the men he abused as young children in Waterford.

As Kevin Keating and Jason Clancy sat down for a coffee together, they were fresh from a visit to Dublin on Tuesday to meet justice minister Jim O’Callaghan, who apologised to them for the handling of the Kenneally case. 

They had been looking ahead to an expected State apology next month. 

But in the midst of that, they awoke on Thursday to hear of a new chapter in the life of the man who had destroyed their childhoods — he had died in the Midlands Prison less than 48 hours after news of the promised State apology emerged.

The 75-year-old Kenneally had served 10 years of a 19-year sentence for the indecent assault of 15 boys in Waterford between 1979 and 1990. 

However, the report published last week following the South East Commission of Investigation into the handling of allegations against him found there were other statements made to gardaí and evidence given to the commission about allegations from 1970 to 1993 which did not go to trial.

The report added: “Due to the timespan, different generations of boys were affected.” 

“In late 1987, knowledge of some of his activities became known in Waterford to two senior garda officers, and some other gardaí, the principal of the largest secondary school De La Salle, a retired politician, a senior clergyman, a psychiatrist, and to some parents of victims.” 

The report concluded there had been a “clear and serious dereliction of duty” by gardaí.

It referenced an incident in 1987, where Kenneally “left Waterford Garda Station on December 30, 1987 having been interviewed by and made admissions to senior gardaí, and continued the horrific abuse of a 12-year-old boy, the son of a good friend, who he had carefully groomed". 

That sexual abuse continued for that boy to adulthood.

The wheels of justice did not begin to turn until a formal complaint was made to gardaí in 2012 by Jason Clancy.

Kenneally died in prison at around 3.30am on Thursday, after being in palliative care. 

One of his legs had been amputated earlier this year due to illness.

“I was shocked when I woke up this morning to hear the news,” said Mr Clancy.

“It is like the universe has sent us full closure, really. 

"Last week, we got closure and were vindicated with the findings of the commission, and I am so glad to be honest that he was alive to hear the results of the commission and the findings of the report.

“I never celebrate anyone’s death or anything like that, but it just gives full closure.

"It is like everything has come full circle now. I am not delighted, I am not sad — I feel nothing but just closure.” 

The death comes with mixed feelings, though, for Mr Keating, another of his victims.

He told the Irish Examiner: “I would have much preferred him to live out the rest of his sentence, so there is no solace in his death. It is an end of a chapter, and everything seems to be coming to a close now, which is great.

“It is a good day, another good day. There have been enough bad days, but having a feeling that chapters are closing, we are just about there to get on with our lives.” 

For Simon O’Toole, there are also complicated feelings around the death.

Bill Kenneally died in prison at around 3.30am on Thursday, after being in palliative care. 

He said: “We were all hoping it would not be til the day before he got out, but it is a lot in one week, between the justice minister apologising and saying there would be a State one and that laws would be changed, and then to get this news. We knew that he was bad.

“He got to hear about it before he died. It is comforting — it would have been a shame if he died before it. He died a befitting death for a monster.” 

Kenneally’s reign of terror in Waterford was offset against his public persona of basketball coach, accountant, and a member of the well-known Kenneally Fianna Fáil dynasty in Waterford.

Mr O’Toole added that Kenneally brought shame to his family, while institutions, including An Garda Síochána and Fianna Fáil, have also been left impacted by the contents of the report published last week.

Kenneally was well connected — his cousin Brendan was a TD from the 1980s to the 2000s, while his uncle Billy Kenneally served from 1965 to 1982. Kenneally’s grandfather William was also a TD from 1952 to 1961. All were Fianna Fáil TDs.

Meanwhile, Kenneally’s maternal uncle, Monsignor John Shine, was also prominent in Waterford, where he was a professor of canon law and moral theology at St John’s College Seminary.

Last week’s report stated: “In Waterford in the 1970s and early 1980s, little or no information was emerging about Kenneally’s behaviour, but by late 1987, many people including those in responsible positions were aware that he sexually abused children, but nothing appropriate was done to December 2012, 25 years later, when Jason Clancy made the first formal complaint by way of Garda statement.” 

It also said: “During the period of his activity, any young boy who came under his influence was at risk. As reflected in the sentence of 18 years and eight months imposed, and upheld on appeal, these were serious offences which have had a lifelong impact on the victims and their families. 

"His crimes were cruel and exploitative. He was intelligent and manipulative and an expert at grooming children by developing trust and affection, but also using fear. 

"He photographed many of the boys with a Polaroid camera, which could instantly develop photos of them in compromising positions. He retained possession of these photos. The possession of these photos was effective blackmail of the boys to preserve silence.” 

Mr O’Callaghan has said he will consider the introduction of a criminal offence of misconduct in public office after retired High Court Judge Michael White raised the absence of such a law in last week’s report. 

The Law Reform Commission is to be asked to examine the area.

No death notice had been published for Kenneally on Thursday evening.

It is understood that his next of kin were informed of his death on Thursday morning.