A man who claimed he was sexually abused as a child by a priest expressed his relief after the structure where the assaults occurred was demolished. Sean Faloon revealed he was repeatedly abused by the late Fr Malachy Finegan in Clonduff parochial house in Hilltown, County Down. After the scandal broke, the building became vacant, and over the years, it was vandalized and set on fire.
In an interview with BBC News NI, Mr. Faloon shared his relief that the “monument to a monster” is no longer visible. He described how the presence of the building was a constant reminder to the residents of Hilltown and the parish about the disturbing events that transpired in their community. The demolition of the building was seen as a significant step towards closure for many.
Finegan faced allegations of sexual assault from multiple victims who were under his care during his time as a parish priest in Clonduff and a headmaster in Newry. Despite his death in 2002 without facing any legal consequences, the Diocese of Dromore has paid substantial damages to some of Finegan’s former students from St Colman’s College in Newry. Plans to remove the vacant parochial house and convert the site into a car park for the adjacent Catholic primary school were announced by the parish authorities last December
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