Scoping Enquiry heard allegations of abuse in three Meath schools
The former Christian Brothers Primary School in Kells, Scoil Mhuire, Navan and the Franciscan College, Gormanston were three of the schools named in the Government-ordered scoping inquiry into historical sexual abuse in schools run by religious orders.
The Scoping Enquiry revealed that two allegations of sexual abuse were made against two abusers at the Kells School, while 19 allegations against two abusers were made against two abusers in Gormanston and two allegations were made against one abuser in Scoil Mhuire when it was run by the De La Salle order.
Almost 2,400 allegations of sexual abuse against nearly 900 alleged abusers in over 300 Irish schools were disclosed as part of the scoping enquiry. The abuse took place in schools run by 42 different religious orders.
The Scoping Inquiry organised a Survivor Engagement process where those who had experienced sexual abuse in day and boarding schools run by religious orders were invited to come forward and share their views regarding an appropriate State response.
Participants reported experiences of sexual abuse in primary, post-primary and special schools, both public and private, run by religious orders across the country. The report contains detailed accounts of sexual abuse, rape and sexual assault.
Education Minister, Norma Foley has now announced that a Commission of Investigation is to be established to examine historical sexual abuse claims in day and boarding schools.
The Christian Brothers began educating boys in their primary school in Kells in 1845 and provided secondary classes from 1892, with the first pupils taking their exams in 1894.
Both schools were in Bective Street with the Brothers House and primary school on one side of the street and the secondary school on the opposite side.
The Christian Brothers closed their primary school in the late '70's when the new St Colmcille's National School opened on the Dublin Road. Their secondary school merged with the VEC School in 1988 to create St Cillian's School. The last of the Brothers moved away from Kells in 2018.
The Franciscan Order purchased the Gormanston Estate in 1947 as a location for a modern college and the first boarding students were received in 1954.
Today, Franciscan College Gormanston is a co-educational, voluntary Catholic school and has been within the free education scheme since 2014. The school is operated and managed by the Irish province of the Order of Friars Minor, under the trusteeship of the Minister Provincial and Definitory of the Franciscan Province of Ireland.
The De La Salle Brothers established their first school in Navan in 1917. They moved to the site of what is now the Senior Section of Scoil Mhuire in 1957. The brothers left Navan in 1976. Since that time the school has been staffed by lay teachers.