Victims remember Donegal horrors as attacker jailed
BRAVE victims of a Donegal paedophile want their depraved attacker to die in prison.
They told the Donegal News that former school teacher Patrick Sharkey groomed them and isolated them and forced himself on them.
Sharkey (83), from Clonmany in Inishowen, was sentenced at Donegal Circuit Criminal Court two weeks ago to six and a half years behind bars.
He pleaded guilty to 132 sex offences that ranged from indecent to sexual assault against 19 victims, all aged between seven and 16, in the years from 1970 to 1995.
This week, two of his victims, Gary Farren and Fergal Kealy waived their right to anonymity to speak to this newspaper.
Fergal Kealy was a victim of evil Patrick Sharkey.
Gary Farren was a victim of convicted paedophile Patrick Sharkey. Credit: BBC.
They spoke about Sharkey and what he did to them, how he isolated them, and targeted them.
He would choose boys to sleep in his room –and then made the boys share his bed.
CONVEYOR BELT
One victim said Sharkey “used us like a conveyor belt for abuse”.
Others have said they were working class kids invited on “a big adventure” in Donegal but returned home as “victims of a paedophile”.
The victims, who are grown men in their 40s, revealed fears that there are many more victims.
One said how his mum asked if anything was going on but he concealed the truth to protect her.
The men have found comfort that Sharkey has been “brought to justice and is behind bars”.
They also thanked the Donegal gardai who helped them to bring Sharkey to justice.
The paedophile had escaped to France in 2006 but was arrested when he travelled to the UK in 2021.
He was eventually brought to court by Garda Detectives Bernard Mullins, Jonathon Gallagher and Joe English from the Buncrana Detective Unit.
Gary told the Donegal News: “He took me numerous times to a cottage in Clonmany. It was meant to be for things like diving and for visiting the Gaeltacht.
“I remember one time in August 1990, but I would’ve been there quite a few times. I was abused from the ages of 13 to 15.
“I remember that it occurred up until I went into 5th Year at secondary school. It was around then that was the last time it happened.
“He tried to abuse me, but I got away from him. When I was younger, I was afraid and didn’t fight him off, unfortunately.
“Before that there were quite a few occasions, especially on trips in Donegal, but also for trips to places like Dublin. I don’t recall them all.
“He did the same thing every time. It was always a group setting and he isolated me.
“He would chose a boy who would share his room and the boy would have to share his bed.
“We were young and we respected and looked up to adults. My mum asked one time if anything was going on.
“I didn’t want to hurt her. But if she was asking, why wasn’t it picked up? The boys he abused me, including me, all lived near each other.
“We didn’t know at the time that we had been abused, but we have spoken about it now.
“For years we didn’t. We just didn’t know that we were all his victims. Putting him behind bars is about justice and accountability.”
HOPES FOR ACCOUNTABILITY
He added: “Something has to come out of this; that’s why we were doing this: to support others who might need to come forward.
“I am absolutely certain that there are more victims. We went away for years, lots of groups of boys. There has to be more victims.
“Sharkey was involved in multiple community groups and had access to young and impressionable and vulnerable and trusting boys.
“I think the numbers are much higher; we’re only scratching the surface. I have been speaking to others who were abused by him in Donegal.
“They came forward years ago and spoke to the gardai. The guards were great with me and asked me about potential victims. They did a good job.
“I want to thank them for helping us, for helping to bring Sharkey to justice. I’m sure their work will continue.”
He added: “It’s just unfortunate that a lot of people spent over 30 years with this abuse and hurt boxed up and put away for so long – but I’m glad it’s out now.
“My family know now. My wife knew but not everyone did. They do now.
“I’m glad it’s out in the open. If it helps one person, I’m happy. And I’m happy that Sharkey will die in prison.
“That’s what he deserves. But it’s not going to make things go away. We’re always going to associate Sharkey with certain places in Donegal and activities like kayaking.
“He’s in jail now and I can sleep a bit easier at night because of it, because of knowing that. He has been brought to justice and is behind bars.”
DOCUMENTARY
A BBC documentary about the abuse aired this week.
In it, Paddy Sharkey’s brother Colm told the cameras: “I said to my mother on her deathbed, ‘I apologise if I had caused you grief. I was young and stupid at the time’.
“As far as I was concerned, everybody looked at me as the black sheep of the family.
“And she said, ‘No, you’re not the trouble in this family; Paddy is the trouble in this family – and you know what I’m on about’.
“She said, ‘You’re the only one and I want you to take him down’.”
The Donegal News asked Gary about this.
He said: “Colm told us that in court. I don’t know all the information about that.”
DEATH BED
Patrick Sharkey’s brother Colm. Credit: BBC.
Fergal Kealy, who was abused for four year from 11 to 15, told the Donegal News: “Colm told us when the victims met in court to deliver our victim impact statements.
“He ended up in a room with us, I don’t know why. But he was there and he told us the story about his mum. I’m not sure how I felt about that.”
He added: “I feel like we have got justice to a degree. But because of his age, and because he will probably die in prison, I think his sentence was light.
“He should’ve got more. He abused us for nearly 30 years, he should have been sentenced to 30 years.
“He used us like a conveyor belt of victims for abuse. He groomed us and also our parents. I’m glad that we have spoken out.
“It’s good now that people know the truth. Hopefully the teachers who knew about Sharkey, now have that on their conscience; hopefully that is now playing on their mind.
“He abused me for four years and he abused me multiple times in Donegal. He made me share his sleeping bag, he wouldn’t let me sleep in my own.”
Cruel predator Sharkey was a teacher at a school under the Catholic Council for Maintained Schools (CCMS) in Coleraine, Co Derry, when he attacked the boys and had an address at College Green in Belfast when he was sentenced last month.
He was allowed to work in a school for more than a decade after the first complaints were made against him and continued to attacked more boys.
Some of the victims’ parents complained after the attacks in Donegal – but were dissuaded from going to gardai when they were told that they would not be able to afford a solicitor.