Torturous 35-year wait for justice finally ends
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AS a young boy, Paul Gordon was targeted by his abusers because of his weakly nature.
But his tenacity in pressing for an investigation at St John's National School led him to be the chief whistleblower in five cases of abuse involving teachers.
It has been a harrowing journey for Mr Gordon, taking in him killing his father and battling alcohol and drug addiction.
On several occasions, he raised his complaints, only to see his hopes of justice cruelly aborted. Yesterday marked a milestone in Mr Gordon's 35-year wait for justice.
Born into poverty and one of a family of 10, he was abused by three Marist brothers throughout his primary school education. By the age of nine he was drinking alcohol. By 11 he had begun taking drugs. By 14 he had quit school.
Between the ages of 11 and 14, he claims his alcoholic father would give him an envelope and send him to the house of a Marist brother, where he would be abused. He would return home to his father with the same envelope now containing money.
In a heated row with his father on Sligo docks in 1983, he fatally assaulted him with a crowbar and threw him into the Garavogue river.
However, he was unable to use the information about the role his father played in his abuse as part of his defence during the murder trial.
Complaints
He was sentenced to eight years for manslaughter -- and saw his complaints of abuse at school fall on deaf ears.
"I was basically told by a garda that I had brought enough disgrace on my family and that my complaints would go nowhere. That was crucial evidence in my murder trial and it never came out," he told the Irish Independent.
After his release from prison, he spent three years in England before returning to Sligo where he was ostracised by most of his family.
Over the next 10 years his life spiralled out of control.
"When I wasn't in jail, I was in St Columba's psychiatric hospital for alcohol or drug abuse. I would say I was in St Columba's 20 times," he said.
In 1996, this time with the support of some of his family, the whistleblower again tried to highlight the abuse at the school. But after a limited garda investigation, the DPP directed that there be no prosecution.
He retained the services of a solicitor who wrote to letters to the garda Commissioner and by 1999 a special investigation team was set up.
Finally, the abuse at the school was uncovered -- albeit slowly.
Yesterday, Mr Gordon said: "I am glad I stuck with it. People say that it should all have come out sooner, but I was trying and no-one wanted to hear.
"At least now I feel relieved that it has come to an end and I can try to get on with my life. I still have a lot of work to do."
Mr Gordon is pursuing a civil action against the State.
He said he has never received an apology from the Marist Order or the State for the abuse which blighted his childhood.
"Nobody ever came to me and offered me any help. I think I am owed an apology.
And after years spent in and out of jail and psychiatric care, the 44-year-old could not help thinking that a two-year jail sentence for his abuser was not enough.
"At least he got jail and that makes me feel good but I thought it should have been a lot more. He should have been put away for life.
"I suppose I feel relieved that I got some kind of closure. It has been a long, hard battle."
- Anita Guidera
