State will appeal €300,000 payout to abused orphan

Friday March 24th 2006 Sarah Murphy and Sean Keane THE State is to appeal the €300,000 award to an orphan who was sexually, physically and racially abused at St Joseph's Orphanage in Kilkenny in the 1960s. Barristers acting for the Department of Education are expected in the High Court this morning to appeal the award, which was made on Tuesday. In a development which has shocked victims' groups, David Connellan's solicitors, Michael Lanigan and Company, Kilkenny were informed yesterday of the State's intention to take the matter to the Supreme Court as soon as possible. This is despite the fact that trial judge, Mr Justice Dermot O'Donovan included in the award €50,000 in punitive damages for the litany of abuse perpetrated on Mr Connellan in an institution that had more paedophiles than any other of its kind in Ireland. Speaking last night from his home outside Kilkenny, Mr Connellan (46), said he was devastated after fighting a 16-year-long battle for "this to happen to him now". "I'm just so shocked and devastated at this news. "The judge made a fair award and his comments while making his judgment reflected what has happened to me," he said. Mr Connellan was abused either physically, sexually or racially every day he spent in the orphanage run by Sisters of Charity who were co- defendants in his action. He has never received a personal apology from anyone in relation to what had happened. Mr Justice Diarmuid O'Donovan said in court this week that the abuse had affected Mr Connellan's ability to concentrate when he was at school and as a result of this he never achieved his potential. He pointed out that the claimant endured appalling ill-treatment to which he was subjected in the course of his upbringing. He is particularly upset because he helped secure convictions against paedophiles who worked in the orphanage. The State fought against the case for 16 years before admitting liability three weeks ago. © Irish Independent