Ireland Dublin court refuses to release sexual assault trial transcripts
Michael Shine, a 93-year-old man with an address in Ballsbridge, Dublin, was convicted in 2017 and 2019 of sexually assaulting boys while working at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, Co Louth, from 1964 to 1995, and was sentenced to four years in prison in February 2019. He had been first charged in 1996 and acquitted in a 2003 trial.3 trial. In June 2026, Judge Patricia Ryan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court refused to release his trial transcripts to the independent scoping exercise into how the case was handled, though she permitted release of the indictments on a limited basis. The cases involved 33 alleged injured parties, including Pat Cusack, who was 11 when abused in 1974.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In court22 Jun
- Verdictnot reported
- Sentenced1 Jul
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Michael Shine was convicted in 2017 and 2019 of sexually assaulting boys in the course of his work at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, Co Louth.
- The cases involved 33 alleged injured parties, with Shine convicted of assaulting seven boys in one account and nine complainants in another.
- Where
- Shine worked at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, Co Louth, from 1964 until 1995, and has an address in Ballsbridge, Dublin.
- When
- In March 1995 the hospital's chief executive was informed of a complaint of abuse, and Shine took leave and retired later that year.
- Shine was first charged in 1996 but the case did not come to trial until 2003.
- In court
- Shine was acquitted in 2003 but convicted in trials in 2017 and 2019.
- In June 2026, Judge Patricia Ryan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court refused to release trial transcripts to the independent scoping exercise but permitted release of indictments on a limited basis.
- Sentence
- Shine was sentenced to four years in prison in February 2019.
- Other details
- The government approved a time-bound independent scoping exercise, with senior counsel Lorcan Staines beginning work as independent facilitator in March within a 16-week time frame.
- Pat Cusack was abused by Shine in 1974 when he was an 11-year-old patient.
- Shine claimed his accusers were motivated by money and that he had treated and cured Pat Cusack.
22 statements extracted from the articles
- whatShine was convicted after three criminal trials of sexually assaulting young boys in the course of his work. (irishtimes.com)
- whatShine took leave while the complaint was addressed and retired later that year. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe cases involved 33 alleged injured parties. (irishtimes.com)
- whatPat Cusack was abused by Shine in 1974 when he was an 11-year-old patient. (thejournal.ie)
- whereMichael Shine worked in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, Co Louth, from 1964 until 1995. (irishtimes.com)
- whereShine, aged 93, has an address in Ballsbridge, Dublin. (irishtimes.com)
- whenIn March 1995, the chief executive of the hospital was informed of a complaint of abuse. (irishtimes.com)
- whenShine was first charged in 1996 but the case only came to trial in 2003. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeShine was convicted of sexually assaulting seven boys over three decades. (thejournal.ie)
- courtShine was acquitted in 2003 but convicted in trials in 2017 and 2019 of assaulting nine complainants. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe application was made at a sitting of Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on Monday before Judge Patricia Ryan. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe judge told Staines the court could not go against Supreme Court precedent on release of transcripts. (irishtimes.com)
- courtIn a second application, the judge allowed release of the indictments on a limited basis. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe sentencing hearing was attended by the reporter on 23 February 2019. (thejournal.ie)
- courtJudge Martin Nolan said Shine showed no expression of remorse during the four-week trial. (thejournal.ie)
- courtThe sentencing lasted five minutes. (thejournal.ie)
- sentenceMichael Shine was sentenced to four years in prison. (thejournal.ie)
- otherMinister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill confirmed the Government approved a time-bound independent scoping exercise. (irishtimes.com)
- otherSenior counsel Lorcan Staines began work as independent facilitator in March within a 16-week time frame. (irishtimes.com)
- otherShine claimed the men who accused him were only after his money. (thejournal.ie)
- otherShine claimed he had treated Pat Cusack when he was 11 and had cured him. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe reporter interviewed Shine at his Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 apartment. (thejournal.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 1 Jul2026Saoirse McGarrigle: The day I confronted paedophile Michael Shine
Retrospective first-person piece on the 2019 sentencing hearing at the Central Criminal Courts and a 2025 interview with Shine at his Ballsbridge apartment. It says Shine claimed his accusers were motivated by money and that he had treated and cured one victim. It also says a victim's account will follow and that the government has announced an inquiry.
convicted, Michael Shine, male, named, irish (judged from name)Michael Shinevictim, Pat Cusack, 56, male, irish (judged from name)Pat Cusack - 22 Jun2026Court refuses to release transcripts from trials of sex offender Michael Shine
Reports on a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing where Judge Patricia Ryan refused to release trial transcripts for the Shine scoping exercise but permitted release of indictments on a limited basis.
convicted, Michael Shine, 93, male, named, irish (judged from name)Michael Shine