Ireland Case No. 25965Indecent assault (of children) · Co. Dublin
Former priest sentenced to four years for indecent assault in Ballyfermot
Tony Walsh, a 72-year-old man who was defrocked in 1992 and formally dismissed from the priesthood in 1996, pleaded guilty to indecent assaults of three schoolboys in Ballyfermot, Dublin, in the 1980s. He was a curate in Ballyfermot and chaplain to De La Salle school from 1978 to 1986, where he performed Elvis impersonations and heard confessions from boys. The assaults, which included oral and anal penetration, took place at the school, a lane, and the parochial house between 1980 and 1986. On 21 July 2022, Judge Martin Nolan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced Walsh to four years in prison, describing the crimes as evil and noting he has spent around 20 years in prison since his first conviction in 1995.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In court29 Jul
- Verdictnot reported
- Sentenced21 Jul
3 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Tony Walsh, a 72-year-old man, was a curate in Ballyfermot and chaplain to De La Salle school from 1978 to 1986, where he performed Elvis impersonations and heard confessions from boys.
- Walsh was defrocked in 1992 and formally dismissed from the priesthood in 1996.
- Walsh orally and anally penetrated a boy aged around eight in a toilet cubicle and a laneway, and repeatedly molested a third victim aged seven to ten.
- Where
- The assaults took place at De La Salle school in Ballyfermot, a lane in Ballyfermot, and the parochial house.
- When
- The assaults occurred between 1980 and 1986.
- Charges
- Walsh pleaded guilty to indecent assault of a child at a lane in Ballyfermot, indecent assault at De La Salle school between January 1983 and June 1986, indecent assault of a ten-year-old boy in 1982, and three counts of indecent assault at De La Salle school between September 1980 and June 1984.
- In court
- The sentencing took place at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 21 July 2022.
- Sentence
- Walsh was sentenced to four years in prison.
- Other details
- Judge Martin Nolan described the crimes as evil and noted Walsh has spent around 20 years in prison since his first conviction in 1995.
- Since 1995, Walsh has been convicted of 28 counts of indecent assault, five of sexual assault, and five of buggery, including a nine-year sentence in 2010.
- Walsh told gardaí he was attracted to young boys aged between ten and 12.
- The third victim, now aged 49, said the abuse meant he only achieved a fraction of his academic potential.
47 statements extracted from the articles
- whatTony Walsh is 72 years old (thejournal.ie)
- whatWalsh was defrocked in 1992 and formally dismissed from the priesthood in 1996 (thejournal.ie)
- whatWalsh was a chaplain to De La Salle school in Ballyfermot from 1978 to 1986 (thejournal.ie)
- whatThe first victim was aged around eight when the assaults occurred (thejournal.ie)
- whatWalsh orally penetrated the boy in a toilet cubicle (thejournal.ie)
- whatWalsh anally penetrated the boy in a lane-way (thejournal.ie)
- whatThe third victim was aged seven to ten when the assaults occurred (thejournal.ie)
- whatWalsh would perform Elvis impersonations and sing songs at the school (thejournal.ie)
- whatWalsh would hear confessions from boys in a spare classroom (thejournal.ie)
- whatThe third victim is now aged 49 (thejournal.ie, irishtimes.com)
- whatThe first victim was aged around eight years old when the abuse occurred. (irishtimes.com)
- whatOn another occasion Walsh anally penetrated the boy in a laneway. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe third victim was aged seven to 10 when Walsh repeatedly molested and indecently assaulted him. (irishtimes.com)
- whatWalsh would perform Elvis impersonations and sing songs at the school and hear confessions from boys in a spare classroom. (irishtimes.com)
- whereWalsh was a curate in Ballyfermot, Dublin (thejournal.ie)
- whereWalsh brought the boy to the parochial house for the assault (thejournal.ie)
- whereWalsh was a curate in Ballyfermot, Dublin, and a chaplain to De La Salle school in Ballyfermot from 1978 to 1986. (irishtimes.com)
- whenHe is accused of assaulting a male complainant between January 1983 and December 1985. (gript.ie)
- chargeWalsh pleaded guilty to indecent assault of a child at a lane in Ballyfermot and indecent assault at De La Salle school between January 1983 and June 1986. (rte.ie)
- chargeWalsh pleaded guilty to indecent assault of a ten-year-old boy in 1982 at the parochial house. (rte.ie)
- chargeWalsh pleaded guilty to three counts of indecent assault at De La Salle school between September 1980 and June 1984. (rte.ie, thejournal.ie)
- chargeWalsh pleaded guilty to indecent assault of a child at a lane in Ballyfermot (thejournal.ie)
- chargeWalsh pleaded guilty to indecent assault at De La Salle school between January 1983 and June 1986 (thejournal.ie)
- chargeWalsh pleaded guilty to indecent assault of a ten year old boy in 1982 (thejournal.ie)
- chargeWalsh pleaded guilty to indecent assault of a child at a lane in Ballyfermot and indecent assault at De La Salle school on unknown dates between January 1983 and June 1986. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeWalsh pleaded guilty to indecent assault of a 10-year-old boy in 1982. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeWalsh pleaded guilty to three counts of indecent assault at De La Salle school in Ballyfermot on unknown dates between September 1980 and June 1984. (irishtimes.com)
- courtA former priest will stand trial on historic child abuse charges relating to the alleged sexual abuse of a boy. (gript.ie)
- courtThe sentencing took place at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. (rte.ie)
- courtWalsh was first convicted of indecent assault in 1995 (thejournal.ie)
- courtJudge Martin Nolan described Walsh's crimes as evil. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe sentencing took place at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on Thursday. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceTony Walsh was sentenced to four years in prison for indecent assaults of three schoolboys in the 1980s. (rte.ie, irishtimes.com)
- sentenceIn 2010 Walsh received a nine-year prison sentence for indecent assault and buggery of a number of children. (rte.ie, irishtimes.com)
- sentenceWalsh was sentenced to four years in prison (thejournal.ie)
- otherTony Walsh, aged 67, used to perform Elvis impersonations. (gript.ie)
- otherJudge Martin Nolan described the crimes as evil. (rte.ie, thejournal.ie)
- otherWalsh was a curate in Ballyfermot and chaplain to De La Salle school from 1978 to 1986. (rte.ie)
- otherWalsh has spent around 20 years in prison since 1995 when first convicted of indecent assault. (rte.ie)
- otherThe first victim was aged around eight when Walsh followed him into a toilet cubicle and sexually assaulted him. (rte.ie)
- otherThe third victim was aged seven to ten when Walsh repeatedly molested and indecently assaulted him. (rte.ie)
- otherThe third victim, now aged 49, said the abuse meant he only achieved a fraction of his academic potential. (rte.ie)
- otherSince 1995, Walsh has been convicted of 28 counts of indecent assault, five of sexual assault and five of buggery. (rte.ie, irishtimes.com)
- otherWalsh told gardaí he was attracted to young boys aged between ten and 12. (rte.ie)
- otherWalsh has spent around 20 years in prison since 1995 (thejournal.ie)
- otherWalsh has spent about 20 years in prison since 1995 when he was first convicted of indecent assault. (irishtimes.com)
- otherWalsh is currently serving a sentence in the Midlands Prison in Portlaoise. (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 22 Jul2022Notorious ‘singing priest’ Tony Walsh sentenced to another four years in prison
Reports the sentencing of Tony Walsh to four years in prison for multiple counts of indecent assault of three schoolboys in Ballyfermot, Dublin, in the 1980s, including details of the offences, victim impact statements, and his prior conviction history.
convicted, Tony Walsh, 72, male, named, irish (judged from name)Tony Walshvictim, 8, malevictim, 10, malevictim, 7-10, male - 21 Jul2022Convicted paedophile priest Tony Walsh sentenced to four more years for indecent assaults
Provides detailed victim impact statements, the judge's full remarks, background on Walsh's prior convictions (28 indecent assault, 5 sexual assault, 5 buggery since 1995; nine-year sentence in 2010), and his admission to gardai that he was attracted to boys aged 10–12.
convicted, Tony Walsh, 72, male, named, irish (judged from name)Tony Walshvictim, malevictim, malevictim, 49, male - 21 Jul2022'Evil' Tony Walsh sentenced to four more years in jail
Provides full sentencing details including Judge Nolan's remarks, victim impact statements, the specific charges and date ranges for each of the three victims, and Walsh's criminal history since 1995.
convicted, Tony Walsh, 72, male, named, irish (judged from name)Tony Walshvictim, malevictim, malevictim, 49, male - 29 Jul2021Former "singing priest" accused of sexually abusing boy - Gript
Reports that Tony Walsh will stand trial on historic child abuse charges, identifying him as the 'Singing Priest' who performed Elvis impersonations, and specifying the alleged abuse period as January 1983 to December 1985.
suspect, Tony Walsh, 67, male, named, irish (judged from name)Tony Walshvictim, male